A. Organizational Units Covered. With the exceptions noted in the second paragraph, this plan for AWS covers all employees of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg and Boulder.

B. Coverage Exceptions. Except for the following, all employees may participate in this AWS plan; however, employees are not required to participate. Employees not participating in AWS will remain on the regular fixed schedule: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for Gaithersburg and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for Boulder (Boulder has a one-hour non-paid lunch period). Exceptions are (l) employees on intermittent, shift, or first 40 schedules, (2) employees when on TDY or in particular situations while in training status and (3) all NIST employees represented by the following unions:

l. International Association of Firefighters
2. International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 174
3. Washington Area Metal Trades Council
4. AGE Local 2186

The Operating Unit (OU) Directors may exclude specific organizational elements from participation if the function cannot be covered adequately.

C. Work schedules Permitted. The following alternatives are available for use by employees, with management approval at the OU Director level and division level The use of these alternatives by an employee must be approved by his/her first-line supervisor and Division Chief, in order to ensure mission effectiveness, internal productivity, organizational efficiency, and personal safety.

l. Four-day work week - This alternative allows a full-time employee to work four days a week, 10 hours each day for a total of 40 hours per week, 80 hours per pay period. Part-time employees are also eligible for this work schedule. A part-time employee may be scheduled to work fewer. than 40 hours a week in fewer than five work days. All employee's scheduled tour must be between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Once adopted, change from this alternative can be made only with approval at the same level as the original approval.

2. 5/4-9 - This alternative allows a full-time employee to work a pay period of eight nine-hour days and one eight-hour day, with one day off, in whatever order agreed upon. Part-time employees may be scheduled to work fewer than 80 hours a biweekly pay period in fewer than 10 days. All employee's scheduled tour must be between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Once adopted, change from this alternative can be made only with approval at the same level as the original approval.

3. Flexitour is a flexible schedule in which an employee, having once selected starting and stopping times within the flexible time bands, continues to adhere to these times. Occasional changes to the schedules may be made with the supervisor's approval in advance. Full-time employees may request to begin their day any time between 7:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and to end their day any time between 3:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., provided a minimum of eight hours is worked. Part-time employees should work one-half of their tour within core hours. Once adopted, change from this alternative can be made only with approval at the same level as the original approval.

4. Gliding schedule is a flexible schedule in which a full-time employee has a basic work requirement of eight hours in each day and 40 hours in each week, and may select an arrival time each day and may change that arrival time daily, without supervisory approval, as long as it is within the established flexible time band. Part-time employees should work one-half of their tour within core hours. All employee's tour must be between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Once adopted, change from this alternative can be made only with approval at the same level as the original approval.

5. Variable Day is a schedule in which an employee works a flexible work schedule containing core hours on each workday in the week and in which an employee has a basic work requirements of 40 hours in each week of the biweekly pay period, but in which an employee may vary the number of hours worked on a given workday within the week within the limits established for NIST/OU/Division. Part-time employees must work 16 hours in a week. A variable day is not subject to the 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. time bands except that the core hours must be worked each work day. Once adopted, change from this alternative can be made only with approval at the same level as the original approval.

6. Variable Week is a schedule in which an employee works a flexible week schedule containing core hours on each workday in the biweekly pay period in which an employee has a basic work requirement of 80 hours for the biweekly pay period, but in which an employee may vary the number of hours worked on a given workday or the number of hours each week within the limits established for NIST/OU/Division. Part-time employees must work 32 hours within a biweekly pay period. Variable week is not subject to 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m time bands, except that the core hours must be worked each work day. Once adopted, change from this alternative can be made only with approval at the same level as the original approval.

7. Maxiflex is a schedule in which an employee works a flexible work schedule that contains core hours on fewer than 10 work days in the biweekly pay period and in which an employee has a basic work requirement of 80 hours for the biweekly pay period (or multiple thereof), but in which an employee may vary the number of hours worked on a given workday or the number of hours each week within the limits established for NIST/OU/Division. Maxiflex is not subject to the 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. time bands. Once adopted, change from this alternative can be made only with approval at the same level as the original approval.

D. Core Hours and Flexible Time Bands (MAXIFLEX is an exception.)

7:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Flexible Band
9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Core Hours
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Flexible Band
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Core Hours
3:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Flexible Band

On those days when an employee is in a duty status, he/she must be on duty during core hours or absences must be charged to leave, compensatory time, or leave without pay (Maxiflex is an exception). Lunch time (noncompensable, minimum of 1/2 hour) may be scheduled anytime between 11:30 a.in. and 1:00 p.m. in order to be completed by 1:30 p.m., and is required for any day's schedule of more than five hours. Part-time employees should work at least half of their schedule during core hours.

An approval of any of the above alternatives must be consistent with mission effectiveness, internal productivity, organizational efficiency, and personal safety.

E. GAO Approved Time Accounting Systems. Supervisors must select one, or a combination, of the following time accounting systems or techniques:

1. Serial sign-in/sign-out sheets using the CD-465. Signing in and out must be done chronologically in the order of arrival and departure.

2. Face-to-face oversight. Supervision will be provided for all hours employees work. Arrivals and departures will be physically observed. Supervisors will make a written record on the official T&A of any deviations from approved schedules.

3. Arrangements with other supervisory personnel to provide observation.

4. Occasional supervisory telephone calls to the employee during times the supervisor is not present but the employee is scheduled to work.

5. Occasional observation by the supervisor through the supervisor coming to work earlier or staying later than the supervisor's scheduled tour.

6. Determining reasonableness of work output for time spent.

The supervisor officially is responsible for employee attendance and accuracy of time attendance reports, as well as investigating any time-reporting discrepancies and initiating disciplinary action when violations or abuses are evident.

F. Primary Consideration/Final Approval and Revocation of Approval. A critical consideration in approval and continuance of any of these alternative schedules for individual employees will be continued mission effectiveness, internal productivity, organizational efficiency and personal safety. Thus, sufficient kinds of numbers of employees must be present to carry out operations efficiently and effectively. With this consideration in mind, all AWS must be approved by the Division Chief and can be revoked by the Division Chief. The requests must flow through the first line supervisor to the Division Chief.

G. Administration and Evaluation. The Director of NIST is responsible for the overall efficient functioning of this plan. The OU Director is responsible for deciding which AWS are offered within the OU. Division Chiefs are responsible for the day-to-day administration of-the plan. The Personnel Officer will submit all necessary reports to higher agency levels.

Evaluation of the plan and reporting results will be ongoing and will occur at least annually. Evaluation will cover adherence to the provisions of the plan, mission effectiveness, internal productivity, and organizational efficiency. Evaluation also would cover problems that arose and what was done about them, as well as what worked well. Additionally, the Director of NIST will evaluate the plan in terms of the provisions, adequacy of coverage, and efficiency of operation.

H. Organizational Modification/Termination. Modifications may be recommended at any time by supervisors or employees, making such recommendations to the Director of NIST~in writing. The Director will decide whether or not to adopt any recommendations, subject to DoC approval. In general, major modifications, when adopted, will not be made except at the beginning of the next calendar year. The Director may terminate participation in this plan for all or part of the total organization at any time. Any terminations will be based on the findings of the evaluation process, on adherence to plan provisions, mission effectiveness, internal productivity, and organizational efficiency.