Duquesne University is covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act. This Act establishes minimum wages and standard hours of work for all non-exempt employees. Non-exempt employees are those who do not qualify as executive, administrative, or professional under the terms of the Act, and those who are classified as support employees. (See TAP #3 Classification of All University Employees)

The Act requires that non-exempt employees be paid for all hours worked for the pay period that the hours were worked. Departments must maintain a system for the employees to record time worked. The systems used may include daily sign in sheet A, daily sign in sheet B, time cards, or an approved electronic process. Employees must sign time records to acknowledge they are truthful and accurate. Supervisors must review and authorize time records to insure proper payment is made. Discrepancies will be reviewed by Dean or senior department head. The Office of Human Resource management should also be consulted to insure compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act. If time clock or other electronic time entry system is not available, departments shall use the University approved sign in sheet. Contact the Office of Human Resource Management to request a copy of this form.

It is the responsibility of the employee and the supervisor to submit accurate and timely hours worked each pay period and in accordance with established university deadlines in order for the employee to be paid properly. Employees who do not report and submit their own hours worked accurately, timely and in accordance with departmental and university guidelines will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. Supervisors and time reporters who do not ensure accurate and timely submission of hours will also be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. Also, failure to report accurate and timely information by the employee, supervisor, or time reporter will result in a delay of time paid until the next regularly scheduled bi-weekly pay day.

The University’s biweekly time records serve as the record keeping document which is used by the department to accurately report via the Banner system to the Payroll Office the hours non-exempt employees have worked to assure accurate payment processing. Falsification of official University records is in violation of University Policy and Federal Law. Individuals who falsify any University documentation are subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

The need for calculating overtime pay requires establishing a standard workweek. The University has an approved 40-hour workweek for all non-exempt staff; however, there is a 35-hour workweek in effect for most clerical, secretarial, and related office staff positions. (The standard University workweek is the 168 hour period that begins at 12:01 AM on Monday and ends at midnight on the following Sunday.)

Non-exempt personnel who work in excess of 35 hours in the workweek but less than 40 hours (the standard workweek) will be compensated at straight time for all hours worked in excess of 35. Work in excess of 40 hours in the workweek is paid at the rate of time and one-half. All time worked in excess of 40 hours must be paid in the week worked at the rate of time and one-half. No other options are permitted under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Work in excess of 35 hours must be approved in advance by the immediate supervisor. The use of flexible scheduling, budgeting for overtime, and long-term planning can help a department work within allocated salary budgets while meeting fluctuating departmental staffing needs. Flexible scheduling or flextime can be defined as a varying work schedule. If used properly and efficiently within the pay period, flexible scheduling may result in meeting departmental and University needs without additional overall hours worked and additional cost. In order to prevent the need to pay at time and one-half, the hours worked in either week of the biweekly period must not exceed 40 hours.

Non-represented employees, who are required to work regular or authorized holidays, will be paid for hours worked on those days. Hours which were to be paid for the holy day/holiday will be recorded as compensatory time earned on the biweekly payroll sheet. This time will be added to the individual’s vacation bank. Any other use of earning and taking compensation is not permitted by the University and is in direct violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

All hours worked by non-exempt employees must be reported via the Banner system to the Payroll Office at the end of each pay period. The names of all non-exempt employees with the total hours worked each week must be reported in Banner. The time calculation will be reviewed in the Payroll Office. Lunch periods are not considered as time worked and should not be reported as such as they are not taken into consideration in either straight-time or overtime calculations.

All University employees are paid on a biweekly basis. Hours worked by non-exempt employees must be reported via the Banner system to the Payroll Office for each two-week pay period and payment is available the following Friday. Contact the Payroll Office for schedule of pays and respective time reporting deadlines or if instruction is needed relative to the Banner time entry and approval process.

As long as employees work a full schedule, department heads may retain the flexibility of arranging starting and ending work periods most suitable to the division.

Individuals whose schedules call for less than 35 hours per week are not considered full-time.

Employing departments are required to maintain individual personnel time cards, time sheets, or proof of electronic time tracking for a period of three years. This information and documentation is subject to University audit to insure individual, department, and University compliance with this policy and procedure.

Any department head having questions with respect to the status of employees or the provisions and requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act, should contact the Director of Human Resource Management.