NASA Headquarters' Directives
HQPR 3600.1 Effective Date: September 20, 2010 Expiration Date: September 20, 2027 Responsible Office: LE	Hours of Duty

This document is uncontrolled when printed.
Check the NASA Online Directives Information System (NODIS) Library
to verify that this is the correct version before use.

CHAPTER 6. Flexible Tours

6.1 General Provisions

6.1.1 NASA HQ offers the following three options under FWS: Flexitour, Variable Week, and Maxiflex. Once a FWS has been approved, employees are expected to adhere to the schedule. The FWS does not permit an individual to work a random variation of hours to accomplish his/her basic work requirement. The modification of the basic work requirement is at the discretion of the immediate supervisor.

6.1.2 In order for supervisors to ensure proper office coverage and to ensure that operational requirements are met, employees under a Variable Week or Maxiflex schedule will complete a HQ established schedule outlines the hours/days the employee desires to work for the upcoming pay period and the arrival and departure times for each workday.

6.2 Core Hours and Days

6.2.1 Core hours are those hours when all employees on a FWS are required to be present during their scheduled workdays or otherwise be accounted for by leave or other approved absence, except during the unpaid lunch period.

6.2.2 HQ core hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Supervisors may adjust an employee's core hours on a case-by-case basis. Justification for an adjustment to the core hours should be requested by the employee in writing and approved by the supervisor. Documentation of the approved adjusted core hours will be maintained by the supervisor and/or the organization's WebTADS Point of Contact as long as the schedule is in effect.

6.2.3 Core days are those days determined by the supervisor, based on the organization's work requirements, when an employee on an AWS is required to be present for work in a particular organizational unit. For example, if an organization's staff meetings are regularly scheduled on

6.2.4 While supervisors are encouraged to make every effort to schedule

6.2.5 When possible, the employee shall be provided advance notice of the special program/organizational need. In the event that unforeseen work activities occur, such as meetings or unexpected priority actions, employees will be expected to adjust their schedules to meet the organization's needs.

6.3 Flexible Time Bands

6.3.1 HQ flexible time bands for regularly scheduled work are from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. An employee may select his/her arrival and departure times during these flexible time bands consistent with the duties and requirements of his/her position and the organizational needs.

6.3.2 HQ flexible time bands for earning credit hours are from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.

6.4 Glide Time

6.4.1 An employee on a Variable Week or Maxiflex tour may vary his/her actual arrival time 30 minutes before or after his/her established arrival time, as long as the arrival occurs no earlier than 6:00 a.m. and no later than 9:00 a.m. The departure time will be adjusted an equivalent amount of time that same workday and cannot extend beyond 6:00 p.m.

6.4.2 An employee on a Flexitour schedule does not have this discretion since it is a fixed schedule.

6.5 Flexilunch

6.5.1 An employee working on a Variable Week or Maxiflex schedule may, with advance supervisory approval, extend his/her lunch period an additional 1 « hours on any given workday, but he/she should adjust the arrival and/or departure an equivalent amount of time that day, ensuring that the work is performed during the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. For example, an employee scheduled to work 8 hours could arrive at work at 6:00 a.m., take an extended lunch period from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (30 minutes of which is the mandatory unpaid lunch period), and depart work at 4:00 p.m.

6.5.2 An employee working on a Flexitour schedule does not have this discretion since it is a fixed schedule.

6.6 Credit Hours

6.6.1 Credit hours are hours which an employee voluntarily elects to work in excess of his/her basic work requirement to vary the length of a workday, workweek or pay period. Credit hours earned should not be confused with overtime hours earned. Overtime hours are hours of work which management officially orders or approves in advance and which are in excess of 8 hours in a day or 40 hours a week.

6.6.2 Credit hours should only be worked within the flexible time bands established for earning credit hours (i.e., 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday), including scheduled non-workdays, for time worked in excess of the employee's scheduled tour of duty. Credit hours may be worked at the primary duty station or as part of a telework agreement.

6.6.3 The earning and use of credit hours should be requested by the employee and approved in advance by the supervisor. Supervisors shall ensure that there is appropriate work to be accomplished before approving credit hours. Credit hours may be approved verbally or in writing on either a daily, weekly, biweekly, or projected basis. However, credit hours that were approved and earned should be recorded in WebTADS before the end of each pay period. There is no entitlement to credit hours when an employee stays late or works more than his/her established work hours without prior approval from the supervisor.

6.6.4 Credit hours will be earned and used in 15 minute increments. Credit hours will be earned before they are used; they cannot be advanced. Credit hours may be earned and used within the same pay period or in another pay period.

6.6.5 There is no limit on the number of credit hours that an employee may earn in any pay period, as long as the total hours worked in a day does not exceed three consecutive 12- hour days. For example, an employee who is scheduled to work 5 nine-hour days, could only elect to earn 3 credit hours the first three days (total of three 12 hour days), 2 credit hours the fourth day, and 3 credit hours the fifth day.

6.6.6 Credit hours convey no entitlement to night differential, Sunday premium pay, or holiday pay since credit hours are at the election of the employee.

6.6.7 An employee may accumulate more than 24 hours during a particular pay period, but cannot carry over more than 24 hours from one pay period to the next. Part-time employees may accumulate more than one-quarter of their biweekly work requirement in a pay period. However, the maximum carryover for part-time employees is not to exceed one-quarter of their biweekly work hours. Credit hours in excess of the allowable carryover at the end of the pay period are automatically forfeited.

6.6.8 Credit hours will not be earned if training or homework (for training) is required since required training does not constitute hours that an employee elects to work.

6.6.9 An employee shall not earn credit hours for actual travel time because travel in connection with Government work is not voluntary in nature.

6.6.10 Credit hours cannot be converted to overtime or compensatory time. However, an employee who is ordered to work overtime may choose to record it as credit hours. An employee cannot be coerced to earn credit hours, nor coerced to use credit hours.

6.6.11 There is no limitation on the use of earned credit hours in a pay period. However, the use of earned credit hours should be requested by the employee and approved by the supervisor prior to using earned credit hours.

6.6.12 Senior Executive Service employees are not eligible to earn credit hours. In addition, credit hours cannot be earned by employees on a Standard, Compressed or First-Forty tour.

6.6.13 Payment or liquidation of credit hours should be made when an employee separates from NASA, transfers to another Federal agency, changes to another tour of duty which does not permit the earning/use of credit hours, or converts to an SES appointment. In the case of an employee moving from a full-time to part-time position, the credit hours in excess of the new maximum biweekly carryover will be used or liquidated via payment. Employees shall be paid not more than their current basic rate of pay for their unused credit hours.

6.6.14 An employee who changes to another tour of duty which does not permit the earning/use of credit hours or converts to an SES appointment should submit a completed PODA-3, Authorization for Expired/Current Compensatory Time To Be Paid As Overtime To Employee, signed by the supervisor to the Payroll Liaison in the HQ HRMD for verification of the number of hours to be paid.

6.7 Flexible Work Schedule Options

6.7.1 Flexitour

6.7.1.1 Basic Workweek

a. For a full-time employee, the basic workweek is 40 hours per week, worked over 5 workdays, 8 hours per day.

b. For a part-time employee, the basic workweek is the number of hours regularly scheduled to work in a workweek.

6.7.1.2 Basic Work Requirements

a. The tour of duty begins no earlier than 6:00 a.m. and end no later than 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. If an employee schedules a 30-minute lunch period, the scheduled arrival cannot be earlier than 6:30 a.m. since core hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

b. An employee shall be in a duty status during core hours for 5 days a week.

c. The tour begins on a quarter hour (i.e., 8:00, 8:15, 8:45) between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. The departure time cannot be any earlier than 3:00 p.m. and not later than 6:00 p.m.

d. A mandatory 30-minute unpaid lunch period will be included in each scheduled day. An employee may choose an additional 1 « hour lunch period, but should adjust his/her arrival and departure time based on the lunch period selected.

e. Once selected, the arrival and departure times and the selected unpaid lunch period are fixed, not flexible. The arrival and departure time is the same each workday.

f. An employee shall be present during the scheduled hours and days and during the core hours or otherwise be accounted for by leave or other approved absence, except during the unpaid lunch period.

g. Credit hours may be earned.

h. Ineligible for glide time, flexilunch or non- workdays.

6.7.1.3 Modifications to the Schedule

a. Once the schedule is approved, Flexitour becomes the normal tour of duty and is a fixed schedule.

b. The arrival and departure times cannot be adjusted unless a permanent change is requested and approved by the supervisor. Any approved change should be recorded in WebTADS by the end of the first week of the pay period.

6.7.1.4 Holidays

a. A full-time employee is entitled to 8 hours of basic pay for holidays established by Federal Statute or a day excused by Executive Order, unless otherwise defined in the Executive Order.

b. A part-time employee is entitled to basic pay for the number of hours scheduled for the day that is designated as a holiday. A part-time employee's work schedule shall not be adjusted in order to be paid for a holiday or for a greater number of hours on a holiday.

6.7.2 Variable Week

6.7.2.1 Basic Workweek

a. For a full-time employee, the basic workweek is 80 hours biweekly which contains core hours on each workday in the biweekly pay period and in which an employee may establish a schedule with varied hours on a given workday or varied hours each week within the applicable limits below.

b. For a part-time employee, the basic workweek is less than 80 hours.

c. Schedules are pre-established on the HQ Flexible Work Schedule Agreement (Appendix E) before the beginning of a pay period.

6.7.2.2 Basic Work Requirements

a. The tour of duty begins no earlier than 6:00 a.m. and end no later than 6:00 p.m. Work will be scheduled Monday through Friday.

b. The tour begins on a quarter hour (i.e., 8:00, 8:15, 8:45) between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. The departure time cannot be any earlier than 3:00 p.m. and not later than 6:00 p.m.

c. A mandatory 30-minute unpaid lunch period will be included in addition to each scheduled day, if scheduled to work 8 or more hours. Flexilunch is permissible.

d. The regularly scheduled workday will be no more than 10 hours nor less than 6 hours, excluding a 30-minute unpaid lunch period and credit hours. A maximum of a 12- hour day total shall not exceed three consecutive days (i.e., 10-hour regularly scheduled workday extended to 12 due to overtime, compensatory time, or credit hours). For part-time employees there are no minimum daily work hour requirements, but the maximum is 10 hours, excluding credit hours.

e. The minimum number of regularly scheduled hours per week will not be less than 30; the maximum number of regularly scheduled hours per week shall not exceed 50. For part-time employees the minimum number of regularly scheduled hours per week will not be less than 16; the maximum regularly scheduled hours per week should not exceed 32.

f. An employee will be present during the scheduled hours and days and during the core hours or otherwise be accounted for by leave or other approved absence, except during the unpaid lunch period.

g. A 30-minute arrival glide time is permissible, as long as the time is made up at the end of the day.

h. Credit hours may be earned.

i. Leave will be charged based on an employee's established schedule on that day. An employee who works less than his/her established schedule on any workday should account for this time by requesting earned leave, earned credit hours, earned compensatory time, or earned time off award; an authorized excused absence; or authorized holiday, unless a modification to the biweekly work schedule is approved.

j. Ineligible for non-workdays.

6.7.2.3 Modifications to Schedule

a. Once the schedule is approved, the Variable Week tour becomes the normal tour of duty and there should be consistency in the basic work requirement from pay period to pay period. The basic work requirement will not vary from day-to-day, week-to-week once established, unless an unanticipated work demand or emergency arises and is approved by the supervisor.

6.7.2.4 Holidays

a. A full-time employee is entitled to 8 hours of basic pay for holidays established by Federal Statute or a day excused by Executive Order, unless otherwise defined in the Executive Order.

b. A part-time employee is only entitled to receive holiday pay for the hours his/she is scheduled to work on a day designated as a holiday, up to a maximum of 8 hours. There is no holiday pay entitlement or "in- lieu-of holiday" entitlement when a holiday falls on a part-time employee's established non-workday. Supervisors should not approve modifications to the work schedule solely for the purpose of allowing a part-time employee to be paid for a holiday.

c. A full-time employee should account for 80 hours for the pay period to include the 8-hour holiday. Eight hours will be charged on the designated holiday. If a holiday falls:

(1) on an established workday of more than 8 hours, an employee should request a deviation to his/her work schedule so that no more than 8 hours are scheduled on the designated holiday and the extra hours are made up on another workday within the same pay period to meet his/her weekly or biweekly work requirement. If a deviation is not requested, an employee should record annual leave, earned compensatory time, earned credit hour(s), earned time-off award, or LWOP for the hour(s) scheduled over 8 hours on the holiday.

(2) on an established workday of less than 8 hours, an employee should request a deviation to his/her work schedule so that 8 hours are scheduled on the designated holiday and an adjustment of hours is made on another workday within the same pay period to meet his/her weekly or biweekly work requirement. If a deviation is not requested, 8 hours will be charged for the holiday and time over 80 hours for the pay period will be recorded as credit hour(s) earned.

d. Deviations from scheduled hours are only to be made to accommodate for a holiday in a pay period. Deviations should be documented in the comment section of the employee's timesheet in WebTADS.

6.7.3 Maxiflex:

6.7.3.1 Basic Workweek

6.7.3.1.1 For a full-time employee, the basic workweek is 80 hours biweekly which contains core hours on fewer than 10 workdays and in which an employee may establish a schedule with varied hours on a given workday or varied hours each week within the applicable limits below.

6.7.3.1.2 For a part-time employee, the basic workweek is less than 80 hours which contains core hours on fewer than 10 workdays.

6.7.3.1.3 Schedules shall be pre-established on the HQ Flexible Work Schedule Agreement (Appendix E) before the beginning of a pay period.

6.7.3.2 Basic Work Requirements

a. Tour of duty begins no earlier than 6:00 a.m. and end no later than 6:00 p.m. Work will be scheduled Monday through Friday.

b. An employee should be in a duty status during core hours for a minimum of 4 days a week (allows 2 non- workdays a pay period).

c. The tour begins on a quarter hour (i.e., 8:00, 8:15, 8:45) between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. The departure time cannot be any earlier than 3:00 p.m. and not later than 6:00 p.m.

d. The regularly scheduled workday should be no more than 10 hours nor less than 6 hours, excluding a 30-minute unpaid lunch period and credit hours. A maximum of a 12- hour day total should not exceed three consecutive days (i.e., a 10-hour regularly scheduled workday extended to 12 due to overtime, compensatory time, or credit hours). For part-time employees there are no minimum daily work hour requirements, but the maximum is 10 hours, excluding credit hours.

e. The minimum number of regularly scheduled hours per week should not be less than 30; the maximum number of regularly scheduled hours per week shall not exceed 50. For a part-time employee the minimum number of regularly scheduled hours per week should not be less than 16; the maximum of regularly scheduled hours per week should not exceed 32.

f. Credit hours may be earned.

g. A mandatory 30-minute unpaid lunch period will be included in addition to each scheduled day, if scheduled to work 8 or more hours. Flexilunch is permissible.

h. A 30-minute arrival glide time is permissible, as long as the departure time is adjusted accordingly.

i. Leave will be charged based on the employee's established schedule on that day. Any employee who works less than his or her established schedule on any workday will account for this time by using either leave or previously earned credit hours, unless a modification to the biweekly work schedule is approved. An employee cannot charge, or be asked to charge, more leave than the number of hours they are scheduled to work on that day.

6.7.3.3 Modifications to Schedule

6.7.3.3.1 Once the schedule is approved, the Maxiflex tour becomes the normal tour of duty and there should be consistency in the basic work requirement from pay period to pay period. The basic work requirement will not vary from day-to-day, week-to-week once established, unless an unanticipated work demand or emergency arises and it is approved by the supervisor.

6.7.3.4 Holidays

a. A full-time employee is entitled to 8 hours of basic pay for holidays established by Federal Statute or a day excused by Executive Order, unless otherwise defined in the Executive Order.

b. A part-time employee is only entitled to receive holiday pay for the hours his/she is scheduled to work on a day designated as a holiday, up to a maximum of 8 hours. There is no holiday pay entitlement or "in- lieu-of holiday" entitlement when a holiday falls on a part-time employee's established non-workday. Supervisors should not approve modifications to the work schedule solely for the purpose of allowing a part-time employee to be paid for a holiday.

c. A full-time employee should account for 80 hours for the pay period to include the 8-hour holiday. Eight hours will be charged on the designated holiday. If a holiday falls:

(1) on an established workday of more than 8 hours, an employee should request a deviation to his/her work schedule so that no more than 8 hours are scheduled on the designated holiday and the extra hours are made up on another workday within the same pay period to meet his/her weekly or biweekly work requirement. If a deviation is not requested, an employee should record annual leave, earned compensatory time, earned credit hour(s), earned time-off award, or LWOP for the hour(s) scheduled over 8 hours on the holiday.

(2) on an established workday of less than 8 hours, an employee should request a deviation to his/her work schedule so that 8 hours are scheduled on the designated holiday and an adjustment of hours is made on another workday within the same pay period to meet his/her weekly or biweekly work requirement. If a deviation is not requested, 8 hours will be charged for the holiday and time over 80 hours for the pay period should be recorded as credit hour(s) earned.

(3) on a day scheduled to be off, an employee should request a deviation to his/her work schedule so that 8 hours are scheduled on the designated holiday and an adjustment of hours is made on another workday within the same pay period to meet his/her weekly or biweekly work requirement. If a deviation is not requested, 8 hours will be charged for the holiday and the employee should record annual leave, earned compensatory time, earned credit hour(s), earned time-off award, or LWOP for time less than 80 hours for the pay period.

d. Deviations from scheduled hours are only to be made to accommodate for a holiday in a pay period. Deviations will be documented in the comment section of the employee's timesheet in WebTADS.