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’s coverage plan. Exception: Full-time Office Associate IIs will maintain the work schedule they were originally hired to work. VR Associate or VR Senior Associate are different classifications than an Office Associate II and may select from the Workweek Schedule Options.

Workweek schedule initial requests and changes are to be made with supervisor approval using the NDE Work Schedule form. These forms are retained in the local office. Schedule changes should generally occur no more frequently than once a month.

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)

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

Core Hours

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 Work Schedule form. Original is retained by the supervisor.

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

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

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.

Holiday Workweek 

All staff will work a 5-day workweek (8-hours per day) when one or more holidays fall in any workweek. Supervisors may allow same week schedule adjustment during a holiday workweek to accommodate issues around childcare, second jobs or other appropriate reasons. Requests made in advance that support the team coverage plan shall not be unreasonably denied.

For Same-Day and Same-Week Adjustments

Non-exempt:

Requests such as these should be rare rather than an established pattern by an employee.

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 such as these should be rare rather than an established pattern by an employee.

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.