Dear Colleagues, 

As part of AU’s ongoing commitment to support an enhanced employee experience and continually improve How AU Works, we are pleased to provide you with guidelines for increased flexibility in summer schedules for staff in your units, if possible consistent with unit needs. Summer months are a different period of the academic year, and eligible full-time staff will again have the opportunity for increased schedule flexibility for the Summer 2024 sessions (May 13 – August 9, with the understanding that regular expected levels of operational coverage (office, phone, student/customer response) must be maintained. WCL will follow their own summer schedule May 28-August 5, 2024.  

Deans, Vice Provosts, and Department Heads of administrative units are encouraged to work with supervisors in their units to determine if, based on responsibilities during the summer sessions, it is possible to adjust schedules for the summer to allow for more remote work. Summer adjustments may not necessarily apply to all staff, and in particular student-facing staff may need to operate on their regular schedules during the summer. Department Heads should work with their peers and direct reports to ensure consistency across similar positions.  

If certain positions are amenable for additional remote work or flex hours based on their duties, supervisors should work with employees to make adjustments for the summer. Supervisors must make these opportunities available on an equal basis to similarly situated employees. Before finalizing individual employee arrangements, supervisors should assess their overall team’s schedule to ensure there is adequate coverage for their office’s responsibilities at all applicable times. Any revised schedule for the summer will be in effect only until August 9 for main campus and August 5 for WCL.  

Human Resources is available to help employees and supervisors with questions on how to implement a flexible work schedule. Please contact HR at hrpayrollhelp@american.edu. Employees are not required to submit an updated hybrid work agreement for the summer period. However, supervisors must ensure that employees are notified at least 2 weeks in advance of any modality or schedule change, and Department Heads must approve any changes to modalities and schedules requested by employees, per the Schedule and Work Modality policy.   

Summer scheduling options include:  

• A temporary move to another hybrid modality/schedule offering more remote work; and  
• Flex hours to include adjustments in the employee’s agreed-upon starting and departure time that differ from the standard schedule of the department.  

Planning guidelines:  

• There may be key days (e.g., Preview Day) during the summer when staff will need to be in person even if it is not typically one of their in-person days. Supervisors must provide advance notice to staff about days that will require in-person work to plan accordingly.  
• Department heads may choose to adjust schedules for only a portion of the summer, to better align with student-facing activities.  
• Departments are required to maintain the standard operating hours for their unit (generally, 9 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday) and must ensure that summer scheduling does not impact the office’s ability to open or close and perform critical functions, including in-person services where applicable.    
• Offices will need to make sure they have procedures in place to process mail, answer phones, address incoming emails or voicemails, and accommodate walk-ins on a daily basis.    
• Consider summer vacation schedules while planning. It may be beneficial to obtain staff vacation schedules in advance to effectively plan coverage.  
• Options for summer are limited to temporary changes in modality and flex hours. It does not include reduced work hours, or abbreviation of the work week unless those arrangements are part of an already approved flexible work arrangement.    
• Share staff schedules with all unit members to help with coordination and communication.  
• Decisions about additional flexibility for the summer are ultimately up to the Vice President, Dean, Vice Provost, Assistant Vice President or equivalent who has oversight for a school or department for a school or department based on the unit’s operational needs.   
• Department heads should work with their peers and direct reports to ensure consistency in decision-making across similar functions and within their units.    

Best regards,

Seth Grossman
Vice President of Administration & Chief Administrative Officer   

Beth Muha
Associate Vice President of Human Resources