059 - OVERTIME

OVERTIME EFFECTIVE DATE: 06/01/96 STANDARD NO. 059 REVISED: 08/18/17 REPLACES: SOP Overtime 15-05.1-3 – Rev. 01/01/03; 08/18/11 OBJECTIVE: To establish a policy that will provide guidelines for overtime work. POLICY: It is the policy of the Homestead Police Department (HPD) to schedule all employees in the most efficient manner possible to minimize overtime usage. SCOPE: All employees of this Department shall be governed by the procedures set forth below. I. GENERAL: A. With diverse classifications, changes in employee collective bargaining agreements, and applicability of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), it is necessary to affirm Departmental policy regarding payment of overtime monies. HPD employees are categorized into three (3) classifications for overtime consideration. 1. Collective Bargaining Employees: Employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement. 2. Non-Job Basis Employees: Non-Job basis employees who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement, who are entitled to overtime compensation. 3. Job-Basis Employees Not Covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement: Job- Basis employees who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement, who are not entitled to overtime compensation. II. PROCEDURES: A. Compensation: 1. When employees are required to work overtime, eligible employees will be compensated in accordance with respective collective bargaining agreements, and FLSA guidelines. 2. It is the employee’s responsibility to submit any overtime request within the pay period in which the overtime was worked. B. Overtime Categories: 1. Scheduled overtime: Planned tasks that require personnel to work in excess of normal hours to accomplish work essential to the operation of the Department. a. Scheduled overtime can frequently be prevented by utilizing proper supervision and planning. Overtime – SOP# 059 b. Authorization may be granted as prescribed by the concerned supervisor. 2. Operational necessity: Situations that develop which necessitate completion of the activity after normal work hours. Mature judgment by employees and proper utilization of personnel by supervisors shall serve to prevent unnecessary overtime expenditures. a. Utilizing oncoming personnel as relief can minimize overtime. b. Authorization may be granted as prescribed by the concerned supervisor. 3. Court-related: Depositions, court attendance, and filing of cases on off-duty time. Scheduling of these activities shall be concurrent with normal working hours whenever possible. 4. Emergency: Sudden, generally unexpected occurrence demanding immediate action outside the employee’s normal working hours: III. FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT GUIDELINES: 1. To maximize the effectiveness of employees, regulate the payment of overtime, and to comply with court rulings pertaining to FLSA, the following will be enforced. a. Work schedules, which normally will not reflect more than eight (8) work hours per day or 40 hours per week, shall be established and controlled by appropriate supervisors. Employees will not engage in any work-related activity prior to or after their assigned duty hours without prior approval of their supervisors. This includes, but is not limited to, care and maintenance of City-owned vehicles, equipment, or animals. All employees are required to be punctual for work and complete their work assignments within assigned duty hours. Employees who are paid for their meal period are subject to interruptions during this time, since they are considered in an on-duty status. b. Overtime usage shall be closely monitored and controlled by supervisors. Supervisors responsible for scheduling will ensure that work schedules reflect appropriate utilization of assigned employees in order to prevent unnecessary overtime. To ensure compliance with the latest interpretations of FLSA guidelines, work schedules will be posted in the work area. All employees will be cognizant of their work assignments. Supervisors must approve any deviation of the work schedule, and ensure that any variation of the scheduling will not be contrary to the law, bargaining unit agreements, or City or Department policy pertaining to overtime procedures. c. Time computations for overtime purposes will begin when the employee reports for work at the designated time and location and will end upon relief by the appropriate supervisor or completion of the assignment. d. Authorization for overtime payment must have approval of the concerned supervisor.