Work schedules

Each of us has a work schedule: the hours that GSA expects us to be working. This page provides an overview of work schedule terminology and schedule types. The , external,TTS-only, work schedule overview chart also provides a high level, visual comparison.

A note before getting started

If you are in a Bargaining Unit (aka a union), our , external,TTS-only, Workforce Relations HR Specialist can confirm if the requested schedule is available to you, based on your Bargaining Status.

• Your Bargaining Unit Status is listed in HR Links > View My HR Information > Employment Data 2 tab.
• If it says Bargaining Unit: 8888 - Ineligible for Inclusion, you are not in a Bargaining Unit.

Definitions

Work schedule: the days and hours per week you are expected to work.

Base schedule: This is a template of your work schedule: it lives in HRLinks and is associated with you. You set up a base schedule during onboarding.

• Having a base schedule ensures that if there are any errors made during bi-weekly timesheet approval, you will still get paid. (i.e. payroll will default to paying you for what is listed on your base schedule).
• This also makes timesheets easier for many folks: your base schedule is “applied” each pay period, auto-populating how many hours you worked.
• For some flexible schedules, you will need to review and edit how many hours you worked each day, since your hours will be variable. More on that below!

Work days: everyone in TTS works a Monday - Friday schedule, so for the purposes of this Handbook page, we are talking about Monday - Friday as possible workdays.

Pay period: every full-time employee in TTS works 80 hours in a two week pay period. Pay period start/end dates can be found on GSA’s payroll calendars page.

Schedule types and their relationship to overtime, holiday pay, and credit hours

Standard schedule

You are scheduled to arrive and depart at the same time, every day that you work. The start/stop times do not change from one pay period to the next. You work 8 hours every day, for all 10 work days per pay period. By default, new TTS employees are on a standard schedule.

• Overtime and comp time: Yes - Can be approved for working more than 8 hours in a day.
• Holiday pay: Yes - You receive 8 hours of holiday pay for the time you were scheduled to work.
• Credit hours: No - Not available with this schedule

Compressed schedule

You are scheduled to arrive and depart at the same time, every day that you work. The start/stop times do not change from one pay period to the next. But, you work longer than 8 hours each day, so that you do not have to work the full 10 days in a pay period. This is a common TTS schedule, which we have typically called an Alternate Work Schedule (AWS).

• Overtime and comp time: Yes - Can only be approved for any hours that are in excess of what is normally scheduled for that work day (i.e., over the 8, 9, 10, 12 you were scheduled).
• Holiday pay: Yes - You will receive holiday pay for the 8, 9, 10, 12 hours you were scheduled to work. If a holiday falls on your scheduled off day, GSA may move your holiday , external,one day earlier or later.
• Credit hours: No - Not available with this schedule

Compressed schedule examples - in a 2 week pay period:

• Example 1: You work four, 10 hour days each week. You have one specific day off each week.
• Example 2: One week, you work four 9 hour days and one 8 hour day (44 hours). The other week, you work four 9 hour days (36 hours) and have a specific day off.

Flexible schedule

A type of schedule in which you might:

• Arrive/depart at different times, depending on the day AND/OR
• Work a different number of hours, depending on the day AND/OR
• Work more than 40 hours during one week of the pay period, and fewer than 40 hours during the other week.

Detailed explanations of the various schedule types are listed below.

• Overtime and comp time: Yes.
• Holiday pay: Yes - you receive 8 hours of holiday pay for that day.
• Credit hours: Yes, you can earn/use credit hours if you are on a flexible schedule.

Types of flexible schedules

GSA allows all 5 types of flexible schedules. For schedules that change from one pay period to the next: you should communicate with your supervisor about your forthcoming schedule, prior to the start of each pay period.

Flexitour

• You choose a specific start/stop time for each day, and it can be different day-to-day. Once set, the times are fixed (i.e. your start/stop times don’t change from one pay period to the next).
• You work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Gliding

• You can arrive/depart within a given time range each day.
• You work 8 hours, 5 days a week.

For example:

• You begin working between 7 AM - 10 AM every day.
• Depending on when you arrive, you depart between 3:30 - 6:30 PM. (Accounting for a 30 min lunch break).

Variable Day

• Each day in the work work can be slightly longer or shorter than 8 hours, but must add up to 40 hours per week. You work 5 days a week.
• The maximum number of hours you can work in a single day is 12.

For example:

Variable Week

• Each day in the workweek can be slightly longer or shorter than 8 hours.
• Each week can be shorter/longer than 40 hours, as long as together, the two weeks add up to 80 hours for the pay period.
• You work 5 days a week.
• The maximum number of hours you can work in a single day is 12.

For example:

Maxiflex

• Same as Variable Week, but you may work fewer than 10 days per pay period.

For example:

Holidays and flexible schedules

This special note is for variable day, variable week, and maxiflex schedules.

If you are on a flexible schedule, you will receive 8 hours for a holiday. If you typically work more than 8 hours on a day which falls on a holiday, you have a few options:

• Make up the hours on a different day
• Take annual leave
• Use credit hours, or use comp time.

For example: you typically work 10 hours on Thursdays. December 25th falls on a Thursday. You are given 8 hours for the paid holiday, and you work 2 extra hours on Monday, December 22nd, to make up the difference.

Choosing a schedule

Your schedule choice is subject to supervisor agreement and approval. Our , external,TTS-only, Workforce Relations HR Specialist can help provide clarity, as needed.

Entering your new schedule in HR Links

Once you have supervisor agreement, you’ll need to , external,TTS-only, create a new base schedule in HR Links. It will be sent to your supervisor for approval.

OPM Fact Sheets

• , external,Work Schedules

Questions?

• , external,TTS-only, #people-ops