Finding the Right Balance
Finding a balance between work and life outside of work can be an ever-present and ever-increasing challenge in today's fast-pace world. As an employer and a location for research around well-being and public health, ULethbridge understands the importance of work-life balance and the value of supporting employees in finding this balance. See below for some helpful resources to find this balance in your own life.
For more resources on seeking work-life balance at ULethbridge, please visit:
Work-Life Balance Flextime Program
A flextime agreement or compressed workweek is a flexible schedule where a full-time employee or group of full-time employees may enter into a written hours-of-work agreement where an employer will average an employee’s hours of work over a period. This program allows for greater flexibility in one's schedule to help manage work-life balance and personal responsibilities as well as engaging in self-care.
There are two types of Flextime Agreements:
- Hours-of-work Averaging Agreement (HWAA): An agreement between an employer and a group of employees or an individual and offered to all employees in a unit. Hours of work are averaged over 1-12 weeks.
- Flexible Averaging Agreement (FAA): An agreement between an employer and an individual only. Hours of work are averaged over 1-2 weeks. Only applicable if the employee works a minimum of 35 hours per week.
Scheduled hours-of-work must remain at or below 12 daily hours and an average of 44 weekly hours. The agreement must include a start date and end date, a term that does not exceed two years, a plan for how overtime pay and time off with pay will be calculated, and what the daily overtime threshold is. These agreements need to consider the operations of the unit and approval of proposed agreements are not guaranteed.
Vacation Days and Other Paid Time-off
For information on vacation time and other forms of paid time off, please refer to the applicable employee manual or collective agreement and the Vacation Management Policy
Voluntary Unpaid Leave Plan
To provide additional means to our employees for achieving work-life balance, the University of Lethbridge offers eligible employees the opportunity to take personal leave days without pay. The Voluntary Unpaid Leave Plan, in addition to other leave and vacation entitlements, is for those who are looking for more time to pursue personal interests away from work. Participation is voluntary, and all applications are subject to approval.