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201 Hours of Work and Compensation 

The following policies govern hours of work and compensation. 

201.1  Work Week 

The regular workweek at Boston University may be thirty-five (35) hours, thirty-seven-and-one-half (37 ½) hours, or forty (40) hours as established by the individual department. For the purpose of computing payroll, a workweek consists of seven (7) consecutive twenty-four (24) hour periods beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Monday and continuing through midnight the following Sunday. 

During the employment process, applicants are informed of the number of hours in the regular workweek and anticipated variations caused by cyclical workloads in the hiring department. For exempt employees, the regular workweek represents the minimum hours that an employee is expected to work. 

As part of the employee’s job responsibilities, exempt employees may be required to work at special University/departmental events including but not limited to Commencement ceremonies. 

Non-exempt employees are not permitted to volunteer for the University.  However, non-exempt employees who volunteer to work at special University/departmental events including but not limited to Commencement ceremonies will be paid the employee’s regular hourly rate for all hours actually worked at the event. In addition, they will be paid one and one-half (1-1/2) times their regular hourly rate for all hours actually worked in excess of forty (40) hours during that workweek. 

201.2  Meal Periods 

Meal Periods are scheduled by supervisors to ensure proper employee coverage during the workday. The University requires meal periods of at least thirty (30) minutes for every six (6) hours worked by a non-exempt employee, unless a different period is required by law.  

For non-exempt employees, meal periods must be at least thirty (30) minutes long, and employees must be completely relieved of all work duties during the period. Meal periods may not be scheduled during the first or last hours of a workday or combined with rest periods except with prior approval of the supervisor or as otherwise provided by applicable law. 

Meal periods for non-exempt employees are unpaid and not considered as time worked. However, if a non-exempt employee is required to work ten (10) or more hours on any given shift, the University will provide both a one-half (1/2) hour paid meal period and one (1) meal. The meal may be provided in kind or by giving the employee a reasonable cash meal allowance. The University does not provide paid meal periods or meals for non-exempt employees who work ten (10) or more hours as part of a modified work schedule approved under the Guidelines for Flexible Employee Work Arrangements (https://www.bu.edu/hr/lifebu/flexible-work/).  

201.3  Rest Periods 

Supervisors are expected to schedule non-exempt employees for one (1) rest period of fifteen (15) minutes during each three-and-one-half (3 1/2) hour or four (4) hour period of work, unless otherwise required by applicable law. Rest periods are paid time, counted as time worked, and are non-cumulative. They may not be scheduled or taken during the first or last hours of a workday and may not be combined with meal periods except with prior approval of the supervisor or otherwise allowed by applicable law. 

201.4  Flexible Work Arrangements  

This policy provision applies to instances in which an individual’s work schedule may be changed on either a temporary or ongoing basis in accordance with the University’s Flexible Work Arrangement Guidelines.  A change to an employee’s work schedule must be authorized by the applicable Dean or Vice President and will be made in accordance with the Flexible Work Arrangement Guidelines and applicable law. 

Employee requests for changes in work schedules for personal reasons are also governed by the University’s Guidelines for Flexible Employee Work Arrangements (https://www.bu.edu/hr/lifebu/flexible-work/). 

201.5  University Changes to Work Schedules 

If the University needs to change an employee’s work schedule on a temporary or ongoing basis, the University will notify the employee as far in advance as is practical under the conditions that resulted in the change. If an employee is unable or unwilling to make the change in work schedule, reasonable effort will be made to find the employee another open position for which they are qualified at the University. 

201.6  Overtime 

Non-exempt employees are compensated for hours worked in accordance with the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Employees are paid their regular hourly rate for all hours actually worked up to and including forty (40) hours during each workweek. Employees are also paid one-and-one-half (1-1/2) times their regular hourly rate for all hours actually worked in excess of forty (40) hours during each workweek, unless otherwise required by applicable law.  

As a condition of employment, employees are expected to work overtime as required by the operational needs of the University, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. 

Overtime must be approved in advance by the employee’s supervisor.  

201.7  Safe Harbor for Exempt Employees 

Exempt salaried employees receive a salary that is intended to compensate for all hours worked for the University. This salary is established at the time of hire. While it may be subject to review and modification from time to time, such as during salary review times, the salary is a predetermined amount that is not subject to deductions for variations in the quantity or quality of work. 

Under federal and state law, exempt salaried employees’ salaries are subject to certain deductions. For example, absent contrary state law requirements or applicable University policies, exempt salaried employees’ salaries are subject to reduction for the following reasons: 

• • Full day absences for personal reasons;  

• • Full day absences for sickness or disability;  

• • Full day disciplinary suspensions for infractions of University written policies and procedures; 

• • Family and Medical Leave absences (either full or partial day absences);  

• • To offset amounts received as payment for jury and witness fees or military pay; or 

• • The first or last week of employment in the event of less than a full week worked.  

Exempt salaried employees’ salaries are also subject to reduction for their portion of health, dental, or life insurance premiums; state, federal, or local taxes; social security; or voluntary contributions to a 401(k) or pension plan.  

In any workweek in which exempt salaried employees perform any work, their salary is not subject to reduction for any of the following reasons: 

• • Partial day absences for personal reasons, sickness, or disability;  

• • Absence due to the University’s decision to close a campus (or a portion thereof) on a scheduled work day; 

• • Absences for jury duty, attendance as a witness, or military leave in any week in which any work is performed; or 

• • Any other deductions prohibited by state or federal law.  

However, subject to applicable state and local laws, it is not an improper deduction to reduce exempt salaried employees’ accrued vacation, personal, or other forms of paid time off banks for full or partial day absences for personal reasons, sickness, or disability. 

Employees who believe they have been subject to an improper deduction should report the matter to their supervisor immediately. If the employee’s supervisor is unavailable or is an inappropriate person to contact, or if a prompt and fully acceptable reply has not been received within five (5) business days, the Human Resources Service Center should be contacted.  

Every report of improper deductions by an employee will be fully investigated and corrective action, up to and including discharge, may be taken, as appropriate, for any employee(s) who violates this policy. In addition, the University will not allow any form of retaliation against individuals who report alleged violations of this policy or who cooperate in the University’s investigation of such reports. Retaliation is unacceptable, and any form of retaliation in violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge. 

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