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Averaging Hours Arrangements

More Information on Flexible Work Arrangements

Averaging hours gives you the opportunity to vary the scheduling of your hours of work on a long-term basis.
Averaging hours is a flexible work arrangement that allows you the benefit of planning your work and personal commitments over a longer period, and is one that can take into account irregular fluctuations in your personal schedule.
Employees who find this option useful often have many outside commitments they want to honour without having to take leave to do so.

Who is eligible?

regular full-time indeterminate employees
seasonal full-time employees
term full-time employees

What is it?

Most employees who don’t work shift work normally work between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Under an averaging hours arrangement, you and your supervisor may agree to average the hours you work over a predetermined longer period of time (e.g. on a monthly basis), where the total hours worked during the period are the same that you would normally work except that on a daily basis your hours may vary in both length and timing.

Examples:

You might consider working 3 long days followed by 2 short days in every seven-day period. In this case, your scheduled may look like:

Monday – 10 hours
Tuesday – 10 hours
Wednesday – 10 hours
Thursday – 4 hours
Friday – 3.5 hours
TOTAL: 37.5 hours/week

Or, you might consider averaging your daily hours in a fourteen-day period like this:

Monday – 4 hours
Tuesday – 9 hours
Wednesday – 8 hours
Thursday – 11 hours
Friday – 3.5 hours

Monday – 3.5 hours
Tuesday – 11 hours
Wednesday – 8 hours
Thursday – 9 hours
Friday – 4 hours
TOTAL: 75 hours/two-weeks

The length of each day may be varied to accommodate regular personal and work requirements, so long as the hours you work average out to the required total hours over the period of time you select (e.g. 4 weeks = 150 or 160 hours). Then your schedule repeats.
Note that the intent of the Averaging Hours Arrangement is to work each day, the amount of hours worked each day may vary, and is averaged out over a one week, two week, three week or four week period.

Requirements:

If you normally work a 7½-hour day, your schedule must provide for a total of 37½ hours worked per week; 75 hours worked every two weeks; 112½ hours worked every 3 weeks; or 150 hours worked every 4-week period.
If you normally work an 8-hour day, your schedule must provide for a total of 40 hours worked per week; 80 hours worked every two weeks; 120 hours worked every 3 weeks; or 160 hours worked every 4-week period.
You need to write up your averaging hours arrangement and ensure it’s signed off and either posted or electronically distributed two weeks before you start working your new schedule.
Your arrangement must be mutually agreed to by you and your supervisor. If you are a bargaining unit employee, your Human Resource Branch will also facilitate the agreement of the Union to your schedule.
Your averaging hours arrangement should be at least 3 months in duration.

Things to remember:

You should specify the period of time over which your schedule is averaged, and provide the work schedule for each day. You should also specify the start date.
Your schedule should be posted or distributed electronically 14 days prior to the start date.
Your proposal to average hours should include an annual review to ensure operational requirements are being met satisfactorily.
If they occur in your schedule, designated holidays paid at 7½ or 8 hours (as the case may be) may be subtracted from the total hours to be worked.
Your schedule on any given day cannot exceed 12 hours, as time above 12 hours will be considered overtime.
Once your schedule is agreed, any time you work beyond your scheduled hours for the day will be considered overtime.
Your schedule must specify, for every 7-day period, two consecutive days of rest.

Things to consider:

Operational requirements while your worksite is open to the public.

There is no impact on pay, insured benefits or pensionable time.

Where to get more information:

See article 15.07 of the YG/PSAC Collective Agreement (2007-2009) [2.6 MB]

Contact Information - Flexible Work Arrangements

Talk to your supervisor, call your Human Resource branch or contact:

Staff Relations Branch
Public Service Commission

Phone: 867-667-5253
Email: Pat.Gillespie@gov.yk.ca