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• Rules are regulated in local collective agreements
• Irregular working hours with average working hours of 40 per week
• Irregular working hours with average working hours of 38 per week
• If your manager asks you to work extra hours or overtime

When an organisation needs to have employees on duty every day, regardless of weekends, public holidays or similar, this is called irregular working hours. There may, for example, be legal requirements, decisions about opening hours or other circumstances that mean that work duties need to be carried out beyond conventional office hours. 

Rules are regulated in local collective agreements

The rules that are applicable are regulated in local collective agreements negotiated between Lund University and the local employee organisations.

At Lund University, the following local collective agreements about irregular working hours are in place:  

• University-wide local collective agreement on irregular working hours with average working hours of 40 per week
  • Currently in force at Max IV, the Botanical Gardens, and cleaning and maintenance operations.
• University-wide local collective agreement on irregular working hours with average working hours of 38 per week
  • Currently in force at Skissernas Museum, the evening and weekend libraries of the Faculty of Law, the HT faculties and the Faculty of Social Sciences and in the coordinator of the exam watch organisation. 
• Organisation-specific local collective agreement about irregular working hours is in place for animal keepers at the Faculty of Medicine
• Organisation-specific local collective agreement about irregular working hours is in place for operational staff at Max IV

The organisation-specific agreements can only be applied to the organisations in question. The relevant information is available locally in the workplace.

University-wide local collective agreement on irregular working hours with average working hours of 40 per week

For those covered by irregular working hours with average working hours of 40 per week, this means that you have a schedule stating your working hours.

As well as working on weekdays, you may work weekends, public holidays, ‘squeeze days’ and so on that are normally non-working days according to Lund University’s flexible working agreement for technical and administrative staff (referred to as office hours). 

When you are scheduled to work on a day that is normally a non-working day at Lund University, you are compensated with time off for the same number of completed working hours, either during that same week or in the week following the duties.

Working hours

Regular working hours are eight hours, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). The scheduling states how many hours you are to work at other times, for example weekends, evenings or ‘squeeze days’. Working hours that are to be completed on a weekend, evening or ‘squeeze days’ are fixed working hours.

Entitled to ‘squeeze days’ and shortened working days

Employees that are covered by this agreement are entitled to ‘squeeze days’ in accordance with the flexitime agreement, and the shorter working days according to the collective agreement for government employees (Villkorsavtalet).

Flexitime

The opportunity for flexible working Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) exists for those working under this agreement, if the organisations requirements allow, and follows the same flexitime framework for those referred to as office-based employees (T/A) i.e. between 07:00 and 19:00.

University-wide local collective agreement on irregular working hours with average working hours of 38 per week

For those covered by irregular working hours with average working hours of 38 per week, this means that you have a schedule stating your working hours.

Working hours

Your working hours are determined by the requirements of your organisation and can be scheduled on weekdays, weekends, public holidays and other days that are normally non-working days at Lund University, such as ‘squeeze days’.

Through the reduced normal working hours of 38 per week, you are compensated in advance for the working time that is scheduled on weekends, public holidays, ‘squeeze days’ and so on. There is no additional compensatory leave beyond shorter working hours.

Not entitled to ‘squeeze days’ or shortened working days

You are not entitled to potential ‘squeeze days’ or shortened working days according to Villkorsavtalet. This is included in the compensation provided by the shorter working hours. You are, however, guaranteed 9 days off in each four-week period, or the equivalent if shorter calculation periods are used.

Working time per day

Working time per day may vary but should not exceed an average of 8 hours per working day during the applicable calculation period. This means that certain shifts may be longer than 8 hours and certain shifts may be shorter than 8 hours. The calculation period is determined at scheduling, which may cover a period of 4 to a maximum of 16 weeks.

Shifts may be scheduled between 07:00 and 22:00 and working hours can be altered a maximum of three times per calendar year and employee, by a maximum of one hour.

Special rules may apply

Special rules may apply, e.g. between which hours work may be scheduled. Your manager will inform you if such special rules exist at your workplace.  

Flexitime

The opportunity for flexible working Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) exists for those working under this agreement, if the organisations requirements allow, and following the same flexitime framework for those referred to as office-based employees (T/A) i.e. between 07:00 and 19:00 or the equivalent number of hours if scheduled later in the day.

At the time of scheduling the opportunities for flexible working are set out, and where necessary, which flexitime frameworks apply.

The central principle is that flexitime working opportunities are to be equivalent to those applicable to office-based (T/A) employees, but that the hours the flexitime framework covers can vary according to the organisation’s staffing requirements.

If your manager asks you to work extra hours or overtime 

In certain cases, your manager may request that you work extra hours (in the case of part-time employment) or overtime. Extra hours and overtime are working hours in addition to your regular duties and must be registered in Primula in close connection with the work being performed, but no later than 14 calendar days afterwards. 

Additional time and overtime can be compensated either with financial compensation or compensatory leave if you and your manager agree on this. 

Taking compensatory leave is applied for in Primula and must be taken no later than in the calendar month after the extra or overtime work has been performed. Once the form of compensation for extra time or overtime has been granted in Primula, it cannot be changed afterwards. This means that any compensation balance cannot be converted to financial compensation or vice versa.