Policy 16 – Overtime, University Support Staff

Established: January 6, 1967

​Last updated: January 1, 2004

Class: S

1. General

This Policy defines overtime and explains the compensation available to eligible regular full- and part-time staff members for overtime. Overtime is time worked beyond a staff member's normal hours if formally scheduled and approved by the appropriate manager.[1] Staff members may not schedule their own overtime. The University follows the overtime provisions set out in the Employment Standards Act,except where the University provides a greater right or benefit.

Where possible, managers should organize work assignments/responsibilities to minimize the need for staff members to work overtime. As much as possible, the need for overtime should be anticipated and scheduled in advance and at a time that will minimize the impact on staff members' personal lives. Managers are responsible for restructuring staff member's workloads if overtime becomes a regular and ongoing occurrence. Staff are responsible for initiating discussions with their managers if the amount of work they are expected to do cannot be done during regular hours.

2. Eligibility for Overtime Compensation

All regular full- and part-time staff members are eligible to be compensated for overtime, except those whose responsibilities are supervisory and managerial in character and include approving overtime assigned to others. Human Resources should be consulted for information on overtime eligibility for part-time staff and/or staff on casual or temporary appointments.

Staff members are eligible for overtime only if:

  1. the overtime has been scheduled by the manager
    AND
  2. the overtime hours have been approved by the manager.[2]

Staff members may not schedule or approve their own overtime.

3. Overtime Payment

Eligible staff members are entitled to receive payment for overtime or, with the agreement of their manager, may elect to receive appropriate time in lieu as described in section 4.

For the purpose of this Policy, Monday shall be considered the first day of the week.

  1. Hours worked during the normal five-day work week.
    • Overtime will be paid on a straight time basis up to a total of 40 hours in any one week and at the rate of 1 1/2 times the regular rate for all hours in excess of 40 hours in one week.[3]
  2. Hours worked on the sixth (Saturday) and seventh (Sunday) days.
    • Overtime hours worked on the sixth or seventh day will be paid at 1 1/2 times the regular rate.
    • When overtime hours are worked on both the sixth and seventh day, the seventh continuous day on which the employee worked will be paid at two (2) times the regular rate.

4. Time in Lieu of Payment

Eligible staff members may elect to take time off in lieu of overtime payment at a time mutually agreed by the staff member and the manager. Time off will be based on the value in time at the appropriate premium rate per section 3 above.

5. Overtime Regulations

  1. Overtime compensation will not be made for extra hours scheduled personally by a staff member.
  2. The minimum period for overtime is one hour.
  3. Payment for overtime must be settled within 60 days from the overtime worked.
  4. Time in lieu of payment must be taken at a time mutually agreed by the staff member and the manager, but not later than one year from the date of overtime worked.
  5. A staff member who, because of working overtime finds it necessary to eat a meal on campus, will receive, upon request, a meal allowance from the department. The amount of such allowance will be determined and published by Human Resources from time to time.
  6. Under some circumstances, a manager may develop an alternate work schedule to that defined in section 3. All such schedules must be reviewed by Human Resources to insure compliance with the Employment Standards Act.
  7. When schedules include Saturday (sixth day) and/or Sunday (seventh day) as part of a normal work week, time worked on Saturday and/or Sunday is not considered overtime and remuneration will, therefore, be on a straight time basis.
  8. Any exemption from this Policy must be approved by Human Resources.

6. Hours Worked on a Paid Holiday

See Policy #38, Section 4.

[1] For manager also read: supervisor, department head, chair, director
[2] Practices may vary; some departments require one-over-one approval. 
[3] The Employment Standards Act stipulates that overtime must be compensated for at the rate of 1½ times the regular rate for all scheduled hours worked in excess of 44 hours in any given week.