3142                                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                       [Ch. 701

50.

(A)        FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING
TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING INDICATED MEANINGS:

(1) "EXECUTIVE AGENCY" MEANS AN EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF STATE
GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING ALL OFFICES THEREOF DIRECTLY
RESPONSIBLE TO THE GOVERNOR.

(2)      "FLEXIBLE HOURS EMPLOYMENT" MEANS
PERMANENT PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT, AS FOR EXAMPLE, FOUR
HOURS PER WORK DAY OR, [[ONE,]] TWO, THREE OR FOUR DAYS
PER WORKWEEK, AND INCLUDES SUCH OTHER ARRANGEMENTS AS THE
SECRETARY ESTABLISHES CONSISTENT WITH THE POLICY SET
FORTH IN PARAGRAPH (1) OF SUBSECTION (B).

(3)   "WORKWEEK" MEANS A MINIMUM OF 15 HOURS OF
WORK PER WEEK.

[[(3)]] (4) "SECRETARY" MEANS THE SECRETARY
OF PERSONNEL.

(B)     (1) IT IS THE POLICY OF THE STATE THAT,
UNLESS ADJUDGED [[IMPOSSIBLE]] BY THE SECRETARY TO BE IN
CONFLICT WITH EFFICIENT PERFORMANCE BY THE STATE
PERSONNEL FORCE. AT LEAST [[TWO]] ONE PERCENT OF THE
POSITIONS AT EACH AND ALL LEVELS IN ALL EXECUTIVE
AGENCIES SHALL BE AVAILABLE ON A FLEXIBLE HOURS
EMPLOYMENT BASIS FOR PERSONS WHO CANNOT WORK OR DO NOT
DESIRE TO WORK FULL TIME [[WITHIN ONE YEAR AFTER THE
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ACT]] THE FIRST INCREMENT OF
FLEXIBLE HOURS EMPLOYMENT POSITIONS UNDER THIS SECTION
SHALL BE IMPLEMENTED NOT LATER THAN JULY 1, 1976. FOR
EACH YEAR THEREAFTER, AN ADDITIONAL [[TWO]] ONE PERCENT
OF ALL POSITIONS TO WHICH THIS SECTION APPLIES SHALL BE
AVAILABLE ON A FLEXIBLE HOURS EMPLOYMENT BASIS. THE
AGGREGATE OF ALL POSITIONS THUS DESIGNATED SHALL NOT
EXCEED [[10]] FIVE PERCENT.

(2) UPON THE REQUEST OF A STATE AGENCY, THE
SECRETARY MAY WAIVE THE PERCENTAGE MINIMUM APPLICABLE TO
ANY YEAR REFERRED TO ABOVE, IF THE SECRETARY FINDS THAT
COMPLIANCE WITH A PERCENTAGE MINIMUM FLEXIBLE HOURS
EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENT FOR ANY YEAR WOULD IT BE
SUBSTANTIALLY DISRUPTIVE OF]] MATERIALLY IMPAIR THE
ABILITY OF THE AGENCY TO PERFORM ITS MISSION. OR WOULD
CAUSE THE AGENCY'S EFFICIENCY TO BE SEVERELY IMPAIRED. OR
IF THE AGENCY IS UNDERGOING A SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN
FORCE.

(C)    EACH EXECUTIVE AGENCY SHALL ADOPT AND MAINTAIN
PROCEDURES, CONTINUOUSLY CONDUCT ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS,
AND UNDERTAKE SUCH OTHER EFFORTS AS MAY BE APPROPRIATE TO