Irregular Working Hours and Its Features

In today’s dynamic and highly competitive labour market, irregular working hours are becoming increasingly common, especially in information technology, creative industries, and startups. This concept covers a wide range of work formats, where task completion time and working hours can vary depending on the project’s needs or the employee’s personal preferences. An irregular schedule provides certain advantages, such as flexibility and the possibility of self-realization, but it also poses many challenges to employees related to work-life balance.

In this article, we will examine the features of an irregular working day and offer tips on how to organize workflow effectively in such conditions. We aim to understand which elements become key to successful work in an irregular schedule format and how to achieve harmony between professional and personal life.

What is an Irregular Working Day

An irregular working day is one of the conditions of an employment contract. It means that when an employee is hired to work on an irregular working day, it is necessarily prescribed in the employment contract. For employees with irregular working days, compensation in the form of additional calendar days of vacation is necessarily provided in the employment contract or agreement.

To understand an irregular working day, you must familiarize yourself with the concepts of normal and standardized working hours. 

Limited Working Hours

Limited working hours are the time during the working day when an employee must be at work and perform their work duties. This time is prescribed in an employment contract or an agreement concluded with an employee. For example, with a 5-day working week, an employee is assigned an 8-hour working day, with a reduction of one hour on weekends and holidays and a break for rest and meals during the working day. At the same time, the employer calculates the working time standards for the working day and the working week.

Working hours include overtime, weekend work, and public holidays.

Standard Working Hours

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus sets the working time standards for a calendar year every year. There are norms for a 5-day working week with two days off and for a 6-day working week with one day off. These standards are applied by all companies in which employees have a regular working day. It is also useful for employees with irregular working days to know about the norms. 

Irregular Working Hours

Irregular working hours can be set for individual employees. The essence of this mode of operation is that:

1. An employee may work outside the working hours set by the company. He notifies about this in words to the employer or his immediate supervisor.

2. An employee may be employed outside the standard working hours without consent. 

3. An employee performs work on an irregular working day, not daily, but sporadically, if necessary.

4. Work outside standard hours refers to the employee’s work functions.

It is important to understand that irregular working hours are not overtime and are not paid in double amounts.

How to Compensate for an Irregular Working Day

The employer must compensate the employee for working on an irregular working day with additional vacation for an irregular working day. It is the minimum compensation required by the Labor Code of Belarus. Additional vacation can be from 1 to 7 calendar days. Such leave is attached to the employee’s main work vacation .

The employer determines the additional vacation days and the conditions for obtaining this vacation. The state does not require any other compensation for the employee.

However, the company may establish other compensations for irregular working hours besides the minimum, such as an additional payment for processing or additional days off.

Who Does Not Have an Irregular Working Day

Irregular working hours do not apply to the following groups of employees:

1. Persons under the age of 18.

2. Disabled people of the first and second groups.

3. Employees who work part-time.

4. Those with part-time working hours, except those who work part-time week.

5. With employees who have cumulative accounting of working hours.

6. Employees with a piecework payment system.

These groups of employees are defined in the Labor Code of Belarus.

Features of an Irregular Working Day 

Working with irregular working hours has features that can lead to adverse consequences if they are abused:

• No criteria exist for how often an employee can work beyond the working day. This can lead to daily irregular work, professional burnout, and health problems for the employee. 
• The employer may require daily work outside of working hours, adversely affecting the working atmosphere and the employee’s life.
• Minimum compensation for irregular working hours may not consider the employee’s labour costs and may not contribute to his rest and recovery. For example, 1-2 days of additional vacation cannot compensate for almost daily work on an irregular working day.

What is Important for an Employee to Know About an Irregular Working Day

An employee of the company who works on an irregular working day must understand several main points:

1. Definition of Irregular Working Hours

It is a mode in which employees can work non-standard hours without strict scheduling. It may include overworking and weekend work.

2. How to Regulate and Compensate for an Irregular Day

Employees need to ask how the employer compensates for irregular working hours. Even if the compensation is minimal, we recommend that you consider the social package, salary and other working conditions in the company. 

We recommend that you get information about the number of additional vacation days for an irregular working day, the minimum compensation, the extended compensation package (if it is installed in the company), additional payment, and other conditions.

3. Remuneration of Labor

It is important to determine how irregular working hours are paid. The payment may remain average in the market. Some companies offer additional payments or monetary compensation for processing.

4. Documenting the Time

Employees should keep track of their hours of work so that they can reasonably claim surcharges or bonuses for overtime or take into account hours worked to calculate vacations.

5. Work-life Balance

Irregular working hours can make it difficult to maintain a work-life balance. Employees must find time for rest and personal affairs.

6. Communication with Management

Regular communication with the immediate supervisor can help to establish clear expectations regarding work in an irregular mode.

7. Psychological Health

Employees must monitor their condition and avoid burnout, as an irregular working day can be more stressful.

Understanding these aspects will help employees better manage their work lives and protect their rights.

What is Important for an Employer to Know who Attracts Employees to Work with Irregular Working Hours

When hiring employees who are assigned irregular working hours, it is important to consider several key points:

1. State Requirements

The employer must be aware of the legislation governing irregular working hours to not violate employees’ labour rights. In the employment contract, it is important to specify the condition of an irregular working day and the days of additional vacation for this mode of work.

An irregular working day means that an employee can be involved in work if necessary and sporadically rather than permanently.

2. Payment Procedure

It is necessary to determine how the work of employees with irregular working hours will be paid on a general basis or include surcharges for overtime.

3. Communication with Employees

Dissemination of information about expectations and tasks, as well as regular feedback from employees, will help prevent misunderstandings and increase motivation.

4. Health Care and Social Package

Since employees may experience stress irregularly, providing them with opportunities for rest, time, and workload management training is important.

5. Work-life Balance

Employers should encourage employees to maintain a work-life balance to reduce the risk of burnout and increase staff turnover.

6. Adaptation of Employees

Difficulties may arise when transferring employees from a regular working day to an irregular one. It is important to ensure effective adaptation and support of employees during the transition period.

7. Conditions for Working Remotely

It is worth considering introducing a hybrid work format, if possible, which will allow employees to manage their time more effectively.

Considering these factors will help the employer create a productive working atmosphere and retain qualified employees.

Conclusion

In conclusion, irregular working hours represent a specific form of labour relations that provides greater flexibility for employers and employees. The main features of this mode include the absence of strict work schedule limits, which allow employees to manage their time and adapt to business needs and personal circumstances. At the same time, an irregular working day is quite unpredictable, and an employee often cannot plan his employment, which can destroy plans for free time and lead to frustration.

It is important to remember that irregular working hours require a clear understanding of the rights and obligations of both parties. Proper regulation of working conditions, transparent payment policy, and organization of employee support contribute to creating a comfortable working atmosphere and increasing employee productivity. To achieve successful interaction between the employer and employees, open communication and willingness to compromise remain key aspects, which will ultimately lead to mutually beneficial results.