Administrative Guidelines for Academic Department Chairs

Section Nine - Support Staff Wage and Hour Guidelines

Hours of Work

The normal workweek is Sunday to Saturday, beginning and ending at midnight on Saturday. Standard working hours are 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The employee's work schedule is established by the supervisor, based on the needs of the department, and may be different than the standard working hours. The College reserves the right to revise work schedules and hours to meet the needs of a department.

Meal Breaks and Rest Periods

Support staff work schedules normally provide for an unpaid meal break of 45 minutes and one paid fifteen minute rest period for each four hours worked. Supervisors will schedule breaks to accommodate operating requirements. Employees will be relieved of all work responsibilities during unpaid meal breaks.

Rest periods (except for adequate time for the purpose of utilizing the nearest convenient restroom) are an employment privilege. Thus, abuse of rest periods may result in loss of the privilege. Employees may elect not to use a paid rest period; however, a rest period may not be "saved" to shorten the work day, extend a meal break, or alter the work schedule. Support Staff may occasionally be asked to work during a rest period and their cooperation is expected at such times.

Gustavus encourages employees to attend Chapel Services from 10 to 10:20 a.m. on days classes are in session by allowing employees to substitute the 15-minute morning break period for the 20-minute service.

Time Sheets

Accurately recording time worked is the responsibility of every non-exempt (support staff) employee. Federal and state laws require the College to keep an accurate record of time worked in order to calculate employee pay and benefits. Altering, falsifying tampering with time records, or recording time on another employee's time record may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

It is the employees' responsibility to sign their time records to certify the accuracy of all time recorded. The supervisor will review and sign the time record before submitting it for payroll processing. In addition, if corrections or modifications are made to the time record, both the employee and the supervisor must verify the accuracy of the changes by initialing the time record.

Non-exempt employees should report to work no more than ten (10) minutes prior to their scheduled starting time nor stay more than ten (10) minutes after their scheduled stop time without expressed, prior authorization from their supervisor.
Since the College uses a biweekly pay period, time sheets are submitted every other week. Time records must be submitted to the Finance Office by noon on the Monday following the Saturday that concludes the two-week pay period.

Overtime

Occasionally, support staff may need to work additional hours to meet deadlines or assist with evening or weekend events. Staff should discuss the need for overtime hours with their supervisor before the time is accrued to make sure the overtime is authorized.

All hours worked, including overtime hours must be recorded on time cards. Hourly employees are paid at the rate of time-and-a-half for all hours worked aver 40 per week. Overtime pay is based on actual hours worked. Time off on paid time off, holiday, or any other paid leave of absence will not be considered hours worked for purposes of performing overtime calculations.

Time off in lieu of overtime pay may be allowed if the following conditions are met. Time off is provided at the rate of time-and-one-half for all hours worked over 40 in a week and the time off is taken during the same two-week pay period in which it was accrued. Your time card would show actual hours worked, overtime hours, and the hours taken as time off.

Example: If an employee worked 50 hours in the first week of a pay period, their time card should show 40 regular hours worked and 10 hours of overtime. If he/she worked 25 hours and took 15 hours (1.5 x 10 hours overtime) off the second week, the time card should record 25 regular hours worked and indicate taking off 15 hours as time off to compensate for the previous week's overtime hours.

Last modified: July 14, 2010, by Shanon Nowell