This summer, the University of Rochester is taking additional steps to standardize the day divide to 12 a.m. for employees. The day divide defines the start of a new work day. Currently, the University has three different day divides (7 p.m., 11 p.m., and 12 a.m.).
It’s important for hourly employees to be aware of this policy change. There will be minimal impact to hourly employees and no action required on their part. Many University colleagues have already adopted the 12 a.m. day divide with minimal disruptions.
Day Divide Change Overview:
- Impacted audience: all employees who are not currently on a 12 a.m. day divide.
- Important note: IUOE, SEIU union members are not affected.
- Roll out will happen in phases from July to October.
- Most employees (those not currently on a 12 a.m. day divide) will transition during the first two phases directly following the July 29 pay period and August 12 pay period.
- Transitioning to a 12 a.m. day divide will not impact time allocations, shift lengths and times, shift differentials, premium pay rates, or holiday pay rates.
Employee example (regular):
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- 7 p.m. – 7 a.m. shift from Saturday into Sunday.
- Currently with an 11 p.m. day divide, four hours are paid for Saturday and eight hours are paid for Sunday.
- Once the 12 a.m. day divide is in effect, five hours would be paid for Saturday and seven hours would be paid for Sunday.
Depending on the shift, the number of work hours eligible for the premium/holiday pay could impact hourly employees. Please see the examples below:
Employee holiday example #1:
-
- 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. shift beginning Tuesday (non-holiday) into Wednesday (holiday).
- Currently with an 11 p.m. day divide, employee receives eight (8) hours of holiday pay.
- Once the 12 a.m. day divide is in effect, employee will receive seven (7) hours of holiday pay.
Employee holiday example #2:
-
- 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. shift beginning Wednesday (holiday) into Thursday (non-holiday).
- Currently with an 11 p.m. day divide, employee receives zero (0) hours of holiday pay.
- Once the 12 a.m. day divide is in effect, employee will receive one (1) hour of holiday pay.
- View the 12 a.m. day divide one-pager for more information or reach out to your leader/manager for questions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Why did the University of Rochester decide to shift the day divide to 12 a.m.?
The University of Rochester is standardizing all day divides to 12 a.m. (midnight) to better align employee work days with a traditional daily calendar. This will reduce any confusion when employees transfer between departments or divisions currently on different day divides.
What is the biggest difference hourly employees will experience with a 12 a.m. day divide?
The University believes transitioning to a 12 a.m. day divide will not have a major impact on hourly employees. Hourly employees may notice a slight difference on payroll weeks when working an overnight shift on a Saturday into a Sunday as some hours will shift to day 2. (See example in 12 a.m. day divide one-pager.)
Will the day divide change impact employee shifts?
No, the transition to a 12 a.m. day divide will not impact how shifts are scheduled, shift lengths or times, shift differentials, premium pay rates, or holiday pay rates, etc.
Will the transition to a 12 a.m. day divide effect overtime?
Once an employee transitions to the 12 a.m. day divide, the start and end of the work day begins at 12 a.m. and ends at 11:59 p.m. Hourly employees may notice a slight difference on overtime premium pay when working an overnight shift on a Saturday into a Sunday.
Employee Example (overtime premium pay):
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- 7 p.m. – 7 a.m. shift from Saturday into Sunday.
- Employee has worked 40 hours by end of shift Saturday that finished at 7 a.m. Next shift begins Saturday at 7 p.m.
- Currently, with an 11 p.m. day divide, four hours of overtime premium are paid for Saturday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and eight hours of regular pay are paid for Sunday.
- Once the 12 a.m. day divide is in effect, five hours of overtime premium will be paid for Saturday from 7 p.m. to 12 p.m. and seven hours of regular pay would be paid for Sunday.
Will the transition to a 12 a.m. day divide affect holidays?
Once an employee transitions to the 12 a.m. day divide, the start and end of a holiday will align with the start and end of their defined working day (begin at 12 a.m. and end at 11:59 p.m.).
Depending on the shift, the number of work hours eligible for the premium/holiday pay could impact hourly employees. Please see examples below:
Employee holiday example #1 :
-
- 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. shift beginning Tuesday (non-holiday) into Wednesday (holiday).
- Currently with an 11 p.m. day divide, employee receives eight (8) hours of holiday pay.
- Once the 12 a.m. day divide is in effect, employee will receive seven (7) hours of holiday pay.
Employee holiday example #2:
-
- 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. shift beginning Wednesday (holiday) into Thursday (non-holiday).
- Currently with an 11 p.m. day divide, employee receives zero (0) hours of holiday pay.
- Once the 12 a.m. day divide is in effect, employee will receive one (1) hour of holiday pay.
How can employees determine if they are on a 12 a.m. day divide?
Employees can view their day divide in HRMS. Click on the Time Entry section and then find the day divide under Workgroup.
Most employees (those not currently on a 12 a.m. day divide) will transition during the first two phases directly following the July 29 pay period and August 12 pay period. Employees are encouraged to check in HRMS after those pay periods to determine if their day divide is now 12 a.m.