Staff:  Did you know your contract says you can get an extra 15 minutes off at lunch or the beginning/end of the day if you participate in an exercise class?

B.P. CCE/AFT-11 HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT AND OVERTIME  (Page 16)

“Lunch Periods: When an employee has been scheduled to work six hours, the employee shall be entitled to an uninterrupted lunch period. The length of time for such lunch period shall be for a period of one (1) hour or one-half (1/2) hour and shall be scheduled for part- or full-time employees at or about mid-point of each work shift. Lunch periods shall be scheduled with input from employees. An employee’s lunch period may be extended up to a maximum of an additional fifteen (15) minutes if the employee actually participates in an exercise class during the scheduled lunch period. The employee shall submit written verification of actual participation in the exercise class to the employee’s immediate supervisor.

In lieu of any extension of an employee’s lunch period for actual participation in an exercise class, an employee may be granted paid release time up to maximum of an additional fifteen (15) minutes at the beginning or at the end of the workday if the employee actually participates in an exercise class during either time period. An employee must obtain prior written approval from the employee’s immediate supervisor. Actual participation in an exercise class must require the employee to be no more than fifteen (15) minutes late to work, or must require the employee to leave work no more than fifteen (15) minutes early.  The employee shall submit written verification of actual participation in the exercise class to the employee’s immediate supervisor. An employee may participate in only one exercise class per day that requires an extension of the lunch period, a late reporting to work or an early departure from work.”