ARTICLE 18

**OVERTIME**

**Section 18.01 ‑ Types of Overtime Work**. Generally, this Article
refers to two (2) types of overtime work:

\(1\) Regular and recurring overtime work scheduled in advance of the
administrative workweek as part of the employee\'s regularly scheduled
tour of duty; and

\(2\) Irregular or occasional overtime which is intermittent and usually
ordered on short notice.

**Section 18.02 - Approval**. All overtime and compensatory time must be
approved in advance by the appropriate official, except where employees
are entitled to overtime within the meaning of the Fair Labor Standards
Act.

**Section 18.03 ‑ Compensation for Overtime Work**.

\(1\) Consistent with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and other
applicable laws and regulations, nonexempt employees and exempt
employees whose salary is less than or equal to GS‑10/10 will be allowed
to choose between compensatory time and overtime pay.

\(2\) FLSA exempt employees whose salaries are in excess of GS-10/10
shall be given the option to receive overtime pay or compensatory time
for irregular or occasional overtime, except that they may be required
to accept compensatory time in lieu of overtime pay if valid reasons
preclude Management from payment of overtime.

\(3\) In accordance with applicable law and implementing regulations,
the maximum rate of overtime pay shall not exceed 1½ times the hourly
rate of the basic pay of a GS-10, step 1.

\(4\) Management shall not show preferential treatment to employees
based on their choice between taking overtime pay and compensatory time.

**Section 18.04 - Accumulation of Compensatory Time**. Compensatory time
credits shall be used by the end of the leave year in which it is
earned; except that unused compensatory time which is earned during the
last five (5) pay periods of the leave year may be carried over for use
during the first five (5) pay periods of the following year. Management
and the employee are responsible for assuring that earned compensatory
time credits are used

within the above time frame. If an FLSA nonexempt employee does not
request or take compensatory time within the established time

periods, the unused compensatory time will be paid at the overtime rate
in effect for the work period in which it was earned.

**Section 18.05 ‑ Overtime Aggregation**.

\(1\) **Regular and Recurring Overtime Scheduled in Advance**.
Management agrees that in the scheduling of overtime in advance, such
work shall be scheduled in quarter hour increments. Such increments
shall be aggregated into hours or portions thereof at the end of each
pay period for compensation. Any portion of a quarter hour shall be
rounded off to the next higher increment.

\(2\) **Irregular or Occasional Overtime**. When employees work
irregular or occasional overtime, Management shall aggregate time as
follows:

\(a\) It shall round down to the next lower quarter hour those odd
minutes of work that are less than fifty (50) percent of a quarter hour;
and

\(b\) Shall round up to the next higher increment those odd minutes of
work that equal or exceed fifty (50) percent of a quarter hour.

**Section 18.06 ‑ Rest Breaks on Overtime**. Each employee who works
overtime shall be entitled to a rest break of fifteen (15) minutes for
each four (4) hours of overtime. A rest break may be taken after the
first two (2) hours of the overtime period. However, no rest break is
intended at the end of the overtime period, nor is it intended that a
rest break shall replace or be added to the normal lunch break after a
four (4) hour segment of overtime worked.

**Section 18.07 ‑ Assignment to Overtime Work**. Management shall advise
employees that those who desire to volunteer for overtime work may
indicate their preference by signing up on a volunteer overtime list
which shall be made readily available for inspection. Management shall
first consider the assignment of overtime to volunteers who perform work
of the same nature during the time falling within their basic workweek,
as well as to other qualified employees having the requisite skills and
personal qualifications for the work to be performed. Assignments of
overtime shall be made on a fair and equitable basis in accordance with
Management\'s need to accomplish the work.

**Section 18.08 - Overtime Work**. The parties explicitly recognize
Management\'s right to order or approve overtime work by any employee on
any work schedule/tour of duty.

**Section 18.09 ‑ Excusal**. Upon request and a reasonable showing that
a requirement to work overtime will work a hardship[^1] on an employee,
Management shall excuse the employee from overtime work provided that a
comparably qualified employee is available for the assignment.

**Section 18.10 ‑ Election**. The election of an employee to request
either compensatory time or overtime pay shall not be a factor in the
assignment of overtime work.

**Section 18.11 ‑ Notice**. Management shall, to the extent practicable,
provide employees with two (2) days\' advance notice of overtime
assignments.

**Section 18.12 ‑ Call‑Back Time**. Employees called back to work
outside of and unconnected with their regular hours of work shall be
paid for at least two (2) hours of work. Management, to the extent
practicable, shall schedule such work for at least four (4) hours on
said occasions, if appropriate work is available.

**Section 18.13 - Official Vehicle Breakdown**. When a vehicle used on
official Government business breaks down or is otherwise inoperable, the
employee shall, within an hour of the breakdown (or as soon thereafter
as practical), provide the supervisor with an estimate of the situation
and request instructions. The supervisor shall approve a reasonable
amount of official time for the purpose of obtaining emergency repairs.
Anytime beyond the end of the employee\'s tour of duty which constitutes
overtime may be approved by the appropriate official, provided the
employee presents a brief written explanation and, where available,
documentation relating to the emergency.

[^1]: ^    ?^ The parties understand that approved leave may be a
    reasonable grounds for excusal.