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Staff Handbook
Employment Status for Staff Positions
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Staff Handbook Contents:
-Welcome to the University of Pittsburgh
-Introduction
-Nondiscrimination Policy
-At Will Employment
-Employment Status for Staff Positions
-Wage and Salary Administration
-Paid and Unpaid Time Off From Work
-Benefits Programs
-Retirement From the University of Pittsburgh
-Employee Relations Procedures and Guidelines
-General Policies and Guidelines
-Employee Services
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Employment Status For Staff Positions:
Employment Status For Staff Positions
Employment status describes the types of staff employment at the University. Each staff position is described by one of the following:
- exempt or nonexempt employment status
- full-time or part-time employment status
- less than 12-month appointment
- nine-month and 10-month full-time status
- regular or temporary employment status
It is very important that you know your employment status since it affects
eligibility for certain benefit plans and other programs. If you are unsure of
your status, you should check with your departmental administrator or contact
the Office of Human Resources. Employment status can also be affected by hire
date, provisional period of employment, transfer or reassignment, separation
from employment, termination date, and rehire date, if applicable.
Exempt or Nonexempt Employment Status
You are classified as either exempt or nonexempt based on guidelines
established by federal law. The Office of Human Resources is responsible for
classifying positions using these guidelines.
Exempt—Exempt employment status includes most of those working as
executives, administrators, managers, professional staff, technical staff,
sales representatives, officers, directors, and others whose duties and
responsibilities allow them to be classified as being exempt from overtime pay
provisions as provided by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and any
applicable state laws. If you are an exempt staff member, you are excluded from
the compensatory and overtime pay provisions of the FLSA and may be required to
work beyond your normal workweek without compensatory time off or additional
payment.
Nonexempt—According to the FLSA, if you are a nonexempt staff member, you
must be paid in the next appropriate payroll cycle at the rate of
one-and-one-half times your regular hourly rate for all hours worked beyond 40
hours in a given workweek. All overtime work for nonexempt staff members must
be approved in advance by your supervisor. Compensatory time, as opposed to
pay, is only acceptable for those hours between 371/2 and 40.
Full-Time or Part-Time Employment Status
Full-time or part-time employment status is determined by the total number of
hours you are assigned to work during the workweek.
Full-time—Full-time staff members are scheduled to work 371/2 hours per
workweek, including time granted for holidays, recess days, vacation days,
personal days, sick time, and earned compensatory time taken.
Part-time—Part-time staff members are scheduled to work less than 37 1/2
hours per work week, except when assigned by the department to work additional hours.
Less Than 12-Month Appointment
Except as otherwise stated herein, all personnel policies and procedures issued
by the University are applicable to less than 12-month staff appointments. In
an effort to provide greater utilization of staff members consistent with the
operational requirements of the individual units of the University, staff
appointments of eight, nine, and 10 months are available as an alternative to
regular 12-month employment. Heads of responsibility centers will designate
those positions of less than 12 months at the time a recruitment request is
processed. Staff members appointed to these positions will be regular full-time
or regular part-time, consistent with the length of their appointment and
percent of effort. Any appointment of less than eight months would result in
temporary full-time or temporary part-time status and would require a review by
the Client Services Section of the Office of Human Resources.
Nine-Month and 10-Month Full-Time Status
Nine-month and 10-month full-time regular staff positions include a two- or
three-month period of non-employment at any time during July 1 through June 30.
These positions include modified benefits eligibility and conditions of
employment. Except as otherwise stated, all University policies and procedures
apply to nine-month and 10-month full-time staff status. For further
information, see Policy 07-03-04.
Regular Employment Status
Regular staff positions are those positions that are essential for the effective
long-term operation of the department. Regular part-time and regular full-time staff members are
required to work a predetermined schedule of hours and days. After you satisfactorily complete the
provisional period of employment associated with an initial appointment to a regular position, you
are entitled to the privileges and benefits associated with regular status employment. After completing
twice the length of the provisional period of employment, you are eligible to apply for a transfer to
another University position in another department. However, promotions or transfers within the same
department may occur at any time.
Temporary Employment Status
Temporary staff positions are those positions that are limited in duration and/or sporadic in nature.
These positions are generally for a specific project; for temporary replacement of an absent regular
staff member, including illness, leave of absence or vacancy; and for short-term needs during seasonal
and/or peak workloads.
Temporary staff employees are not eligible for vacation days, personal days, sick days or other leaves;
are not eligible for holiday pay if required to work on a University designated holiday; are not eligible
to use the Formal Complaint Procedure; and are not covered by benefit insurances, other benefit programs and
services, and the University’s Retirement Program.
Temporary staff are covered by Social Security and other statutory programs. Temporary staff are eligible to
make an unmatched, tax-deferred contribution to TIAA-CREF and/or The Vanguard Group up to the extent permitted
by the IRS regulations.
Temporary positions may be either full- or part-time. The following outlines the two categories of temporary
employees at the University of Pittsburgh:
Oakland Campus Temporary Assignments
Alternative Temporary Staffing (ALL•TEMPS) is a service provided by the Office of Human Resources exclusively for
use by University departments and schools at the Oakland campus. ALL•TEMPS provides temporary,
non-faculty staff – professional, clerical and custodial - to fill short-term or sporadic staffing needs.
ALL•TEMPS employees are not guaranteed regular employment status; however, they may apply for any regular positions
available at the University of Pittsburgh.
For more information please call ALL•TEMPS at 412-624-8041.
Regional Campus Temporary Assignments
Regional Campus temporary employees are recruited and administered through each respective Regional Office of
Human Resources. Regional Campus temporary assignments are determined by the nature of the assignment and
expected duration. Positions that have a predetermined full-time or part-time schedule and are continuous
in nature are generally short-term assignments, i.e., no longer than six months. Departments may submit legitimate
requests for an assignment that they anticipate to be longer than six months as long as the appropriate
justification is provided.
Regional Campus temporary staff are not guaranteed regular employment status; however, they may apply for any
regular positions available at the University of Pittsburgh.
ALL•TEMPS
The Alternative Temporary Staffing Division (ALL•TEMPS) is a service provided by
the Office of Human Resources exclusively for use by University departments and
schools. The purpose of ALL•TEMPS is to provide personnel, both professional
and clerical, to fill the short-term needs of departments and schools.
ALL•TEMPS also provides backup when regular staff members are on vacation or
leave, and extra assistance during peak workload periods or for special
projects. All temporary assignments must be coordinated through the Office of
Human Resources. For more information please call ALL•TEMPS at 412-624-8041.
Hire Date
For regular full-time and regular part-time staff members, the official
University hire date corresponds to the first working day at the University in
a regular staff position. This date, used to calculate your length of service
at the University, determines your eligibility for participation in certain
benefit programs. If you transfer or are promoted, you retain your initial hire
date, but must serve a new provisional period for each subsequent position
held. A new hire date will be assigned when you have a change in status from
student to staff, temporary staff to regular staff, and UPMC staff to
University of Pittsburgh staff status. The University follows the guidelines
established by the Office of Veterans’ Re-employment Rights concerning
returning service veterans and the retention of the initial official University
hire date.
Provisional Period of Employment
When you are hired, transfer to a different position, or are promoted, you are
subject to a provisional period of employment. The Office of Human Resources
may consider a waiver of the provisional period in instances of transfer within
the same department, where the functions of the positions are similar in scope.
If you have been involuntarily reassigned, you may be subject to a new
provisional period. For both regular full-time and regular part-time staff
members, the provisional period normally lasts three calendar months for
secretarial, clerical, or technical positions, and six calendar months for
professional positions.
The provisional period gives you time to learn and adjust to your new position
and allows the departmental administrator time to evaluate your suitability for
the position. This is accomplished by conducting a performance appraisal at the
midpoint of the provisional period. If additional time is necessary to make an
assessment of performance, the supervisor may request an extension of the
provisional period. This request must be submitted to the Office of Human
Resources prior to the conclusion of the provisional period. If the
departmental administrator determines that you are not suited for the position,
you may be dismissed any time during the provisional period, subject to a
review of all relevant circumstances by the Office of Human Resources. If you
are dismissed during your initial provisional period, including any extension
of it, you will not be eligible to use the Informal or Formal Complaint
Procedure. The University does not permit the waiver of the initial provisional
period for any reason.
New and transferred or promoted staff members accrue vacation leave, sick time,
and personal holidays during the provisional period. However, any time off must
be approved by the departmental administrator.
Transfer
The University will attempt to satisfy the personal and professional interests
of staff members who request job transfers, consistent with the University’s
needs. For the University to be successful in achieving its mission, it needs a
reasonably stable work force. You cannot seek another University position in
another department until you complete a period of employment in a new position
that is twice the length of the provisional period for this position.
The Office of Human Resources will consider an exception to the “twice the
provisional period” requirement if the provisional employee submits a written
request to Human Resources showing a case of extenuating circumstances, which
has been agreed upon and signed off by the current department management.
Furthermore, if you voluntarily resign from the University of Pittsburgh prior
to the “twice the provisional period” requirement, you will not be offered
another position at the University until after the date that you would have
been eligible to transfer had you remained in your prior position.
If you are transferring to another position, it is your responsibility to give
written notice of your acceptance of the job offer to your current departmental
administrator. Clerical, secretarial, and technical staff members should give
written notice at least 10 working days prior to the last day of work in the
current department, and professional staff members should give at least 20
working days’ notice. It is the responsibility of the departmental
administrator to send your departmental personnel file, including your updated summarized
Staff Time Record form to your new
department. Upon transferring to a different position at the University, you
are subject to a new provisional period. However, you remain eligible to use
the education benefits and the complaint procedure during this period, and all
accumulated benefits continue to accrue without interruption.
Before an offer of employment for a transfer can be made, it is necessary to have a reference
from a supervisor – preferably your immediate supervisor - in your current University department who is
reasonably familiar with your work performance.
Reassignment
There may be occasions when an administrative assessment must be made of the
overall strengths and contributions of individuals in a given department. In
cases where you may better serve the organizational objectives or requirements
in another capacity, you may be reassigned, voluntarily or involuntarily, to
new or different duties within the department or the University. Because a
reassignment may affect classification and compensation policies, such
transfers must have the prior written approval of the Office of Human
Resources. You will be expected to meet the standards for the new or different
position, and may be subject to a provisional period associated with the
reassignment.
Reemployment After Separation From the University
This Policy shall apply to the following, and only the following, former University of Pittsburgh regular (full and part-time) staff employees (hereinafter
“Covered Employees”): (1) those who have been separated involuntarily from the University due to position elimination; and (2) those who have
been separated involuntarily from the University due to inability to return to work while on approved disability leave. Covered Employees will
be eligible to return to University employment without loss of credit for prior years of active service solely for purposes of the following:
vacation accrual rate; Defined Contribution Retirement Plan vesting; disability benefits eligibility; and, FMLA eligibility. Covered Employees
shall be eligible to retain this service credit for a period up to and not to exceed 180 calendar days (including weekends and holidays) after:
(1) the effective date of their employment termination from the University (in cases of position elimination); or (2) the date upon which they have
been medically released to return to work (in cases of separation due to inability to return to work while on approved disability leave).
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Former employees who do not meet the definition of Covered Employees shall not be eligible for any credit for prior years of service
should they become reemployed by the University.
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Sick Days, eligibility for Pre-September 1994 Tuition Reimbursement and Pre-July 2004 Retiree Medical Benefits will not be carried
forward regardless of whether an employee is an eligible Covered Employee as described above.
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Any benefits not expressly addressed in this Policy shall be in accordance with those provided to newly hired employees.
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Process: A request to reinstate vacation accruals, Defined Contribution Retirement Plan vesting, disability and FMLA eligibility must be
processed by the University of Pittsburgh’s Benefits Office in writing within 30 days of new full-time employment at the University.
The benefits of this Reemployment Policy will only be recognized with a written Authorization from the University’s Benefits Office.
Separation—Voluntary
If you are planning to voluntarily separate from the University, submit a
written notice to your immediate supervisor. Clerical, secretarial, and
technical staff members should give written notice at least 10 working days
prior to the last active working day, and professional staff should give at
least 20 working days’ notice. Include in the written notice: (1) reason for
separation, (2) date of last active working day, and (3) amount of any accrued
vacation and/or compensatory time. Complete a Separation Report with the
departmental administrator. This report facilitates the return of University
property, aids in the compilation of management information, and assists in the
proper response to unemployment compensation claims and other post-employment
inquiries. Failure to comply with these procedures may result in the loss of
certain benefits and eligibility for re-employment.
Separation—Involuntary
You are considered to be discharged or involuntarily separated if your position
is eliminated because of any of the following:
- lack of funding
- departmental reorganization
- changes in the department’s objectives or requirements
- disciplinary reasons or misconduct
- unsatisfactory performance
- any other reason permitted by law
If a department or school believes that an involuntary separation is necessary,
the departmental administrator must immediately contact the Office of Human
Resources prior to formally notifying the staff member. After receiving
notification of a discharge or layoff, the staff member may contact the Office
of Human Resources to discuss employment alternatives. Depending on skills,
experience, the requirements of the University, and the reasons for the
involuntary separation, the Office of Human Resources may provide reasonable
assistance in helping the staff member find another job within the University.
All staff members involuntarily separated may apply for Unemployment
Compensation by contacting the Pennsylvania Office of Employment Security.
Termination Date
The official termination date is your last active working day. The last active
working day and the last day for which you are paid may not necessarily be the
same. This situation occurs when you terminate on the last working day of the
month, but the month ends on a weekend. Unused vacation days and/or unpaid
compensatory time are not used to extend employment dates. When the two dates
are not the same, the last active working day is the date used for calculating
the cancellation date of benefits.
Your final paycheck will include payment for unused earned vacation days and
unpaid compensatory time, but will not include payment for unused personal
holidays. If you terminate before a holiday, you do not get paid for that
holiday. In the event of termination, your final pay may include payment for
unused sick days if certain age and service criteria are fulfilled (see Payment
of Accrued but Unused Sick Time). In addition, deductions may be taken
from your final paycheck to clear any debts owed the University.
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