OFFICE HOURS

County office hours are normally those of the county government and may vary by county. County office hours are listed in the Extension online directory. Counties are requested to make any changes by sending an e-mail message to bpriebe@wsu.edu.

People expect to be able to contact and talk to Extension professionals. Official duties and personal responsibilities away from the Extension office can conflict with that expectation. When the office is open to the public and the faculty are not otherwise legitimately engaged, they should be available. If it is necessary to be out of the office for any reason, the office support staff must be made aware of when you will be available. This is an expectation of the job. It is also important that someone in the office knows how to reach you if absolutely necessary.

Alternate Work Schedule. Faculty are salaried employees and are expected to be available for occasional programs and activities in addition to the regular work day. County Extension faculty with extensive, regular responsibilities during evenings and weekends may request an alternative work schedule. With discussion and prior written approval from the chair and district director, an alternative schedule may be adopted (for example, Tuesday through Saturday.) Occasional organizational demands for Monday attendance must be anticipate and accommodated. Periodic review of the impact of the alternative schedule and renewal of the agreement, if appropriate, are required.

Classified staff and those administrative/professionals who are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, have very specific rules regarding working overtime. See WSU BPPM 60.60. They must report overtime and must be compensated for their work. Supervisors should make sure that they know these rules and should carefully oversee their hours. Except with specific prior discussion and written agreement, units will be responsible for covering the overtime payments to their staff.