Salaried/Exempt requesting to go part time

atherese · October 2001

We have a salaried (full time 40+), exempt employee requesting to go permanently part time, 4 days per week possibly 3 days per week. The employee wants to stay as a salaried, exempt employee with the salary reflecting a 32 or a 24 hour work week. How or what does this do with the exempt requirements? Has anyone come upon any problems with a change like this?

Down_the_Middle · October 2001

Presumably moving this person to less than 40 hrs/wk will not change their position respon's enough so they lose their exempt status. If the same duties continue, only on a part-time basis, then the exempt status s/b retained. [This assumes that the initial exempt status was correct!]

The person's salary is reduced to reflect part-time status and life goes on. The primary problem I've encountered with this arrangement is how many hours will you allow the person to work b/4 you conclude the position is really fulltime. Assume you reduce the hrs to 32/week. In all probability, the employee will be expected to work 35 or 36 hrs/week due to their salary status and is not eligible for any overtime due to being exempt. Eventually, the employee will come forward complaining that they are working almost fulltime, yet only getting part-time benefits. When that happens, you agree to revisit the arrangement and either modify or try and control the amount of excess hours worked. Same principle as 40 hrs/wk people working 50+ for extended time periods.

Rockie · October 2001

What usually happens here is the person ends up working almost as many hours in three to four days as he or she did in five and then, I agree, the complaints start. They have to agree that it is, indeed, a tradeoff. They may have to work almost as many "hours" to get the job done, but they have the advantage of having one to two days off a week to enjoy their personal life. I would say that's not a bad deal as long as they don't expect any extra payment or GASP! compensatory time (which is often the case part time exempts try to make).

Be sure you know what you are getting into before you create this problem with exempt employees. You may want to spell this out in a memo to them, and have them sign it that they understand the concept of exempt, whether five day a week or three or four day a week.

Good luck.

dhnyct · October 2001

Without knowing the details, this sounds like another case of someone wanting it all. How can a full time position (40+ hours) be accomplished in 3-4 days, except maybe if they are scheduled for 3 twelves or 4 tens with the realization of additional hours as needed? Wouldn't we all love to get full time benefits for part time hours???

A lot of us could do our desk work at odd times. In fact some of us occasionally choose to go in during closed hours just so we can have some productive, uninterrupted time. However, most salaried positions include responsibilities that require us to be present and available during regular office hours to direct and support management and staff.

I'd be careful about granting special concessions for one at the risk of creating problems among the remaining staff members. How about a job share arrangement between two part timers?

Dorie · October 2001

When we have tried to accomodate this kind of request, there have also been problems with holidays, sick and vacation accruals. If the employee works a set schedule for instance, Mondays thru Thursdays, how are Monday holidays treated? Do they receive 3/4 of the total holidays? Although most employees who request this type of accomodation are very grateful for the flexability, you need to review every benefit and write an agreement prior to the start covering how everything will be handled.

dhnyct · October 2001

We experienced the same problems in the past. A prorated scale for PTO and holidays solved most of those issues. Holidays were a problem when we had some folks working four ten-hour days because they wanted 10-hour holidays. Ditto the advice to publish specific policies.

rollinstm · November 2001

I also have a case like this. I have an exempt employee who works 4 10-hour days and when it is time to do timesheets, he puts down 10-hour holidays. We are a small company of 46 employees and we're just starting to have to deal with all the nuances and problems you get with a larger group of people. Does anyone have any guidance about what the policy should be for this type of arrangement? It has never seemed fair to me that in addition to only having to work 4 days a week, we also afford this one individual a 10 hours holiday instead of the 8 that we give everyone else. I would love to hear some input on this.
Thanks!

Anita · November 2001

We only pay holiday at 8 hours for everyone eligible, even if the employee is working 4 10's, we also only pay 8 hrs vacation per day, for employees working 4 10's. Everyone knows up front that they will need to make up the 2 hours from the holiday or vacation day in order to have a full week. However, this is only for our hourly employees, salaried employees get their full pay.

Theresa Gegen TX · November 2001

One issue with most exemptions is that the employee must be paid a certain amount per week to remain exempt. I don't have it off the top of my head, but you need to check the regulations to ensure that the employee doesn't go below the amount required per week.

Good Luck!!

Salaried/Exempt requesting to go part time

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