This guideline is intended as a supplement to the regulations governing working hours found in the following documents:
- The Agreement of the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations
- Collective agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Organisations of Public Employees – Denmark (State Sector Enterprises and Institutions) and the associated organisational agreements
- Collective agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Association of Public Servant Trade Unions, the Association of Danish Teachers’ Organisations and the Association of Danish Contractual Employees’ Organisations and the associated organisational agreements
Aims
The aim of this guideline is to give employees an opportunity to plan and organise their work so that tasks may be performed safely and efficiently on the basis of the principle of self-management.
The guideline also takes account of the desire to create a balance between the private and working lives of employees.
Scope
The guideline applies to technical-administrative staff at DTU, with the exception of managers in pay bracket 36 and above.
The technical-administrative staff at DTU comprises all non-scientific employees.
Employees in flex jobs and wage subsidy jobs are not covered by this guideline since their working hours are agreed individually. The number of hours to be worked by these employees cannot be exceeded and they are therefore not able to accrue flex time.
Principles
Working hours must be planned to allow tasks to be performed as required and to ensure adequate staffing levels at all times. Individual employees are responsible for planning their working hours within the limits established for flex time at DTU. Managers are responsible for ensuring consistency between their employees’ working hours and workload.
The average number of working hours per week is dictated by the provisions in the above-mentioned collective agreements and organisational agreements.
It must be assumed that any security arrangements, staffing requirements and other special agreements regarding working hours will remain unaffected by this guideline. The same applies to employees on DTU’s ships, as well as to those involved in commercial activities if the scope and nature of such render the time registration system inadequate cf. the principles in this guideline. It may be possible to employ an alternative time registration procedure in such cases with the prior agreement of Corporate HR.
Core hours
Core hours may be established at individual institutes/units if there are grounds for doing so given local conditions.
Flex time and flex hours
Employees are free to choose when to work the remainder of their hours during the flex time period. Individual employees must plan their flex hours taking into account the tasks and moreover in consultation with their colleagues and their immediate superior.
Flex hours refer to any hours over and above the standard working hours as stipulated in the collective agreements.
At the end of a month, flex hours may account for a maximum of 37 hours over and above the standard number of working hours, and no more than 10 hours less than the standard number of working hours. It may, under special circumstances, be possible to agree to exceed both the upper and lower limits with the immediate superior provided doing so does not compromise the allocation of pay and the preparation of project accounts.
Exceeding the maximum level
Employees must agree with their immediate superior how any hours that exceptionally exceed 37 hours in relation to the standard number of working hours should be treated. Managers may demand that employees take time off in lieu of flex hours.
Part-time employees
Part-time employees must agree their core hours/flex hours with their immediate superior.
Registration
All employees must register their working hours via the time registration system in place at any one time with a view to ensuring the correct allocation of pay.
Employees must complete their time registrations/pay allocation every month to confirm the accuracy of the information they have registered. The monthly record must be approved by their immediate superior.
Time in lieu of flex hours
The main rule is that accrued flex hours may be taken by employees as time in lieu provided this is agreed in advance with colleagues and provided the unit is able to continue operating in a satisfactory manner. Flex hours must be taken as time in lieu outside core hours if core hours have been agreed. One hour may be taken as time in lieu for every hour of flex time.
Accrued flex hours may also be taken as whole or half days by prior agreement with the employee's immediate superior.
When planning work, a balance must be achieved between time taken in lieu of flex hours and any upcoming tasks so as to avoid employees having to work overtime/extra hours. Time must not be taken in lieu of flex hours, for instance, if it is possible to foresee that compliance with stipulated deadlines will entail employees having to work overtime/extra hours.
Resignation/termination
Positive flex hours will not be paid whatever the reason for no time in lieu of flex hours and must therefore be taken as time in lieu during the employee’s resignation period.
If employees leave their post, they must draw up a plan in collaboration with their superior to ensure that they can take time off in lieu of any positive flex hours they may have accrued.
Transfers between institutes/units
When transferring to another institute/unit, employees must agree specifically with the institutes/units concerned how any positive or negative flex hours will be handled so that the employees’ flex hour balance will be transferred.
Managerial awareness
Managers are required to keep abreast of developments as regards their employees’ flex hours, and to take action if the number of flex hours exceeds the standard number of working hours by more than 37 hours.
Continued focus on working hours by the management is essential.
Overtime/extra hours
DTU distinguishes between positive flex hours and overtime/extra hours. Overtime and extra hours are paid in accordance with the collective agreement and the regulations pertaining to payment for overtime and extra hours.
Only official overtime and extra hours that employees are asked to work specially, or that were plainly necessary in order to perform a task safely, will be paid.
On-call obligation
Employees who are required to be on call are paid an on-call bonus. The overtime obligation which it is assumed will be paid through the on-call bonus must be taken into account.
This means that extra hours fall outside the 37 maximum flex hours and are paid in accordance with the applicable regulations.
Commencement
The guideline on working hours and flex time was approved by the Executive Board and discussed by the Cooperation and Joint Consultation Committee (HSU) in March 2017.
The guideline becomes effective from the time it is published on DTU Inside.
Termination
This guideline may be amended or canceled following approval by the Executive Board and debate by the HSU.