Office Hours and Work Week

Policy number: 7.9

Policy section: Human Resources

Revised Date: January 2, 2019

1. Policy Statement

It is the policy of the University to adhere as closely as possible to established campus-wide office hours.

2. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework for the provision of fair and equitable working hours and to ensure that employees are aware of, and able to fulfill, their responsibilities in relation to their employment with the University.

3. Applicability

This policy applies to all full-time and part-time employees, as well as others who may from time to time be engaged in providing services to the University, such as temporary personnel, consultants, and independent contractors.

4. Department Administrative Rules, Procedures, and Guidelines

The Department of Human Resources, under the purview of the Vice President for Business and Finance, has oversight and administrative responsibility for this policy and shall promulgate departmental rules, procedures, and guidelines pursuant to this policy. Detailed administrative rules, procedures and guidelines can be found on the Human Resources website.

5. Work Week

  1. Administrative and general office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with a lunch period of one hour to be scheduled by each department as requirements demand. The expected office hours are thirty-seven and one-half hours per week. In some areas a 40-hour work-week is prescribed.
  2. The work week begins each Saturday at 12:00 a.m. (midnight) and ends at 11:59 p.m. the following Friday night. Computation of overtime will be determined by the number of hours worked each work week within each pay period.
  3. Because of requirements unique to their operations, certain departments must establish work hours designed to meet their specific business needs. Some departments must also operate with a second or third shift.

6. Questions

Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Department of Human Resources at hradmin@smu.edu.

Revised: January 2, 2019

Adopted: June 1, 1994

The official University Policy Manual is housed in the Office of the University Secretary. The University Secretary is responsible for maintaining new and updated policies and for maintaining this website. Should the official University Policy Manual conflict with any internal policies, procedures, departmental administrative rules, or guidelines, that may be contained in manuals provided by schools, departments, or divisions within the University, the official University Policy Manual controls.