The operation of Memorial Library requires and accommodates significant variety and flexibility in setting work schedules for staff. We value our ability to respond to the needs of individual staff members, as long as doing is not in conflict with the needs of the Library.
Our goal is to be reasonably flexible in responding to requests to adjust regular work schedules to accommodate personal commitments such as medical appointments, classes and family responsibilities. All staff members are expected to consult their colleagues and supervisor in advance about planned variations from their normal work schedule. Advance approval mechanisms should afford staff members the greatest degree of autonomy possible without detracting from the effective functioning of their work groups. Staff members are expected to use good judgment in situations where they must make an independent decision about adjusting their work schedule to meet an unplanned need.
All staff members, whether exempt or non-exempt, should be held to the same standards for working productively, scheduling vacation and personal time responsibly, not abusing sick leave, reporting to work on time, socializing during work hours, etc. In general, our assumption is that all staff members will accomplish a reasonable amount of work in the allotted time without requiring monitoring or scrutiny of the details of how they apportion their work day.
Staff members are expected to establish regular work schedules and to keep the full staff of their work schedule, especially when significant changes are made. When establishing or changing work schedules, staff members must also ensure that their work schedules align with the Library’s mission and goals.
Non-exempt employees are paid for each hour worked and are covered by the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act. Since the signatures of employee and supervisor on the completed timecard constitute verification that the hours reported are correct, the sections for time worked should reflect the actual hours the staff member was at work, even if that varies from their standard work schedule. Hourly-paid staff may report time worked in increments as small as a 10th of an hour if they choose to; however, rounding to the nearest half hour is sufficient.
Exempt staff compensation is based on an average five-day, 40 hour work week, but the nature of exempt employees’ duties requires considerable flexibility to accommodate varying workloads and operational needs. Exempt employees are expected to be self-directing with respect to their responsibilities, and may sometimes find it necessary to work considerably more than an average work week in order to perform their duties satisfactorily. However, over the course of a year a reasonable work schedule for a full-time exempt employee should average 40 hours per week.
Library staff members have mutual responsibilities regarding consulting and informing one another about planned absences of all kinds. Each Library team should establish practices for notification regarding planned and unplanned absences and temporary work schedule adjustments. With the exception of staff scheduled to open the Library or to staff a service point, staff should not be expected to provide notice or accounting for a late arrival of less than 15 minutes.
Institutional service is encouraged and, for librarians, expected, and (especially when the activity takes place during the staff member’s regular work schedule) will often be considered paid work time. Staff members are expected to use good judgment about the number of commitments they make, and to discuss the impact of these commitments with their colleagues.
When staff members participate in approved work-related training and development programs, professional meetings, conferences and workshops and other similar activities, the time the staff member is involved in the activity (including travel time outside the staff member’s normal commuting area and required meal events) should be considered work time, not to exceed the staff member’s standard weekly work hours. When such activities take place off campus, staff members should complete an Approval of Travel form even if they do not plan to submit an expense voucher.
Neither Federal nor Georgia law requires breaks, and Berry College has no internal policy regarding rest breaks or lunch periods. However, Memorial Library provides non-exempt staff members with the opportunity to take an unpaid lunch break and no fewer than two paid short rest breaks daily. Depending upon the needs of the team, the times at which the breaks are taken may either be scheduled in advance or left to the discretion of the staff member. Since the paid breaks are unofficial, they cannot be used to offset late arrival or early departure from work or to accumulate paid time off from one day to the next.
All permanent staff members accrue vacation and sick leave.
See Vacation & Sick Leave for more information.
Non-exempt employees (including student workers and temporary staff members) are entitled to overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 40 in a workweek. Employees may choose overtime pay or compensatory time at time and one-half the regular rate. An agreement between the staff member and the supervisor must be arrived at as to whether the staff member will be paid or granted time off in lieu of overtime pay. The use of compensatory time must be granted upon request unless the granting of such time would unduly disrupt the effective functioning of the department (mere inconvenience is an insufficient basis for denial of a request to use accrued compensatory time).
Planned overtime requires the advance written approval of the Library Director. In case of operational emergencies precluding prior authorization, subsequent written authorization must be obtained promptly.
Overtime will be approved only after other alternatives have been explored, such as rescheduling priorities, reassigning work, re-balancing workloads and offsetting excess hours in one day with reduced hours in another day in the same workweek. Staff members are expected to work overtime when requested to do so.
Exempt employees are not entitled to overtime pay or to compensatory time in lieu of overtime pay.
From the Faculty and Staff Handbook, p.22: "Full-time employment of a faculty and/or staff member by Berry College implies a commitment which does not ordinarily permit outside employment. Except during the employee’s vacation period, an employee should not enter into an agreement to perform for remuneration any work other than duties expected of the employee at Berry, without approval of his or her department head and next administrative official."
July 3, 2019