Types of Alternative Work Arrangements
Compressed Work Weeks
Employees who compress their work weeks are generally able to avoid the peak commute time each day
by arriving early and/or staying late. Business benefits from reduced overhead expenses, extended hours
of customer service and production, help in recruiting and retention among others. The most commonly
used variations of compressed work weeks include:
4/40 Work week
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
10
10
10
10
off
Total
Work week
40
Calendar
Week
40
A 4/40 schedule allows employees to work four 10-hour days in one week (instead of five 8-hour days)
and have one extra day off (called a “flex day”). The day off does not have to be Friday, as illustrated
above; it can be any day of the week. You can divide your department into two work groups, one taking
Fridays off and one taking Mondays off, or arrange coverage so that different employees are off on different days. Some organizations have every employee on a 4/40 schedule and close down for the fifth day.
9/80 Work week
Week 1
Week 2
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
8
off
Total
Work week
40
40
Calendar
Week
44
36
A 9/80 schedule operates over a two-week cycle. Employees commonly work four 9-hour days and one
8-hour day the first calendar week and four 9-hour days with an extra day off the second calendar week.
Again, the day off does not have to be Friday.
If you are considering a 9/80 schedule for non-exempt employees, federal law requires payment of overtime for non-exempts who work more than 40 hours in a work week. To avoid paying overtime, you can
redefine the work week for your unit to start at the midpoint of the eight-hour day in your schedule. In the
example above, each work week could be defined as starting Friday at noon and ending the following Friday at noon. This creates two 40-hour work weeks. Consult with your Human Resources (HR) Department
if you have questions about how to do this.
3/36 Work week
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
12
12
12
off
off
Learn more about our alternative work arrangement
consulting services at GaCommuteOptions.com
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Total
Work week
36
Calendar
Week
36
A 3/36 schedule enables employees to work three 12-hour days with two extra days off each week. The
days off do not have to be Thursday and Friday. This schedule is often used for weekends and other
difficult-to-staff shifts. A variation has employees work four hours on a fourth day each week or eight hours
on a fourth day every other week.
Flextime
Like compressed work weeks, commuters who use flextime generally avoid peak commute times and
have the flexibility they need to meet personal and family obligations--so employers generally see a reduction in tardiness and absenteeism as well as many other benefits.
Flextime refers to a work schedule that permits employees to choose their starting and stopping times
within limits set by management. Key elements are core hours (time when everyone must be present) and
flexible starts and stops (times when employees have choice in when they work). Some organizations
permit flexible lunch periods as well as flexible stops and starts.
Standard workday
7am
8
9
Work
10
11
12
1
2
Work
3
4
5
6
7pm
Flextime workday
7am
8
9
Flexible Start
10
11
Core Hours
12
1
Flexible Lunch
2
3
Core Hours
4
5
6
Flexible Stop
7pm
Telework
Telework is an alternative work arrangement that uses technology to eliminate the daily commute. It allows
employees to work at a location other than their main office. The employee’s home is the best alternative because it eliminates vehicle travel, helps the worker be more productive with fewer distractions and
enables greater concentration with longer periods of uninterrupted work time. Telework is one option that
has proven to be successful at companies of all sizes and industries.
Take advantage of The Clean Air Campaign’s alternative work arrangement expertise and one-onone services to start flextime, compressed work week or telework programs.
Our Services
•
•
•
Evaluation of your organization’s ability to support alternative work arrangements
Customized employee surveys, policies, agreements and documents
Ongoing guidance and assistance with program evaluation
Note: This information is based on “The Manager’s Guide to Compressed Workweeks and Flextime,” published in 1998 by Washington State
University Cooperative Extension Energy Program in collaboration with Commuter Challenge and with additional support provided by Washington
State Department of Transportation.
Learn more about our alternative work arrangement
consulting services at GaCommuteOptions.com
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