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Article 19 : hours of work

General

19.1 For full-time employees receiving an annual salary, the average annual length of the normal work week is thirty-five (35) hours, for a total of 1,820 hours per year.

19.2 To allow employees to work reduced hours during the summer months, the University has granted the following distribution of annual hours of work, with the understanding that the nominal workday remains seven (7) hours a day:

  • From September 1 to May 31 inclusive, the normal work week is thirty-six-and-one-quarter (36.25) hours, and the normal daily schedule is from 8:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • From June 1 to August 31 inclusive, the normal work week is thirty-one-and-one-quarter (31.25) hours, and the normal daily schedule is from 8:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • As of September 1st of each year, an employee who does not want to benefit from reduced working hours may apply to work seven (7) hours per day for a total of thirty-five (35) hours per week until the following August, subject to the approval of the Director of the department or the Dean of the faculty. The written request must be made at least sixty (60) calendar days prior to September 1 and cannot be refused without valid reason.

19.3 The normal work week for most employees is five (5) workdays, from Monday to Friday. Employee work schedules are established according to their work unit and operational requirements and may include a regular weekend or evening schedule. This schedule appears in the employees' job descriptions. The word "weekend" means Saturday and Sunday.

19.4 The University establishes work schedules based on operational requirements, and certain employee groups and certain employees will work schedules that are different from the one detailed in 19.3. This schedule is detailed in the job description.

19.5 For employees of the Housekeeping division of the Physical Resources Service and Protection Services dispatchers, the normal average annual work week is forty (40) hours. Work schedules include normal workdays of eight (8) hours divided into day, evening and night shifts, are established by the administration of the service in question and are detailed in the job description. For post office staff, the normal average annual work week is thirty-six-and-one quarter (36.25) hours.

19.6 Work schedules detailed in job descriptions may be changed with the agreement of the employee concerned to meet the needs of the sector or University. In such instances, the total annual number of hours of work scheduled for the position must be respected. The arrangement is included in the employee's file and bears the signature of the employee, the Director or Dean, as well as the Human Resources Service, Staff Relations sector, and the Bargaining Unit. The employee is given thirty (30) calendar days of notice. Modified schedules existing at the time of ratification of the Agreement will continue to be in effect and will be deemed to have been given effect in accordance with the procedure detailed here. In the case of changes required for purposes directly linked to teaching, different schedules will come into effect with fifteen (15) calendar days of notice.

19.7 The number of work hours per day and per week shall comply in all instances with the Ontario Employment Standards Act.

19.8 

  • An employee who works a full day (normally seven (7) hours) is allowed an unpaid hour for lunch, generally from noon to 1:00 p.m., or according to a schedule in keeping with the sector's operations.
  • An employee who works less than seven (7) hours a day is entitled to a lunch break in accordance with the Ontario Employment Standards Act, based on the number of hours worked in the day.

19.9 For the purposes of calculating the number of hours worked in a week, the work week begins on Sunday (12:01 a.m.) and ends on Saturday night (midnight).

Breaks

19.10 All employees are entitled to two fifteen- (15) minute breaks with pay every day, one in each half of the workday, at a time established by the authorized persons, either the supervisor or other persons delegated by the Director or Dean.

19.11 The supervisor shall ensure that employees are able to take their break while also ensuring that telephone and reception services are maintained.

19.12 Breaks shall not be taken at the beginning or end of the workday and shall not be used to extend the time allowed for meals or to shorten the workday.

Flexible Schedules

19.13 The University recognizes that employees may work flexible hours (to change the start and end time of the workday) subject to the following conditions:

  • The parties recognize that faculties and services have an obligation to provide the best possible service to students and the University community in general. Requests must take this obligation into account and may be refused by a faculty or service if service is affected.
  • The parties recognize that faculties and services have operational requirements that must be met, including having a sufficient number of employees during the regular hours of the University, service or faculty. Requests must take this obligation into account and may be refused by a faculty or service if service is affected.
  • Flexible schedules must abide by these rules: at least thirty (30) minutes must be granted for lunch, the two daily fifteen- (15) minute breaks cannot be used to reduce the length of the normal University workday and the work schedule requires the Dean's or Director's approval.
  • Flexible schedules cannot allow for the workday to begin before 7:30 a.m. or to end before 3:30 p.m., except during summer hours, when the daily schedule must not end before 3 p.m.
  • A flexible schedule arrangement is not considered permanent. Such arrangements can be subject to a pre-determined period or may be terminated by the University if circumstances, service needs or operational requirements change in a unit. An arrangement will not be terminated without prior consultation with and notice to the employee and the Unit. Such consultation shall include the reasons for the end of the arrangement.

19.14 Flexible schedules apply only to employees whose regular work schedule is detailed in Article 19.2.

19.15 Flexible schedules will not be requested unreasonably by employees or refused without valid reason by a faculty or service.

Compressed Schedule

19.16 The University recognizes that employees may work a compressed schedule (to work a higher total number of hours in a week than the normal number of hours). Such a schedule is subject to the same conditions as the flexible schedules described in Articles 19.13, 19.14 and 19.15.

19.17 A compressed schedule can spread hours over a biweekly period, creating one (1) extra day off, with the employee working nine (9) days during a ten- (10) day period. Responsibility for determining the extra day off lies with Deans and Directors, who must consider the preference expressed by employees and the conditions set out in Article 19.16.

19.18 The immediate supervisor accounts for the overpaid time during certain employee's leaves and establishes with the employee, the convenient time for the resumption of work due to the University.

Travel Time

19.19 At the request of the University, when the employee is required to travel to a workplace, the provisions of the Ontario Employment Standards Act shall apply.