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<p>There are a range of policies which cover how working time operates in HMRC. These
policies also apply to homeworkers.</p><p> </p><ul><li>HR28000 Working Time Regulations
policy: applies to all employees, including contractual homeworkers, and includes:</li></ul><p>
</p><p>‘what counts as working time: work performed away from the normal place of
work, for example drafting a document at home.’</p><p> </p><ul><li>HR25005 Contractual
homeworking policy: includes the ‘how to make contractual homeworking work well’ toolkit
which states:</li></ul><p> </p><p>‘What does HMRC expect of homeworkers? …Basically
HMRC expects the same standards from homeworkers as all other employees. You'll still
be bound by Our Commitments and the HMRC values, and all the HR policies will still
apply to you. You'll be expected to agree your working hours with your manager as
normal…’</p><p> </p><p>‘Working hours: The same flexibility exists for contractual
homeworkers to ask for help to achieve a better work life balance, or deal with life
changing events. It's important to discuss and explore with your manager if you need
to consider more flexibility in when and how long you work for…’</p><p> </p><ul><li>HR25601
When we work policy: provides an overview of working time in HMRC and applies to all
employees, including contractual homeworkers. This includes these fundamental principles:</li></ul><p>
</p><p>‘HMRC ‘standard operating hours’ are 07:00 to 20:00 from Monday to Saturday.
Working time is time when you are undertaking the work required to deliver your role.
You will only be paid, or receive a flexi credit, for times when you are performing
the duties that are required to carry out your role. Working time is therefore any
period of time in which you are:</p><ol><li>working; and</li><li>carrying out your
duties; and</li><li>at HMRC’s disposal (that is, required to be in a specific place
and to be ready to work at a specified time for HMRC’s benefit); or</li><li>receiving
‘relevant training’ (agreed for the purposes of HMRC employment); or</li><li>any additional
period which is agreed in a relevant agreement to be working time (for example, undertaking
trade union duties).</li></ol><ul><li>HMRC sets the hours you are required to work
and how those hours are to be worked. This will be set out within contracts of employment
and/or as part of Directorate Working Arrangements. These may require you to work
shifts or variable or unsocial hours, including weekends and public and privilege
holidays.</li><li>Working Time Regulations mean you should normally work no more than
an average of 48 hours per week within each reference period of 17 weeks.</li><li>Break
times do not contribute toward working time and as such are not paid. There may be
local arrangements on the approach to breaks, which if relevant, will be set out as
part of any applicable Directorate Working Arrangements.</li><li>Most of us will carry
out the duties required of our roles within Standard Operating Hours, but some roles
may require you, either on a temporary or permanent basis, to work outside of these
times. Where this is the case, HMRC will be clear about the requirement and the agreed
arrangements. HMRC expects you to apply the same consideration offered on flexibility
to reasonable management requests.’</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>HR25200 Balancing home
and office working: this policy applies to all employees, including contractual homeworkers,
and includes these relevant statements:</li></ul><p> </p><p>‘As part of your usual
performance development conversation, you and your manager should discuss your homeworking
arrangements to make sure they are working for you, to address any concerns that may
arise and to ensure the arrangements are meeting the needs of our customers, those
of the wider team and your personal needs.’ And ‘You should agree with your manager
any times you will not be available, or if something occurs which means you cannot
work, whilst working at home (as you would when in an office). If you are unwell on
a working from home day you should take the time off if you are unfit for work. You
should follow the Supporting your attendance policy in the usual way.’</p><p> </p><ul><li>HR35001
Working your hours flexibly in HMRC: Flexible working hours (flexi) approach: applies
to all employees, including contractual homeworkers, and describes how the flexible
working hours scheme works. It includes this statement:</li></ul><p> </p><p>‘Working
Hours: In general, colleagues will work in line with their contracted daily and weekly
hours and in line with any Directorate Working Arrangements. You are not expected
to work longer than a 10-hour day, excluding breaks. However, there may be occasions
when a longer day is required, for instance if you are travelling to a location other
than your usual place of work.’</p>
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