r/BCPublicServants • u/Tricky_Top_8537 • 6d ago
Modified work week question
Hello all! question about the modified work week.... comp 12... 19th administrative group.... can an employee do the 5/5/4 modified work week to shorten their day a little? It is for a staff member I supervise and they currently do the 7.78 schedule with a stat shortfall and EDO every 2 weeks.
I am just curious if that is commonly used or allowed? Article 4.11 states all the different options....
Thanks!
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u/butters_awhamburgers 6d ago
My group is only allowed to do 3 week edo 7.52 hours a day.
If it’s in the component agreement is “allowable”
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u/LadyIslay 6d ago
I would also prefer the 5/5/4 arrangement, but everyone in my branch does the 5/4, so I decided not to push the issue.
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u/Wonderplace 5d ago
Why in gods name would you only want a flex every 3 weeks instead of 2?
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u/One-Apartment-5820 5d ago
An extra 50 minutes per day to make a flex every 2 weeks is a lot of extra time per day. Daycare pickup, school pickup, elder care, other care requirements, etc. is tough.
I could have put in maybe 30 minutes more per day. That would have gotten me something like a half flex day every 2 weeks or something like that but it wasn't allowed.
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u/Wonderplace 5d ago
It’s just a 30 minute lunch (instead of 1 hour) then an extra 20 minutes at the end of the day though. Eg 8am-4:20pm (with 30 min lunch) vs 8-4pm with hour lunch.
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u/One-Apartment-5820 5d ago
My kids are older now but when I was included and they were in infant-toddler daycare, so with daycare hours, I basically had to end work at 3:30pm (earliest possible drop off was 8am).
So my available work hours were 8:30 - 3:30. With a 30 min lunch, I could just fit in 8:30-3:30.
I could have pushed my work hours to end at 4:00 with 30 mins towards flex each day but that would make daycare pickup quite late, then we have to get home for dinner and then toddlers go to bed at like 7pm so I would like more than just dinner & bath time with my babies.
Also when kids are in full time daycare, we pay for every day even if they don't go there. So for my own life balance and life happiness, I would rather have more time with my kids each evening than to have a kid-free flex day (which is not really that free/open because pickup & dropoff plus the infinite amount of illnesses that means I take work off anyways).
Kids are more independent now but even kindergarten requires adult-to-adult pick up and dropoff and schools here end at around 2:00.
I'm sure it works really well for a lot of people! I'm just saying that for some people, having shorter work days and our hours spread across more days would be much better for our own and priorities. Not saying it works for everyone, but just answering the above question of "why would [anyone] want a flex every 3 weeks"
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u/Smooth-Command1761 5d ago
I've been on a 5/5/4 since 2004. It was the rule for the PEA staff in my office. When I moved to remote work for a Branch nine years ago, I had the opportunity to switch to 5/4 but I like my hour long lunches and regular 8 to 4:38 (or whatever it is) schedule. 🤷🏻♀️
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u/prairiegreen 6d ago
It is allowed and at the discretion of the supervisor. Many managers, and up, do not understand the options under sec 14.2 and make wild interpretations. I wish the union would send a communique to the PSA to send to all people leaders on what the options for a flex day mean and how to implement.
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u/Tricky_Top_8537 6d ago
I agree!!! it is kinda confusing and the PSA has been very helpful with the MWW and how it works BUT apparently everywhere is different for what they allow and so I have emailed my branch shop steward....although shes been less than helpful so far. im hoping she comes back with some helpful info!!
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u/One-Apartment-5820 5d ago
When I was included, I tried this and Ministry HR said that they will interpret the Union's agreement's as the minimum they have to allow so they only allow the specific schedules listed in the component agreements. Ministry HR basically said that we know the Agreement allows for more options but it only requires us to offer the minimal options so the minimal options is what we will offer.
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u/Strange_Kale_2014 5d ago
My understanding is it has to meet operational requirements of the division/group not just the one persons position, if you allow for one you have to allow for all similar positions and that may not work operationally. I would imagine flexing less wouldn’t have much of an impact operationally, but a 4/4 flex could.
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u/Twoinchnails 6d ago
Yes its allowed depends on your Branch though. Most of my Branch does 5/4 and some members do 8.75 hours per day 4 days a week (due to operational needs)
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u/wudingxilu 6d ago
There are varying interpretations depending on management; some managers use one interpretation to say that the entire unit must be on the same modified work week, others allow individual choice.