Flexible Work
Flexible Work Types
Select a section below to learn more.
A compressed schedule is an alternate work schedule completed in fewer than five (5) full workdays per week.
Exempt employees (i.e., not overtime-eligible) have flexibility when it comes to creating a compressed work schedule. Non-exempt employees (i.e., overtime-eligible) must be mindful of the fact that they incur overtime in any week in which they work more than 40 hours.
Note: When planning a compressed schedule, please be aware that workdays of at least six (6) consecutive hours should include a 30-minute unpaid lunch break in accordance with DHRM Policy 1.25: Hours of Work.
Examples of Compressed Schedules
Scenario 1: Grants an exempt employee one non-work day every two weeks.
- Week 1: 5 x 9-hour days (45 hours total)
- Week 2: 3 x 9-hour days; 1 x 8-hour day (35 hours total)
Scenario 1A: Grants a non-exempt employee one non-work day every two weeks.
- Week 1: 4 x 10-hour days (40 hours total)
- Week 2: 5 x 8-hour days (40 hours total)
Scenario 2: Grants an exempt employee one non-work day per month.
- Week 1: 5 x 8-hour days (40 hours total)
- Week 2: 5 x 8-hour days (40 hours total)
- Week 3: 4 x 9-hour days; 1 x 8-hour day (44 hours total)
- Week 4: 4 x 9-hour days (36 hours total)
Scenario 2A: Grants a non-exempt employee one non-work day per month.
- Week 1: 5 x 8-hour days (40 hours total)
- Week 2: 5 x 8-hour days (40 hours total)
- Week 3: 5 x 8-hour days (40 hours total)
- Week 4: 4 x 10-hour days (40 hours total)
Scenario 3: Grants a non-exempt or exempt employee one non-work day per week.
- Week 1: 4 x 10-hour days (40 hours total)
- Week 2: 4 x 10-hour days (40 hours total)
- Week 3: 4 x 10-hour days (40 hours total)
- Week 4: 4 x 10-hour days (40 hours total)
For more information, visit the Compressed Schedules section of the Flexible Work FAQ.
Flextime consists of an alternate work schedule in which the start/end time and/or days of the week that an employee works are varied and do not adhere to a traditional work schedule (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Note: When planning a compressed schedule, please be aware that workdays of at least six (6) consecutive hours should include a 30-minute unpaid lunch break in accordance with DHRM Policy 1.25: Hours of Work.
Examples of Flextime
Scenario 1: Non-traditional hours within a fixed schedule.
- Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Scenario 2: Varied hours on specific days.
- Monday/Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Tuesday/Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Scenario 3: Mid-day flextime (a longer mid-day break is earned through starting earlier or ending later).
- 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Work time
- 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Unpaid break
- 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Work time
Scenario 4: Short-term flextime (e.g., during the summer).
- Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (June 1 to August 31)
For more information, visit the Flextime section of the Flexible Work FAQ.
Full-time telework (also known as remote work) is a work arrangement in which an employee spends most or all of their working hours outside of the traditional place of work. Remote employees work from their home or another agreed-upon site located away from the Mason campus. Visits to the campus are infrequent but can be regularly scheduled. Remote employees may work 100% FTE or less, and their job duties must be compatible with (or designed for) off-site work.
There are two types of full-time teleworking options: Full-Time In-State Telework and Full-Time Out-of-State Telework (including working internationally).
- Full-time in-state teleworkers work remotely within the Commonwealth of Virginia.
- Full-time out-of-state teleworkers work remotely outside of the Commonwealth of Virginia, whether nationally or internationally.
Special Considerations for Remote Workers
- Remote employees must complete federal and state tax withholding forms based on their state of residence.
- Section 1 of the Form I-9 must be completed on or before your first day of employment.
- Section 2 of the Form I-9 must be completed within the first three business days of your employment. If you were hired directly into a remote work position and are unable to physically come to campus to present the required documents, your department must contact Human Resources at 703-993-2600 ahead of your first day of employment.
- Travel to and from a Mason campus can be considered official business. Work with your supervisor to address the frequency of and budget for these visits.
For more information, visit the Full-Time Telework section of the Flexible Work FAQ.
Hybrid telework allows an employee to complete their work at both a university campus/site and an approved alternate site for an agreed-upon period of time.
Note: When planning a hybrid schedule, please be aware that workdays of at least six (6) consecutive hours should include a 30-minute unpaid lunch break in accordance with DHRM Policy 1.25: Hours of Work.
Examples of Hybrid Telework
Scenario 1: Telework from home one day per week.
- Monday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fairfax campus
- Tuesday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., home
- Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fairfax campus
- Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fairfax campus
- Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fairfax campus
Scenario 2: Telework from an alternate campus one day per week.
- Monday: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., SciTech campus
- Tuesday: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., SciTech campus
- Wednesday: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fairfax campus
- Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., SciTech campus
- Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., SciTech campus
Scenario 3: Telework two days per week from home and an alternate campus.
- Monday: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., home
- Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Mason Square campus
- Wednesday: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Mason Square campus
- Thursday: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., SciTech campus
- Friday: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Mason Square campus
Job sharing allows two employees to share the responsibilities of one full-time position. Employees who participate in job sharing share one FTE and are considered part-time employees.
For more information, visit the Job Sharing section of the Flexible Work FAQ.