Flextime is a variation of an employee’s work schedule. Instead of employees being required to work a standard 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., their work day is modified to allow for flexibility while still maintaining a 37.5/40 hour work week. There is typically a core period of the day when employees are expected to be at work. The rest of the work day is "flextime" in which employees can discuss arrival and departure times with their manager.

Example:

Scott travels from Richmond every day and wishes to be home in time to participate in his children's' after-school activities. He arrives at work at 7:00, takes a half-hour lunch and leaves at 3:00 each day.

Jan is caring for her elderly mother who is taking chemotherapy. She wanted to have a flexible schedule that would allow her to take her mother for her treatments. Jan met with her supervisor and they worked out an agreement that allows her to come to work at 8:00 and work until 10:00, at which time she leaves to take her mother to chemo. She returns at noon and works until 5:30, completing her 7.5 hour workday. Please note: this is not a matter of right and is subject to the needs and requirements of the agency.

A Compressed Work Week enables employees to fulfill their basic work requirements in less than 10 days during a pay period.   An employee extends his/her work day in order to take time off within the pay period.

David works a 37.5 hour week. He has chosen a compressed work week schedule which allows him to take off on Wednesdays. He works three 9.5 hour days and one 9.0 hour day and takes a half-hour lunch.

His schedule looks like this:

Monday - 7:30-5:30

Tuesday - 7:30-5:30

Wednesday - off

Thursday - 7:30-5:30

Friday - 7:30-5:00

On his timesheet he reports 9.5 regular hours Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and 9.0 hours on Friday. On Wednesday, he reports 0 hours.

Beth works a 40 hour week. She has chosen a compressed work week schedule which allows her to take off on Fridays. She works four 10-hour days from 8:00 to 6:30 and takes a half-hour lunch.