Alternative Work Arrangements (AWA):

AWAs are generally changes in a routine work schedule.  Compressed work week schedules make it possible to be present at the work place fewer days per work week, reducing commute expenses and time. Flexible work schedules (flextime) allow variation in hours scheduled within a work day.  With flextime, report-to-work and departure times may vary. Flextime and compressed work weeks do not, however, alter the total expected number of work hours for an employee. These arrangements must address possible overtime and deficit hours as they occur and assure that all required and legal pay practices are maintained. AWA may require managers to supervise multiple schedules.

1. AWA should be mutually beneficial to the staff as well as to the organization. Any AWA should be determined by both management and the employee(s).
2. AWA are an accommodation, not an entitlement, and therefore may be altered at any time depending on a variety of factors that may change.
3. Not all work can be accommodated through AWA. Some types of work and certain job functions require on-site presence. This should be acknowledged in order to address morale issues for those who may be unable, due to the type or nature of their work, to participate in AWA programs.
4. Staff members should seek ways to participate in AWA while also meeting the operational goals and requirements of their work unit(s) or team(s).
5. Management reserves the option to alter or discontinue an AWA at any time based on Emory’s needs. Managers should consider appropriate input from the staff and phased-in timelines when making schedule alterations.
6. Management should pilot AWA to assess effectiveness, compliance, and benefits of AWA both to the individual and the unit/organization.
7. Work schedules must address required staffing levels to meet operational needs and work demands. These work schedules must be practical and realistic.
8. Changes in staff work schedules due to AWA implementation should not result in service level reductions.
9. AWA should not cause an increase in labor expense to Emory as a whole or any individual work unit.
10. Work units that use AWA should maintain clear scheduling rules understood by all parties.
11. Individual circumstances may impact an individual’s ability or interest in participating in AWA. Therefore, opt-out options should be considered for those who may not desire to participate in an AWA program. Opt-out options are not intended to suggest that employees can refuse to work an assigned work schedule.
12. Written agreements with staff and work units should include the specifics of AWA, measures under which the program’s success will be assessed, and clear expectations of the participating staff regarding attendance, absence management and how absence abuse will be managed.  A proposed work agreement can be found at http://www.worklife.emory.edu
13. Staff should receive constant feedback on AWA-related issues that affect morale, productivity and service.
14. Staff with known performance issues, or those whose performance is below satisfactory or for which intense direct or in-person supervision is required should not be permitted to participate in AWA.