ARTICLE 9
HOURS OF WORK

9.01 Regular Work-days and Work-weeks for Full-time Employees

(a) The regular work-day shall be:

(1) seven (7) hours, or

(2) seven and one-half (7.5) hours, or

(3) eight (8) hours.

(b) The regular work week shall consist of five (5) days with two (2) consecutive days off.

(c) The regular work-day for all employees covered by this Agreement shall not be increased, except by mutual agreement.

(d) Notwithstanding Clause 9.01 (b) where an employee works in a seven (7) day a week operation, s/he may be required to work up to seven (7) consecutive days on a regular basis, but s/he shall not be required to work more than ten (10) days total in any two (2) week period.

9.02 Where the Board requires that an employee's starting time be changed, it shall provide him/her with thirty (30) calendar days' written notice of the change.

9.03 Modified Work-days or Work-weeks

(a) Modified work-days or work-weeks are acceptable by agreement between the employee and the Department Head provided that the hours worked shall be, on average, equivalent to that which the employee would have had under the regular schedule.

(b) All modified work-days or work-weeks must be recommended in writing by the Department Head and approved in writing by the AVP(HRS).

(c) Operation of a modified work-day or work-week does not negate any other provisions of this Agreement and there shall be no loss or gain of benefits when a modified work-day or work-week is in use.

9.04 Change in Rest Days or Shift Time

(a) Where the Board requires that an employee's rest days be changed from Saturday and Sunday, it shall provide him/her with thirty (30) calendar days' written notice of the change.

(b) Where the Board requires that an employee's work pattern be changed from a "straight" shift to a "rotating" shift, it shall provide him/her with thirty (30) calendar days' written notice of the change.

(c) Where an emergency arises, the Board may make temporary changes as required without notice to the employee. Such changes shall not remain in effect for more than two (2) weeks. This provision shall not be used repeatedly so as to circumvent the requirement for notice given above.

9.05 Notification of Absence

(a) A day worker who is going to be absent from work shall ensure that his/her supervisor or designee is informed of the reasons for and expected duration of the absence within one-half (½) hour of the start of his/her shift.

(b) A shift worker who is going to be absent from work shall ensure that his/her supervisor or designee is informed of the reasons for and expected duration of the absence according to the following:

(1) a day shift, one (1) hour prior to the start of his/her shift;

(2) an afternoon or night shift (where the majority of the shift falls between 3 p.m. and 7 a.m.) four (4) hours prior to the start of his/her shift.

(c) Should an employee fail to comply with Clause 9.05 (a) or 9.05 (b), as the case may be, his/her absence may be considered as unauthorized leave without pay unless s/he had legitimate reasons for the non-compliance.

(d) The Department Head shall designate a person in each department to be personally contacted in the event an employee's supervisor cannot be reached.

9.06 Rest Periods

(a) Full-time regular employees shall be entitled to a paid rest period of fifteen (15) minutes during each one-half (½) working day of not less than three and one-half (3½) hours duration.

(b) Part-time regular and temporary employees shall be entitled to a paid rest period of fifteen (15) minutes during the first three and one-half (3½) hours, and an additional rest period of fifteen (15) minutes during the rest of their work day if in excess of two (2) hours.

9.07 Irregular Hours of Work

Where operational requirements necessitate employees to work irregular hours, the Department Head concerned shall submit his/her proposal in writing to the AVP(HRS) for his/her review and approval. Prior to granting such approval, the AVP(HRS) shall seek written agreement from NASA. Operation of irregular hours of work shall not negate or modify the application of any other provision of this Agreement except to the extent specified below:

(a) Clause 9.01 shall not apply. However, the total number of irregular hours of work within each work cycle, the length of which to be determined by mutual agreement, shall not exceed the equivalent number of regular hours the affected employee would have worked had they not been required to work irregular hours. Article 11 shall apply to hours in excess of the equivalent.

(b) Clause 22.08 shall apply except that the relevant lieu days may be built into the work cycle, subject to mutual agreement.

(c) Where necessary and subject to mutual agreement, the application of other Articles may also be modified.