Terms and Conditions of Employment of Staff (VI.F.5)

Volume VI: Human Resources
Chapter B: Terms and Conditions of Employment
Responsible Executive: President
Responsible Office: Office of the Vice President for Human Resources
Date Issued: September 26, 2008
Date Last Revised: September 1, 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contacts
Statement of Policy
Reason for This Policy
Individuals and Entities Affected by This Policy
Exclusions
Responsibilities
Definitions (defined terms are capitalized throughout the document)
Related Documents, Forms and Tools
Website Address for This Policy
History and Updates
Appendix

CONTACTS

STATEMENT OF POLICY

All staff members of the University are responsible for complying with all policies and procedures that relate to their employment and to their use of/access to University facilities and resources, both those now in effect and those adopted from time to time by the University and/or the Board of Trustees. The provisions of this policy apply to the following types of staff appointments:

• Executive
• Management
• Professional
• Operations/Technical (closed group)
• Administrative and Operational Support
• Police, Fire and Skilled Trades

Employment Period

Staff members covered by this policy serve the University at-will. Either the staff member or the University may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice, and with or without cause. The employment period and termination conditions for staff members hired by the University with a written employment contract are subject to the terms of that contract.

Staff members covered by this policy may be employed on a fiscal-year or academic-year basis. The employment period for fiscal-year positions begins and ends with the actual dates of employment. The policy on Academic-Year Employment (VI.F.12), as amended or superseded, outlines the employment period for academic-year appointments.

New Hires

Departments are required to follow the recruitment and hiring manual for their campus (see Related Documents, Forms and Tools section) when posting vacant positions, recruiting and selecting candidates. This includes providing a written offer letter of employment, even for positions that are not subject to a contract. Departments must consult with Human Resources regarding implementation of variations from the recruitment manual. Human Resources must be involved to ensure that all screening tools are equitable and comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Staff Benefits

The University offers Benefits-Eligible employees the following benefits:

1. Insurance: Health, vision, dental, short-term and/or long-term disability, term life, and accidental death/dismemberment as approved by the Board of Trustees. Additional types of voluntary insurance plans may be offered as determined by Human Resources.
2. Retirement: defined contribution and/or mandatory plans as approved by the Board of Trustees.
3. Leaves: Paid and unpaid leaves of absence as outlined in the following policies:
   1. Leaves of Absence (VI.E.2)
   2. Paid Parental Leave (VI.E.3)
4. Paid holidays as approved by the Board of Trustees and the President, and in accordance with University pay practices.
5. Tuition remission as outlined in the policy on Tuition for Employees and Dependents Registered as Students (II.D.3).

Salary and Wages

All employees are paid within the minimum and maximum levels assigned to their staff appointment. In general, all Executive, Management and Professional positions are exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). All Operations/Technical positions; Administrative and Operational Support positions; and Police, Fire and Skilled Trades positions are subject to the overtime provisions of the FLSA with few exceptions, as determined by Human Resources. Refer to the policy on Wage Administration for Nonexempt Employees (VI.C.2), as amended or superseded, for information on how hourly wages are administered for positions that are subject to the FLSA overtime provisions.

Annual merit increases approved by the department or unit head in accordance with direction from the Board of Trustees and President are effective with the first pay period that starts on or after July 1.

If there is any legislative reduction in state or federal appropriations or other funding from which staff salaries are paid, the University may reduce such salaries and wages accordingly.

In all other cases, department heads/supervisors must consult with Human Resources when considering wage adjustments that are not part of the annual budget process. Reductions in the amount of salary or wages paid to a staff member will only be approved by the Vice President for Human Resources (West Lafayette campus) or vice chancellor with oversight for Human Resources (Fort Wayne and Northwest campuses), or their designees, under the conditions listed below, and may only occur at the time of the qualifying event.

1. The FTE worked by the employee is reduced, voluntarily or involuntarily;
2. A source that funds at least a portion of the employee’s salary reduces its funding; or
3. There is a significant change or reduction in responsibilities, as determined by Human Resources through a position classification review, that may result in a position reclassification.

Executive/Management/Professional Appointments Held by Faculty

Faculty members may be appointed to an Executive, Management or Professional staff position while maintaining their faculty member appointment. Examples of this include the head of a department or dean of a college. Staff appointments of tenured and non-tenured faculty members are made and continue in existence solely at the option of the University and may be terminated by the faculty member or the University at any time with or without notice or cause. The termination of a staff appointment does not thereby terminate or otherwise affect the status of a faculty appointment, which is subject to the faculty employment contract and the terms and conditions of the faculty appointment.

Suspension

An individual may be suspended from employment, with or without pay, at the discretion of the University as a means of disciplinary action or to allow for investigation of an allegation of misconduct. In all cases, the employing department must consult with Human Resources before suspending an employee and must provide written notice to the employee of the duration and conditions of the suspension. Employees who are put on an unpaid suspension will not accrue any leave time during the stated suspension period and may be responsible for payment of their portion of insurance premiums if the amounts are not able to be deducted through payroll.

When suspension is the only action taken and the employee returns to work on the specified date, they maintain the same position and rate of pay as they had prior to being suspended. An employee who chooses not to return to work at the end of the suspension or who fails to give proper notification to their supervisor in the event they are unable to report on the specified date will be terminated from employment with the University.

Termination of Employment

Staff members who wish to resign their employment with the University are asked to provide a letter of resignation and are encouraged to give a reasonable notice (e.g., two weeks). In all cases, the staff member and the supervisor should have a discussion to determine the employee’s actual separation date.

Department heads/supervisors must consult with Human Resources before terminating a staff member’s employment. Action leading to the termination of employment should be clear to both the department head/supervisor and the employee. Department heads/supervisors are responsible for informing employees of any dissatisfaction with work performance, conduct, etc., so the employee has an opportunity to improve before discharge action is taken. When the University initiates termination of a staff member’s employment, the provisions of the policy on Separation Pay (VI.F.1) apply.

Staff members with fiscal-year appointments whose employment with the University is terminated, whether by the employee or by the University, will receive payment for accrued, unused vacation leave. For information on payment of holidays to nonexempt staff terminating their employment, see the policy on Wage Administration for Nonexempt Employees (VI.C.2), as amended or superseded.

The University reserves the right to set conditions on or prohibit the rehiring of an individual or the contracting for services with an individual after their employment with the University terminates. Conditions and prohibitions are based on the circumstances of the employee’s separation and the type of position for which the individual applies or services the individual would provide.

Deviations from the Policy

No officer or employee of Purdue University is authorized to waive or modify any of the provisions of this policy except with prior approval by the President.

REASON FOR THIS POLICY

This policy outlines the expectations and provisions for staff employed in Executive; Management; Professional; Operations/Technical; Administrative and Operational Support; and Police, Fire and Skilled Trades positions.

INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES AFFECTED BY THIS POLICY

All campuses, colleges, schools, departments and units. Employees of the University appointed to one of the following types of positions:

• Executive
• Management
• Professional
• Operations/Technical (closed group)
• Administrative and Operational Support
• Police, Fire and Skilled Trades

EXCLUSIONS

This policy does not apply to the following:

• Faculty, including visiting faculty
• Lecturers
• Undergraduate and graduate staff
• Postdoctoral researchers, graduate student staff, clinical interns and clinical residents
• Temporary employees
• Individuals not paid through the University’s payroll

RESPONSIBILITIES

Staff Members

• Comply with all University policies and procedures applicable to their employment and to their use of University facilities and resources.
• Adhere to the terms of their employment as outlined in this policy and in any written offer of employment/contract, if one was executed.
• Provide appropriate notice of resignation.
• Return all University property upon separation from the University.

Employing Departments

• Follow procedures for filling open positions as outlined in their campus recruitment and hiring manual (see Related Documents, Forms and Tools section).
• Consult with Human Resources when considering salary adjustments that are not part of the annual budget process.
• Consult with Human Resources prior to terminating an employee.
• Complete all required forms for an employee’s separation from the University; request all University property from the employee; and ensure the employee’s access to University facilities, resources and information is revoked upon separation from the University.

Vice President for Human Resources

• Administer this policy.
• Review for determination proposals to reduce an employee’s salary outside the normal budget process.
• Document any delegation of authority under this policy.

Vice Chancellors over Human Resources (Fort Wayne and Northwest)

• Review for determination proposals to reduce an employee’s salary outside the normal budget process.
• Document any delegation of authority under this policy.

Human Resources

• Classify all staff positions based on the responsibilities and requirements of the position.
• Advise departments on salary adjustments and employee terminations to ensure adherence to applicable laws, regulations and University policies.

DEFINITIONS

All defined terms are capitalized throughout the document. Additional defined terms may be found in the central Policy Glossary.

Administrative and Operational Support
Individual contributors who provide organizational related support or service (administrative or clerical) or who operate in a hands-on environment in support of daily operations (e.g., trades or service roles). The majority of time is spent in the delivery of support services or activities, typically under supervision.

Benefits-Eligible
A staff member employed half-time or more on a continuous basis in a position that is expected to continue for more than one year.

Executive
Leaders who provide strategic vision and/or tactical/strategic direction across multiple job families or job sub-families. The majority of time is spent overseeing their area of responsibility and directing the work of employees. Goal achievement is typically accomplished through the performance of direct and/or indirect reports.

FTE
The full-time equivalent of an employee’s appointment, with one (1) being full time.

Management
Management and supervisory professionals who are focused on tactical, operational and/or strategic activities within a specified area. Levels within the management classification typically have three or more direct reports. The majority of time is spent overseeing their area of responsibility, planning, prioritizing and/or directing the responsibilities of employees. Goal achievement is typically accomplished through performance of direct and/or indirect reports.

Operations/Technical
Individuals in these appointments work under limited supervision and may provide assistance and training to other lower level employees. They may have some duties and responsibilities that are considered exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), but do not otherwise meet the requirements of the FLSA. Operations/Technical is a closed group, and no new positions will be classified as such.

Police, Fire and Skilled Trades
Individual contributors who focus on protecting University employees, students, the general public and University property or who are focused on technical or operational tasks to support ongoing business operations. This classification includes skilled technicians in a hands-on environment that is often highly specialized (e.g., trades). The majority of time is spent in the delivery of services under supervision. Jobs typically require advanced training, specialized external certification or completed technical school education.

Professional
Individual contributors with responsibility in a professional or technical discipline or specialty. They may manage two or fewer direct reports or manage processes and programs. The majority of time is spent overseeing the design, implementation or delivery of processes, programs and policies using specialized knowledge and skills normally acquired through advanced education (typically University).

RELATED DOCUMENTS, FORMS AND TOOLS

Procedures/campus recruitment and hiring manuals:

• Fort Wayne: Staff Recruitment and Selection
• Northwest: Hiring Supervisor Toolkit
• West Lafayette: Staff Recruitment and Selection Procedures Manual

Policies and standards:

• Academic-Year Employment (VI.F.12)
• Leaves of Absence (VI.E.2)
• Paid Parental Leave (VI.E.3)
• Separation Pay (VI.F.1)
• Tuition for Employees and Dependents Registered as Students (II.D.3)
• Wage Administration for Nonexempt Employees (VI.C.2)

Refer to the standard on Temporary Employment (S-12) for information on the appropriate use of temporary appointments versus limited duration appointments and for instances where an employee is prohibited from holding both a staff appointment and a temporary appointment.

WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR THIS POLICY

www.purdue.edu/policies/human-resources/vif5.html

HISTORY AND UPDATES

September 1, 2020: Sentence about minimum and maximum levels added to section on salary and wages.

January 1, 2019: Title of policy changed from Terms and Conditions of Administrative and Professional Staff Employment. This policy supersedes the policies on Classification of Exempt and Non-Exempt Administrative and Professional Employees (VI.B.1), Classification Definitions and Policies Regarding Clerical and Service Staff Members (VPBS 66), Suspension Policy for Clerical and Service Staff (VPBS 141) and Termination of Employment of Members of Clerical and Service Staff (VPBS 142). The policy was updated throughout; notable changes include new definitions for appointment types and a new section on Suspension.

APPENDIX

There are no appendices to this policy.