Operational Memorandum # 2

Section 2.10 of the Personnel Policies and Procedures manual generally defines the normal AACS work day as follows:

An AACS work day consistent with the local prevailing practices. Normally, the work day is a seven and one-half hour day, five days per week, with one hour for lunch. A fifteen (l5) minute coffee break period is included in a normal work day, to be (as) set by the immediate supervisor. Specific alternative hours may be set by the Executive Director at his/her discretion.

Usually, the specific hours of work are from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. weekdays, with one hour for lunch. Any time not on the job within this schedule whether for leave, tardiness, absenteeism, early departure, extended break or lunch shall be reported on your Time and Attendance Report as a leave of absence under "Vacation Leave" or other leave time.

The tardiness of some employees in arriving for work for the morning -- effectively, "leave" which is not reflected on the employees' time sheets -- can present a very distressing situation for employees who do arrive on time, work a full day, and leave on time.

Another area of great concern is that of the lunch period. Some employees have a common practice of exceeding the sixty (60) minute period allowed for lunch on a daily basis. Rather than the occasions which employees exceed the lunch hour being the exception to the rule, it is the rule for some. For them, those times when the lunch period does not exceed sixty minutes now appears the exception. This must not continue.

Also, some lunch hours are being taken so late that they do not end until nearly "mid afternoon." This practice is very disruptive to the operations of the program, particularly in the Central Office.

I am, therefore, establishing the following policy for lunch periods from this point forward:

1. The lunch period shall be limited to sixty (60) minutes. Any time in excess shall be taken and reported on the Time and Attendance Report as leave time. Determine the amount of time to the quarter hour for each fifteen minute period or portion thereof taken in excess of the established and allowable lunch period of sixty minutes.

2. The lunch period shall occur within the hours from 11:00 a.m. to l:30 p.m. That is, no lunch hour shall begin before ll:00 a.m. and no lunch period shall extend beyond these hours except with the prior approval of your supervisor for occasions determined by exceptional circumstances.

If scheduling is needed, the specific lunch hours are to be assigned by AACS supervisory staff. Please consult with your supervisor to determine the specific lunch schedule to be employed. This practice should prevent conflicts, lunch breaks and gaps in operations.

3. If these provisions result in any special unforeseen problems for certain staff, please consult with your supervisors for consideration and action. Each such occasion will be handled on a case by case basis. Exceptions will be approved in the same manner. Otherwise, the above instructions shall apply uniformly in all situations.

Thank you.

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