Hours of Work

The established regular hours of work comprising full-time employment for a  staff employee of the University shall be forty (40) hours per week. The established University standard work week for employees begins at 12:01 a.m. Monday and ends at 12:00 midnight the following Sunday. Each department determines the work schedule for employees as necessary for its operation. 

Full time employees work at least 30 hours per week. However, work schedules may vary among departments including differing full time, part-time, required overtime, flexible and seasonal schedules to accommodate the operational needs of the department. (See Flexible Work Arrangements Policy). 

Employees are expected to work their regular schedule based on standard hours or the full time equivalent (FTE) for each work week except in the case of excused absences. Hourly employees must accurately record all worked time using the record keeping system (i.e., Workday) in place for the employee’s department. The time record must accurately reflect any unpaid breaks (i.e., meal breaks or breaks for breastfeeding individuals) taken during the workday. Adjustments to the assigned schedule cannot be made without prior approval of the supervisor. 

Offices shall generally be open during the hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except on official University holidays. Changes in this schedule must have prior approval from the appropriate administrative official.

Employees are paid for the work performed as regulated under applicable state and federal laws.

Supervisory notification and approval is needed for an hourly paid employee to arrive early and leave prior to the end of the work day or scheduled shift. If alternative notification options are available for emergency situations, those options should be communicated to all employees in the department. Non-exempt employees are governed by the Texas Pay Day Act (1989) and are paid biweekly as required by this legislation. 


A. Unpaid Breaks

1. Meal Period: Employees who work six or more consecutive hours a day are required to take an uninterrupted meal break of at least 30 minutes away from the work area. However, schedules for meal breaks are based on the operational needs of the work area as determined by the individual's direct supervisor. Trinity generally recognizes a meal break as an unpaid time for which an employee is relieved from work for a period of time.
2. Breaks for Breastfeeding Individuals: Reasonable break periods will be provided for breastfeeding individuals to express breast milk for their child for one (1) year after the child’s birth. Designated locations, other than restrooms, shielded from public view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public will be provided for the breaks. These rooms are Northrup Hall, room 355, and CSI room 580A.  Please pick up a key for the room in Human Resources, Northrup Hall, room 210. The breaks will need to be documented and reported as non-work time. Breastfeeding individuals requiring these breaks should make the request to the immediate supervisor or manager and communicate the frequency and duration of the breaks.  

B. Paid Breaks

Scheduled Rest Breaks: Generally, most work areas within Trinity allow for an appropriate amount of break time within the work day as needed. However, jobs that cannot be left unattended, such as clinical employees and receptionists, are permitted at least one 10-minute paid break after 4 hours as part of their normal work day. Supervisors should identify the standards for breaks in their area and communicate the same to both the relief person and employees working the positions. Breaks are to be utilized consistently for all employees. Unapproved and extended breaks will be addressed.

Paid rest breaks guidelines are as follows:

1. Supervisors reserve the right to change rest break period time or, in exceptional circumstances only, deny rest break periods to ensure departmental needs are being met. 
2. An employee is not permitted to accumulate unused rest breaks, nor may the rest break be used to cover an employee’s late arrival or early departure from work or be added to their lunch. 
3. Employees on a rest break should remain in the work area or in close proximity to be available if needed.

C. Other

1.  Overtime: Non-exempt (hourly paid) employees must be paid for all hours worked, whether pre-approved or not. However, failure to adhere to departmental procedures for pre-approval of overtime will be addressed through the Performance Management process (see Employee Discipline and Concerns Policy).
2. Compensatory Time Off: Trinity does not permit employees to “bank” time worked and grant it as “time off” at a later date. Therefore, time off granted as compensatory time must be approved and administered within the same pay period it is worked. 
   
   Managers can adjust the employee’s daily schedule during a work week to offset any hours worked beyond the regular schedule. In a work week where hours worked are 40 or less than 40, the calculation for compensatory time is hour for hour. 
   
   Non-exempt (hourly paid) employees must accurately document and report all time worked in any pay period. Compensatory time off is not applicable for exempt employees. Due to the complexity of the administration of compensatory time off, it is not recommended for use on a regular basis. For questions, contact Human Resources.

3. Differential Pay: Departments that schedule eligible, non-exempt (hourly paid) employees on evening, night, or weekend shifts
will pay a shift differential.

4. Holiday Pay: See the Holiday Leave Policy.

 

5. On-call:  Some departments provide on-call compensation if they require non-exempt (hourly paid) employees to be available during a specified period other than their regular shift. On-call pay is for hours that an employee is "on-call" while off the premises and must be available if called in to work within a specified period of time.

 

6. Standby: If non-exempt (hourly paid) employees are required to remain available (but not actually working) on the premises or in close proximity, waiting time should be considered hours worked. Please contact Human Resources for further information regarding standby pay.

 

7. Office Closing:  Departments that have a need to suspend operations or close the office for business reasons may do so with the appropriate administrative approval. If a department operates with a "skeletal staff" or closes based on a business need (such as power outages, etc.), the department may provide the following time reporting options to employees:

 

1. Non-exempt employees use their vacation leave to supplement any non-worked hours up to their standard hours/FTE.  If the administration closes the University, the non-worked hours will be administrative time paid.

 

1. Exempt employees use their vacation leave to supplement any non-worked days up to their standard hours/FTE. Reductions to pay for exempt employees affected by departmental or service closures are handled in accordance with applicable law and regulations.  If the administration closes the University, the non-worked hours will be administrative time paid.

 

8. Trinity University Sponsored Activities: Employees are encouraged to attend University-sponsored events. Non-exempt employees attending University-sponsored events should gain supervisor approval prior to attending. If approval to attend the Trinity University-sponsored activity is provided by the supervisor, the time away from work attending the approved activity is considered to be a part of an employee’s normal work day and is paid.  

 

9. Travel Time:  On occasion, non-exempt employees may be required to travel for Trinity related purposes. The following guidelines should be used when determining when travel time is considered “work time” and therefore must be paid:

Travel time considered work time includes:
 

1.  Participating in any business related activities at a conference or seminar. 
2.  Participating in social activities where attendance is required. 
3. Traveling out of town for Trinity-related reasons, regardless of the day/time.  
4. Traveling between work locations during the workday.
5.  Traveling from the office to a local airport, bus depot, or train station, or vice versa. 

Travel time not considered work time includes:
 

1. Participating in social activities where attendance is not required. 
2.  Sleeping. 
3.  Non-work related meal breaks. 
4. Traveling from home to a local airport, bus depot or train station, or vice versa. 
5. Traveling from home to an in-town conference. However, mileage may be reimbursable. 
6. Traveling from home to a regular designated work location, or vice versa. 

 

10. Training/Conference Time: Attendance at lectures, meetings, training programs, seminars or similar activities are counted as hours worked when the training is related to the employee’s job. Employees should obtain supervisory approval prior to attending such programs.  

Exempt employees are paid on a salaried basis. Exempt employees are expected to adhere to the standard hours/FTE for the position and the regular work week of the department. Exempt employees are also required to work any hours necessary to perform the duties of the job. Exempt employees generally do not receive overtime, compensatory time, or additional pay for hours worked or travel time outside of their regular schedule. 

1. Trinity is committed to compliance with all applicable federal and state wage and hour laws. Deductions from the salary of exempt employees are prohibited, whether for quality or quantity of work, discipline, violations of workplace conduct rules, or otherwise unless authorized by law.
2. Employees who believe an improper deduction was made from their salary should discuss the situation with their supervisor. If the complaint is not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction, the employee should contact Human Resources. After an investigation, if a deduction is determined to have been improper, the employee will be paid the correct amount.
3. Exempt employees are responsible for accurately reporting any vacation and sick leave use. Exempt employees should report time away from work in full-day increments. Exempt employees are required to report sick or vacation time in one-hour increments in Workday.  

Each department is responsible for maintaining accurate time and attendance records. For each non-exempt employee, a time record must be completed for each day and submitted by pay period in Workday.


Non-exempt employees are required to:

1. Report actual time worked.
2. Take an uninterrupted meal break of at least 30 minutes if working 6 or more hours.
3. Accurately record meal breaks. 
4. Properly cancel meal breaks that have been interrupted. 
5. Report leaves per policy. 
6. Approve time records as required in Workday. 
7. Notify the department manager of needed edits.

Departmental managers are required to approve an employee’s time record to ensure the verification of all hours reported in Workday. The time record must record the total number of hours actually worked each day, as well as the number of leaves (if applicable) paid up to standard hours or FTE. Time records must be an accurate reflection of both work and non-work time and cannot be adjusted without prior approval. Falsification of a time record may be grounds to end employment.


Any requests for flex time must be submitted on the Flexible Work Arrangement document and approved by the supervisor.