Kansas University employees on the south side of campus Monday were given the option of rearranging their schedules and leaving early to ease traffic and parking congestion for the men’s basketball game at Allen Fieldhouse.

The game between KU and the Missouri started at 6 p.m., which is at least an hour earlier than most weeknight home games start. An e-mail initiated by the KU Parking Department was sent to employees last week stating that if they had schedule flexibility and supervisor authorization they could leave early, said Todd Cohen, associate director of University Relations.

“It was merely a suggestion,” Cohen said.

There usually is some parking and traffic congestion in the area around the fieldhouse during most basketball games anyway, but it would be made worse if all employees were trying to leave work at the same time traffic was arriving for the game, Cohen said.

KU employees who left early were still supposed to work a full shift, Cohen said. They were to come in early, or make similar arrangements, he said.

“That doesn’t mean to trim your day,” Cohen said.

KU officials didn’t know late Monday how many employees actually left campus early.