Workweek Schedule Adjustment Policy

All full-time and part-time Nebraska VR staff are allowed to select a work schedule option subject to their team/office coverage plan. 

Workweek schedule initial requests and changes are to be made with supervisor approval using the Telecommuting Form Schedule.

Workweek Schedule Examples

• 5-day workweek (8 hour workdays)
• 4-day workweek (10 hour workdays)
• Compressed workweek (four 9 hour workdays and one 4-hour workday)

Remote Work

When working remotely, staff must office from the location indicated on the agreement and must follow the established work schedule/hours. Any temporary change in hours and/or work location must be discussed in advance with the supervisor.

o Full time staff may work remotely for a maximum of 24 hours per week.
o Staff working less than full time may work remotely 60% of their FTE (e.g., staff works 32 hrs per week=up to 19.2 hours remote).
o Staff may work remotely for no more than 8 hours per day.
o If working in the office, staff may work more than 8 hours per day.
o The employee will work with the supervisor, as necessary, to update the Telecommuting Form Schedule.
o The remote work schedule for an individual should be reviewed every sixty days to ensure appropriate supports are in place to maintain a productive work flow.

The schedule outlined on the Telecommuting Form Schedule must be followed. 

o Employees will work the same period in each workday, unless otherwise agreed upon by the supervisor in advance.

o Supervisor must ensure appropriate staffing coverage for the office/team considering remote work schedules.

Workweek Schedule Frequency

It is preferred the workweek schedule chosen will be the same schedule each of the weeks in a month. A bi-weekly alternating schedule is also allowed to accommodate situations where multiple team members prefer the same 4-day workweek or compressed workweek schedule. There can be a change within the month to the workweek schedule for the following reasons:

• Team and/or office coverage plan adjustments
• Holiday week adjustments
• Team member changing their workweek schedule to another option
• Same-day or same-week schedule adjustments

A supervisor will provide 10 workdays' written notice to the affected employee prior to making changes to their permanent work schedules to accommodate office coverage, work requirements and/or attend a work-related activity/meeting. The supervisor may temporarily change an employee's work schedule to respond to an unforseen situation without the 10 workdays' notice. An unforeseen situation is one not knowable or controllable by the agency reasonably in advance of the temporary schedule change.

Employees with work-related activities/meetings that occur on their scheduled day off will make necessary adjustments to their schedules to accommodate the needs of the agency. The supervisor must be provided with the adjustment in advance.

Core Hours NAPE 

An employee’s regular scheduled work hours shall fall between the core hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Note: Regular scheduled work hours are the employee’s set work schedule documented on the NDE Work Schedule form.

Exceptions to an employee’s regular scheduled work hours with a start time earlier than 7:00 a.m. or end time after 6:00 p.m. must be made in advance and approved in advance by the supervisor and Director of VR using the NDE Telecommuting Form Schedule. 

As noted further in this chapter, a workday adjustment to attend a work-related activity that occurs outside of core hours only requires supervisor approval. This adjustment is documented by email. 

Lunch NAPE

Each day employees will have an unpaid lunch break of at least thirty (30) minutes and no more than sixty (60) minutes unless they are scheduled to work six (6) hours or less that day.

A lunch break may not be shortened or skipped in order to shorten the workday.

Breaks NAPE

All work schedules will provide for a paid fifteen (15) minute break during each four (4) hours an employee is on the job. Breaks shall be scheduled in the middle of each half workday whenever this is feasible.

Break times may not be saved in order to shorten the workday or to add to the lunch break.

For Same-Day and Same-Week Adjustments

Non-exempt:

Requests must be made by the employee, approved in advance (week prior) by the supervisor and documented by email for:

Adjusting start and end times to accommodate time worked that exceeds workday and/or workweek scheduled work hours.

Changing monthly work schedule for one week.

Making up leave (vacation and/or sick leave) within the workday and/or workweek scheduled work hours. All leave adjustments must occur within the same workweek the leave was taken. There are no exceptions to the same-week adjustments.

Adjustments within the workday and/or workweek scheduled work hours to attend a required work-related activity occurring outside of the core hours. (7:00 am to 6:00 pm).

Requests must be made by the employee, approved in advance (week prior) by the Director of VR and documented by email for:

Adjustments within the workday and/or workweek scheduled work hours to attend a required work-related activity on a Saturday or Sunday. A workweek begins at 12:01 am Monday and ends 12:00 am the following Sunday.

Adjustments can be made to the workday and/or workweek schedule for an unanticipated or unplanned event without prior approval. This should be communicated to the supervisor as early as possible. Such requests should be rare rather than an established pattern by an employee.

Exempt:

Exempt employees are required to work all hours necessary to perform the duties of the job.

Requests must be made by employee, approved in advance (week prior) by the supervisor and documented by email for:

Changing monthly work schedule for one week.

Making up personal leave (vacation and/or sick leave) within the workday scheduled work hours.

Adjustments to workday and/or workweek scheduled work hours to attend a required work-related activity occurring outside of the core hours. (7:00 am to 6:00 pm).

Requests must be made by an employee, approved in advance (week prior) by the Director of VR and documented by email for:

Adjustments within the workday and/or workweek scheduled work hours to attend a required work-related activity on a Saturday or Sunday. A workweek begins at 12:01 am Monday and ends 12:00 am the following Sunday.

Adjustments can be made to the workday schedule for an unanticipated or unplanned event without prior approval. This should be communicated to the supervisor as early as possible. Such requests should be rare rather than an established pattern by an employee.

Remote Work: Review the Continuity of Operation Plan( COOP) located on VRIS for further clarification of each Phase if the COVID-19 cases are rising and public health data are indicating high/substantial risk for spread of COVID-19, safety measures may be initiated by the Office Director(s)/Supervisor. The Director of Nebraska VR must be consulted prior to the measures being implemented. 

Only employees who are at increased risk for severe illness due to qualified chronic health conditions may request an adjustment to onsite work requirements. A form must be completed and medical documentation of the health condition must be submitted to substantiate the request. Contact joel.scherling@nebraska.gov for the form.

Inclement Weather

If a staff person is scheduled to be in the office but due to inclement weather instead requests to work remotely, the Office Director/Supervisor may allow telecommuting subject to advance approval. The Office Director/Supervisor uses discretion to determine appropriate coverage to ensure the VR office is open to the public from 8:00 am-5:00 pm, Monday-Friday. 

Supervisors of staff located in a field office (who are not supervised by an Office Director-OD) should coordinate plans with the OD to help ensure appropriate coverage is in place for an office to remain open to the public.

The modification to the current NDE Inclement Weather policy accounts for both staff/client safety and the efficient use of time (versus requiring staff to take vacation or make up time if they can’t travel to the office due to weather).