Some employers offer their employees the option to work a flexible work schedule instead of the standard 9:00-5:00 work day. Employers are generally not legally required to offer flexibility to their employees in terms of arrival and/or departure times. Instead, flexible work schedules are matter of agreement between the employer and the employee.
The Fair Labor Standards Act does not address flexible hours in the workplace. In fact, the eLaws Fair Labor Standards Act advisor provides that an employer may change an employee’s work hours without giving prior notice or obtaining the employee’s consent.
Studies have shown that flexible or alternative work schedules are on the rise and tend to increase employee job satisfaction. The Department of Labor provides some insight into flexible scheduling. For more information, click here.