Definition(s):

“A work schedule in which employees can use their own discretion as to the time on the job as long as they complete the specified number of hours within a work period (that is, one month, one week, or one day)” (Barker, 1999). “A system of working a set number of hours with the starting and finishing times chosen within agreed limits by the employee” (Flextime, 2002). “This arrangement provides employees with some limited discretion as to the starting and stopping times for their work day, while requiring a standard number of hours to be worked within a given time period” (Christensen & Staines, 1990). A type of flexible work arrangement that allows employees to vary their work schedules, within certain ranges and dimensions, according to their differing needs. (Ronen, 1981) “Unlike other flexible work arrangements, flextime focuses exclusively on the work schedule and does not alter the location of work or the total number of hours worked” (Hyland, 2002). “Under a flextime schedule, employees exercise a decision regarding the time of day they will arrive at and leave from work. The employer creates a band of core time where each employee must be present (normally 9 or 10 a.m. to 2 or 3 p.m.). For example, a flexible work schedule where all employees have to be present from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. would have 5 core hours. Employees are free to arrive before the core start time and leave after the core finish time, but typically there is a limit as to how early the employees can arrive and how late they can leave (e.g., cannot start before 7 a.m. and cannot stay past 9 p.m.). Another important flextime characteristic is the degree of carryover that is permitted. Some organizations do not permit any carryover of hours (i.e., the employee must work 8 hr per day), whereas others permit carryover on a weekly basis (i.e., no requirement for 8 hr per day but must work 40 hr per week), and a few organizations even allow monthly carryover” (Baltes et. al, 1999).

Barker, R. L. (Ed.). (1999). The social work dictionary (4th Ed.). Washington, DC: NASW Press. Flextime. (2002). In Fank Abate (Ed.), A dictionary of business in economics and business. UK: Oxford University Press, Inc. Retrieved June 17, 2003, from www.oxfordreference.com Christensen, K. E., & Staines, G. L. (1990). Flextime: A viable solution to work/family conflict? Journal of Family Issues, 11(4), 455-476. Ronen, S. (1981). Flexible working hours: An innovation in the quality of work life. New York: McGraw-Hill. Hyland, M. (2002). Flextime, a Sloan Work and Family Research Network encyclopedia entry. Chestnut Hill, MA: Sloan Work and Family Research Network. Baltes, B. B., Briggs, T. E., Huff, J. H., Wright, J. A., & Neuman, G. A. (1999). Flexible and compressed workweek schedules: A meta-analysis of their effects of work-related criteria. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84(4), 496-513.