Summer Work Schedule
Frequently Asked Questions
Beginning Monday, May 13, and ending Friday, August 2, the 91老司机 鈥� Fort Smith鈥檚 official business hours will be 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays. Employees鈥� work schedules may change to accommodate the summer business hours.
The summer 2024 work schedule is intended to provide departments and offices with increased scheduling flexibility during the summer period and allow 91老司机 to continue delivering the services that our students and community expect while saving money through setback of temperature controls in targeted buildings. The summer work schedule will not impact faculty work schedules or summer class times.
We encourage employees to wear Lion Pride attire during the summer. Lion Pride attire includes jeans, slacks, skirts, and 91老司机 branded t-shirts, polos, and button-down shirts. If you don't have 91老司机 attire, you may wear clothing in our school colors of blue and white or business casual. You know your schedule best, so please dress appropriately for your workday. When in doubt about what to wear, please speak with your direct supervisor or call the Office of Human Resources.
In order to help employees and supervisors understand the expectations and make changes in work schedules, it is important to note that:
- faculty work schedules are not affected by the summer business hours.
- university buildings will be cooled 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- university buildings will be locked at 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and at noon on Fridays unless there is a special event.
- faculty and staff will be able to access their office and laboratory space during non-summer office hours as they are during the year.
- employees will continue to perform the duties of their position.
Examples of summer hour schedules included below are for information only. The appropriate supervisor must approve each employee鈥檚 summer hour schedule.
*Some restrictions apply.
Summer work schedules will start on May 13 and continue through August 2, 2024.
Faculty work schedules are a condition of employment and are not affected by the summer 2024 work schedules.
Beginning Monday, May 13 and ending Friday, August 2, 2024, 91老司机鈥檚 official business hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays. During this time buildings will be locked at 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon on Fridays.
All administrative and academic support offices should plan to participate in the summer office hours. Offices that primarily support prospective students and employees or current students and employees should remain open during our core business hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday and until noon on Friday.
Smaller offices may need to collaborate to allow for vacations, remote work, and full coverage of our core business hours.
It is possible for smaller offices to work together to serve our community by forwarding phones, putting signs up on doors, and directing out-of-office email replies to someone who is at work.
Yes. We encourage employees to wear Lion Pride attire. Lion Pride attire includes jeans, slacks, skirts, and 91老司机 branded t-shirts, polos, and button-down shirts. If you don't have 91老司机 attire, you may wear clothing in our school colors of blue and white or business casual.
You know your schedule best, so please dress appropriately for your workday. When in doubt about what to wear, please speak with your direct supervisor or call the Office of Human Resources.
Staff and non-teaching employees are still expected to work a schedule during summer 2024 that is equal to their regular work schedule during the remainder of the year. Full-time staff and non-teaching employees have a 40-hour workweek.
Starting the week of May 13, full-time staff and non-teaching employees should work a schedule that provides for a 40-hour work week. Full-time staff and non-teaching employees will need to work hours outside of the official business hours to meet their expected 40-hour work week.
If necessary, employees will need to use accumulated leave, as appropriate, to cover the difference between actual work hours and the expected total work schedule hours.
Each supervisor should work with their employees to develop summer 2024 work schedules. The plan must then be submitted to the appropriate dean or director for approval. The approval process should be started as soon as possible so that employees have adequate time to prepare for changes to their regular work schedule.
During the summer period, each campus office is expected to be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays. Supervisors are expected to develop work schedules that ensure the office remains open and services are provided during official business hours. (Please see question #4.)
Full-time employees must have a work schedule that provides 40 hours of work each week.
Some areas on campus will have more flexibility while others may be more restricted on how the office is staffed. All employees in the department must understand what is expected during this period.
There are several options for summer 2024 work schedules, but the supervisor needs to determine the best arrangements so that the office is open for business during official business hours.
Full-time employees must have a work schedule that provides 40 hours of work each week. Here are some options starting May 13 through August 2, 2024:
- 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to noon Fridays
- 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to noon Fridays
- 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to noon Fridays
If your department or office cannot accommodate a flexible schedule, staff in the department can work the standard schedule of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Smaller offices may need to work together to ensure that phones are transferred and people are directed to an open office where they can be assisted.
Working a four 10-hour-day work week would need to be approved by the appropriate dean or director. Options include:
- 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday
- 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday
- 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday
Again, during the summer period, each campus office is expected to be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays. Supervisors are expected to develop work schedules that ensure the office remains open and services are provided during official business hours.
In the event that you need to continue to work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, you will notify your supervisor. Your supervisor has the authority to permit you to remain in the office later on Fridays or to work from a remote location for the remainder of the work day.
When you propose your summer work schedule to your supervisor, you may talk with that individual about your desire to work for some portion of the summer from a remote location. Approval will be made based on the needs of the department. We cannot guarantee a specific remote work schedule unless full office coverage can be maintained during the summer.
No. Employees within a department/office may have different work schedules if the appropriate dean or director approves the schedules.
The appropriate dean or director of each department/office must approve summer work schedules.
The university will be closed on this day. Holiday leave will be applied at the normal rate. Employees should work with their supervisors to adjust schedules as needed to fulfill weekly hour expectations.
91老司机 departments and offices will remain open until 4:30 p.m. Friday, June 21, July 19, and July 26 to support 91老司机 New Student Orientation. Schedules should be adjusted as needed to ensure a 40-hour work week.
Yes. The University Police Department will remain open, and officers will be available on Friday afternoons.
The 24-hour zone will remain open throughout the summer 2024 work schedule.
Study rooms inside Boreham Library will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays.
May 4 - May 26
Monday-Friday: 6-9 a.m, 4-7 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sunday: 1-5 p.m.
CLOSED Monday, May 27, for Memorial Day
May 28 - June 2
CLOSED for planned maintenance
June 3 - August 9
Monday-Thursday: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday: 6-9 a.m., 4-7 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Sunday: 1-5 p.m.
CLOSED Tuesday, July 4, for Independence Day
August 10 鈥� August 18
CLOSED for planned maintenance
Yes. Your job duties remain the same when you are working outside of official business hours, and you are expected to perform functions (e.g., answering the phone, responding to emails, etc.) during this time.
Please note that university buildings will be locked at 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon on Friday unless there is a special event.
Campus offices are expected to remain open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays. Some offices may need to close over the 30-minute lunch period, but offices are generally expected to be open for the remainder of the workday.
The primary exception will be in the case of smaller offices whose coverage may be dependent upon working together with other offices to cover the needs of both units.
It should be standard practice to include a 30-minute unpaid lunch break each day in the summer 2024 work schedule.
Annual leave, sick leave, compensatory time taken, and holiday comp time taken will be reported in the same manner during the remainder of the year.
Sick leave should only be used for appropriate absences and should never be used to make up time if the employee is out of other types of leave.
As noted in Question #4 above, you should think in terms of reporting the total hours to meet the 40-hour obligation. Time should be reported fairly and responsibly.
The same FLSA rules apply for compensation for all hours worked over 40 in a work week. An employee may be eligible for compensation time earned or overtime pay if the threshold is met.
Student employee hours fall under the same guidelines for your department. You should develop student employee schedules that work for them and support your department.
Student employees should only work during official business hours unless otherwise approved by the appropriate dean or director.