FLEXTIME IS A SYSTEM WHEREBY EMPLOYEES CAN VARY THEIR TIMES OF ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE FROM WORK AND THE TOTAL TIME THEY WORK IN A GIVEN DAY. INTRODUCED IN WESTERN EUROPE IN THE 1960'S, THE PRACTICE WAS AUTHORIZED FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES IN AMERICA BY PUBLIC LAW 95-390 IN 1978. VARIATIONS OF FLEXTIME INCLUDE STAGGERED STARTING TIMES FOR DIFFERENT GROUPS, OR INDIVIDUALS, RETAINING THE STANDARD 8-HOUR DAY, AND FLEXIBLE STARTING AND DEPARTURE TIMES IN COMBINATION WITH FLEXIBILITY OF TOTAL HOURS WORKED PER DAY. BASED ON THE EXPERIENCES OF THE CLERK'S OFFICE OF THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, PROS OF FLEXTIME CAN BE CATEGORIZED AS REDUCED TARDINESS, REDUCED SHORT-TERM LEAVES, INCREASED EMPLOYEE MORALE, AND IMPLEMENTATION AT LITTLE COST. THE CONS INCLUDE MORE INVOLVED SCHEDULING AND TIME-KEEPING, AND THE NEED FOR SUPERVISORY COVERAGE. AN IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH SUGGESTS STARTING WITH A LITERATURE SEARCH ON FLEXTIME AND DISTRIBUTING THE MATERIAL AMONG EMPLOYEES. DISCUSSION MEETINGS AND EMPLOYEE QUESTIONNAIRES SHOULD FOLLOW. IMPLEMENTATION SHOULD BEGIN WITH THE OFFICE WHOSE EMPLOYEES SHOWED THE GREATEST POSITIVE RESPONSE, AND GRADUALLY EXPAND TO OTHER PERSONNEL GROUPS. A 1978 SURVEY INDICATES THAT FLEXTIME HAD A 92 PERCENT SUCCESS RATE IN 196 FIRMS INVESTIGATED. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (MRK)