a) The normal conditioned working week for civil servants (that is the hours of duty which pay is calculated to cover and, for staff who are eligible for overtime payments, the hours which must be worked before such payments are paid) is 37 hours (excluding meal breaks).
b) Generally, these hours will be spread over 5 days, Monday to Friday but each department has responsibility for determining normal weekly attendance patterns, subject to the agreement of the staff concerned.
Attendance will be based on the operational requirements of the organisation, taking into account the opening hours of the department.
c) A scheme of flexible working hours (FWH) may be introduced by any department subject to:
- the conditions of any scheme following fairly closely the Flexible Working Hours Model Scheme, in the Public Services Commission Civil Service Regulations Handbook 2015
- the prior approval of the Office of Human Resources being obtained to the terms of any scheme prior to its implementation
- the Office of Human Resources being satisfied as to the procedures to be adopted to ensure that arrival and departure times of staff are accurately recorded
- the cost of any mechanical recording devices being met by the department concerned
- there being no deterioration in the service to the public as a result of introducing the scheme and that sufficient numbers of staff will be present during the department's opening hours
Any department which believes there would be advantages for both Government and staff in introducing a scheme of FWH in accordance with the foregoing, should consider what form it should take and supply the Office of Human Resources with a copy of it so that discussion can commence on the detail.
d) Where staff are required to work weeks of unequal length, for example on:
- rosters
- shifts
- 10 1/2 day fortnights
or if they work more hours in the summer than in the winter, their weekly average hours worked over a reasonable and appropriate period, should equal their conditioned hours.
e) In addition to any Flexible Working Hours Model Scheme adopted by Departments, civil servants have the right to apply for Flexible Working. See Regulation Flexible Working F140 and the Flexible Working Policy in the Public Services Commission Civil Service Regulations Handbook 2015 for further information.