How do I create an alternative workweek schedule?

1. Determine the work unit.

Creating an alternative workweek requires an employer to first determine what is the affected work unit. A work unit may be a division, department, job classification, shift, separate physical location or recognized subdivision of any such work unit. A work unit may consist of an individual employee if he or she is the only person in the division, department, job classification, shift, separate physical location, or recognized subdivision of any such work unit.

2. Propose a schedule in writing to the affect work unit.

The proposed agreement must designate a regularly scheduled alternative workweek in which the specified number of workdays and work hours are regularly recurring. The actual days worked within that alternative workweek schedule do not need to be specified. The schedule must provide no less than two consecutive days off within each workweek.

3. Provide a written disclosure of the effects of the proposed schedule on the employees' wages, hours, and benefits.

The written disclosure must be in a non-English language, as well as in English, if at least five percent of the affected employees primarily speak that non-English language.

Employees who did not attend the meeting to discuss the alternative workweek must receive a mailed copy of the written disclosure. Hold a meeting at least 14 days prior to voting, for the specific purpose of discussing the effects of the alternative workweek schedule.

Employees must be given advance notice of the meeting date and time. More than one meeting may need to be held if it is not practical or possible for all affected employees to attend at the same time, such as where there are multiple shifts.

4. Hold a secret ballot election.

All affected employees in the work unit are entitled to vote to approve or reject the proposed schedule. A two-thirds vote is required for the schedule to become effective. An employer should make a reasonable effort to find a work schedule not to exceed 8 hours in order to accommodate an affected employee eligible to vote who is not able to work the alternative workweek established by the vote.

File election results with the state's Office of Policy, Research and Legislation within 30 days after the election results are final. Wait 30 days. Employees may not be required to work the alternative workweek schedule for at least 30 days after the announcement of the final election results.

Read about Creating an Alternative Workweek Schedule in the HR Library.