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Work Life Integration

UC Merced promotes non-traditional methods of work to assist employees with integrating different components of their life in a way that not only fits the institution, but 1) fits individual employee needs and 2) provides them control over managing the boundaries of work and personal life.

Why Work/Life Integration Instead of Work/Life Balance?

We use the term Work Life Integration instead of Work Life Balance because the latter evokes a binary opposition between work and life. In fact, the traditional image of a scale associated with work-life balance creates a sense of competition between the two elements. Life Integration instead is an approach that creates more synergies between all areas that define "life": work, home/family, community, personal well-being, and health.

Technological tools have created new ways for us to collaborate and work virtually, bringing with them tailored alternatives for work schedule flexibility.

Alternate Work Schedules: A full-time work schedule that consists of 40 hours in one designated workweek, or 80 hours in two consecutive workweeks. On our campus, alternate work schedules consist of flextime and compressed workweeks.

Telecommuting: An arrangement that allows employees to work a combination of telecommute and onsite/Campus work.

Remote Work: An arrangement that allows an employee to perform work outside of the geographic area of the main campus/office.

Guidelines

Each Workplace Flexibility practice has its own set of guidelines and form. Select from the list above for specifics on each practice.

Eligibility

Non-represented PSS employees are eligible to request Workplace Flexibility. Represented employees may participate as allowed by their respective collective bargaining agreements. An employee initiates the request for Workplace Flexibility by submitting a proposal to her/his supervisor and/or unit/department head. See Alternate Work Schedule Considerations.