Policy 201: Overtime

201.1 Policy

The use of overtime is generally discouraged and should be avoided through proper scheduling of department workloads. However, when required due to business needs, an employee may be scheduled to work overtime.  All overtime should be scheduled and approved in advance by the supervisor, with the exception of certain emergency situations.

Agreeing to work overtime when requested by a supervisor is a condition of employment. Refusal to work a reasonable amount of overtime, especially under emergency conditions, may result in disciplinary action. Additionally, employees who work unapproved overtime will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

201.2 Definitions

Non-Exempt Employee: An individual who is covered by the Federal Government’s Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and must be compensated at one and one-half times the regular rate for hours exceeding 40 in a work week.

Exempt Employee: An individual who, based on duties performed and manner of compensation (salaried basis), is exempt from the FLSA minimum wage and overtime provisions.

201.3 Procedures

Time spent by an employee engaged in any part of his or her job duties is considered hours worked.  This includes work that occurs outside regular working hours or during lunch breaks. Generally, it does not matter where this activity occurs, it is still counted as hours worked. Time spent in preparatory work, cleanup, or any other required preliminary and postliminary activity also counts as hours worked.

Hours worked by all non-benefited/hourly and non-exempt employees must be recorded by the employee, approved by the supervisor, and reported weekly using the college’s timekeeping system. The FLSA requires that complete and accurate time records be kept for all hourly employees.

All work over 40 hours within a week is compensated at one and one-half times the regular rate. Time away from work for which the employee is paid (e.g, sick leave, vacation, and holiday) does not count toward the 40 hours per work week test.

Exempt employees do not receive overtime pay.

For information on overtime as it relates to official CEI business travel, please see Policy 403: Official College Travel.

Formerly Approved: 12/11/2019