230.215 Part-time employment and flexible-time schedules.

(1) Declaration of policy. The legislature finds and declares:

(a) That employment practices which provide flexibility in scheduling hours of work often result in increased worker productivity, reduced absenteeism, improved employee morale and a more economical and efficient use of energy, highways and other transit systems.

(b) That traditional full-time work patterns fail to meet the needs of many potentially productive citizens who, due to age, health or family circumstances, are effectively prevented from engaging in full-time employment.

(c) That a greater number of permanent part-time employment opportunities are necessary to allow citizens a higher level of participation in the work force and to permit a greater utilization of the skills, talents and abilities of all citizens who want to work.

(d) That it is the intent of the legislature that all agencies of state government participate in developing and creating flexible-time work schedules, additional permanent part-time positions and other alternative work patterns in order to maximize, in a manner consistent with the needs of state service, the employment options available to existing and potential state employees.

(e) That it is the intent of the legislature that all agencies of state government make available permanent part-time employment opportunities in classified positions.

(2) Flexible-time employment scheduling. In this subsection “flexible-time schedule" means a work schedule which includes required days or hours during which an employee subject to the work schedule must be present for work and designated hours during which the employee, with the approval of his or her supervisor, may elect a time of arrival to and departure from work. Every agency shall develop a plan for the establishment of employee flexible-time schedules. The plan shall attempt to maximize efficiency of agency operations, the level of services to the public, energy conservation and employee productivity and shall consider traffic congestion, transit facilities and other relevant factors.

(3) Part-time employment.

(a) An agency may, with the approval of the administrator and with the approval of the secretary of administration under s. 16.50, restructure budgeted permanent positions as such positions become vacant or if an employee voluntarily requests a job-sharing or permanent part-time employment opportunity. No employee occupying a full-time permanent position may be involuntarily terminated, demoted, transferred or reassigned in order to restructure that position for permanent part-time employment and no such employee may be required to accept a permanent part-time position as a condition of continued employment.

(b) If the administrator, upon review of the report submitted under sub. (4), determines that an agency's past or proposed actions relating to permanent part-time employment opportunities do not adequately reflect the policy under sub. (1) (e), the administrator may recommend procedures designed to enable the agency to effect such policy.

(c) Permanent part-time appointments may be made for any number of hours in excess of 600 hours per year.

(4) Reports. Each agency, in complying with s. 15.04 (1) (d), shall include a report on the progress or failure of the plans of such agency in achieving the policies stated under sub. (1) and shall submit a copy of such report to the administrator.

(5) Nonapplication. Section 230.35 (5) does not apply to employees subject to part-time employment and employee flexible-time scheduling under this section.

History: 1977 c. 196; 1979 c. 175 s. 53; 1979 c. 221; 1987 a. 140; 2003 a. 33; 2015 a. 55.