Miscellaneous HR Notes
ACADEMIC
TERMINATIONS:
Before processing a termination or leave form for any academic employee,
always check with the college research office for advice about the dates
to use in the form and/or the form notepad with respect to the possibility
of pay from grants and contracts. Also, be aware of the impact on students
and others supported by the faculty member's funds.
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ACADEMIC
VS STAFF POSITIONS:
The basic difference
between academic and staff positions is that academic positions conduct
independent or collaborative research, while staff members support research
plans developed by others. Academic job titles are defined in HR-21. Staff
job titles can be found at http://www.ohr.psu.edu/jobdes/start.cfm
Appointment to academic
positions are limited to individuals with a master's degree or higher
(or equivalent knowledge in the area of the appointment). Academic appointees
do not earn vacation or sick leave, are uniformly exempt positions, and
conditions of appointment are guided by policy HR-23. Staff members earn
vacation and sick leave, may be exempt or nonexempt, and conditions of
employment are guided by policy HR-34.
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ADVERTISING:
All advertising of position vacancies, of any kind, must be cleared in
advance of placement with the Employment & Compensation Division of
the Office of Human Resources. Contact the College HR Office with the ad copy, funding information, publication choice and ad size.
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COMP
TIME AND OVERTIME:
It's the law that we pay nonexempt employees for hours worked in excess
of 40 in any given work week. If the employee wants equivalent time off,
it is at their choice, and it must be taken within the boundaries of the
work week.
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DEADLINES:
The Dean's Offices establish deadlines slightly in advance of when things
are actually needed in order to allow us time to process materials for
the entire college before the "real" deadline. The detailed
information required on IBIS HR forms is complicated enough that we almost
always need to consult and modify forms before they leave the college,
and when hundreds of them arrive at the last minute, it creates an enormous
log jam. I know that sometimes it can't be avoided, but please don't wait
until the last minute unless it's truly an emergency!!
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DIRECTORY
INFORMATION:
As people move around your department, please remember to process the
UADR function in IBIS to keep their office address, phone number(s) and
e-mail preferences up to date for the electronic and paper directories.
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DOMESTIC
PARTNER BENEFITS:
While the Pennsylvania Legislature has prevented Penn State from providing
health insurance benefits to domestic partners, there are some benefits
that are available:
- Golf course and tennis privileges are available to full-time employees and retirees; they may purchase season passes at special employee rates for themselves and one other adult.
- Football tickets are available for purchase by full-time employees with a two-ticket season limit. There is no restriction on who may use such a ticket.
- Natatorium family passes are available for purchase by employees with the family defined as two adults and dependents under age 18.
- Sick Family Days may be used for persons residing with the employee.
- An employee may designate anyone to be the survivor beneficiary at retirement or death.
- The Dual-Career Office will assist both spouses and domestic partners of new University faculty. Beth Trimble is available to provide help for non-faculty spouses/partners and those of existing employees.
- The University
Libraries are available to everyone.
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EMPLOYEE
ASSISTANT PROGRAM (EAP):
Remember to remind people in emotional distress about the availability
of the Employee Assistance Program. The EAP can help with counseling and
referrals for this, as well as dealing with stress, substance abuse, family
problems, occupational issues, financial planning, and other problems.
1-866-749-1735.
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EMPLOYMENT
OF MINORS:
Consult policy HR-2 before committing to employment of any individual
under the age of 18. Note that Penn State does not, under any circumstances,
employee individuals under age 16.
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EMPLOYMENT
OF RELATIVES:
Please note that employment of relatives is not prohibited, but is guided
by policy HR-59. Consensual relationship in the workplace should be similarly
reported (see HRG-16). These policies serve to protect the University
and individual employees in the event of subsequent complaints or litigation.
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ESSENTIAL
FUNCTION ANALYSIS:
With respect to the Americans with Disabilities Act, keep in mind that
we are supposed to complete an "Essential and Marginal Job Function
Analysis" prior to interviewing candidates for a vacancy. If there
are physical demands in the job, it may also be important to note them
in the vacancy announcement. See http://www.psu.edu/dept/aaoffice/ADA/accommod.htm.
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EXIT
PROCEDURES:
For all employees leaving Penn State, provide him/her with a copy of the
appropriate document found at http://www.science.psu.edu/hr/DEPARTURES.htm.
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FACULTY
MINIMUM SALARIES:
Teaching faculty must be paid a minimum of $27,000 with a master's degree,
or $30,000/Ph.D., for the period of appointment.
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FACULTY
OFFERS:
Guidelines established in 1997 and reconfirmed by Dean Larson:
- The Dean should be supplied with the c.v. and letters of reference prior to discussion about a prospective offer.
- At the time of the discussion about a prospective offer, the Department Head must bring evidence of search efforts to identify appropriate women and minority candidates, along with the c.v.'s and letters of the top candidates in these categories.
- Upon an agreement
to extend an offer, all details surrounding an offer should be confirmed
in writing, with copies to the Dean and all parties involved in an agreement.
- Note—this includes agreements with other units with respect to joint appointments and/or spousal employment
- Careful consideration
should be given to the issue of tenure credit.
- Note—the college may give up to 3 years in tenure credit; any more requires special permission of the Provost.
- Note—tenure credit means that the candidate will come up for review more quickly. One year of tenure credit means that the individual will have their 2nd year review after having been present for only a few months.
- Visa issues should be thoroughly explored prior to finalizing an offer to a foreign national, including consideration of spousal issues.
- All offer letters for standing, tenure-track appointments must be co-signed by the Department Head and Dean. Subsequent changes must also be co-signed. If the offer involves a joint appointment, it is appropriate to arrange for signature by all administrators involved.
- In addition, a
backround check and verification of highest degree must be completed
before an offer can be finalized.
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FACULTY
START DATES
New 36-week plan faculty members starting in the Fall Semester, use mid-August
as a start date and get paid 2/12th of their annual salary in August.
New faculty who begin in the Spring Semester have a choice of starting
January 1 (the tenure clock clicks back to the previous July 1) or January
2 (the tenure clock does not start until the next July 1) and receive
1/2 of their annual salary in that first academic year. Faculty who begin
at any other time, use the actual arrival date and receive a prorated
amount of their annual salary.
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GRADUATE
LECTURERS/RESEARCHERS:
The summer, Fixed Term 2, Graduate Lecturer/Researcher appointment, with
rank code, "A70" is reserved for individuals who are current
graduate students, who were and/or will be graduate assistants. New recruits,
who will not become graduate assistants until Fall Semester, should be
placed on Wage or FT2 Lecturer or Research Assistant appointments for
the summer. (See policy PR-17). Graduate students may be employed after
graduation on any employee type of appointment.
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GRAD
WAGE APPOINTMENTS:
Foreign national grad students are generally limited to a total of 20
hours per week of work, including their assistantship. For any grad assistant
for whom you contemplate paying wages, obtain clearance in advance from
the student's home department, certifying that the work will not jeopardize
their academic program. Then for those employed in Science, send the request
to Beth Trimble with a summary of the work to be performed and supplying
notes about how it is different from the assistantship assignment.
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IBIS
HR FORMS:
Remember that any time there is any change in a person's appointment —
promotion, demotion, appointment period change, title change, an extension
of visa status, a move from one position to another...something has to
be done in IBIS. If you're not sure what, call.
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I-9's:
While it is preferable to document an I-9 problem situation rather than
falsifying a signature date, please remember that a well-documented situation
will not prevent us from being fined if an audit reveals the problem.
New employees should not work before the I-9 has been completed; if the
supervisor does not control the situation, it would be best for that supervisor
to sign off on the I-9 and attach documentation.
An I-9 may expire
even if the person has authorization to work, if one of the documents
he/she used at entry has expired. If the individual is a foreign national,
the extension must be done by Rosalie's office or by the International
Students Office. The Data Warehouse gives you the capability to run a
regular report on upcoming expirations. I would urge you to do so, so
that you can keep up with these critical details. If someone's I-9 expires
in the midst of their appointment, we are required by law to terminate
the appointment until the I-9 has been updated.
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HANDLING
REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION ABOUT EMPLOYEES, POSTDOCS AND STUDENTS
Requests for information about current and past students, postdocs and
employees are made by a wide variety of agencies and individuals, through
a wide variety of mechanisms. Department heads, faculty members and staff
need to be aware that there are established procedures. We want to be
responsive, particularly if the request comes from a government agency,
but at the same time, we need to be cautious about legal issues. If a
request is received and there is any uncertainty, ask the requestor to
have a seat and seek assistance.
For details,
see policies:
HR-56 — Answering Personnel Inquiries
HR-60 — Access to Personnel Files
HR-70 — Contacts with University Legal Counsel
AD-11 — Confidentiality of Student Records
Policies and Rules for Students
Assistance
is available:
Human Resources (Beth Trimble), 3-6216
Facilities/Safety (Ron Kessinger), 3-4502
Student Affairs (Norm Freed), 3-0284
OHR, Employee Relations, 5-1412
OHR, Benefits, 5-1473
Registrar, 5-6357
Office of Student Life, 3-1809
Student Insurance, 5-7467
Risk Management, 5-6307
Environmental Health & Safety, 5-6391
Payroll, 5-7621
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LGBT
SUPPORT NETWORK:
The Office of the Vice Provost for Education Equity coordinates the Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transsexual
Network designed to assist individuals with an alternative lifestyle.
The goal of the network, in line with the University's commitment to diversity
and humane practices, is to provide a more hospitable environment and
to reduce fear and misunderstandings about issues that affect these individuals.
See Beth Trimble for details or referrrals.
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PARKING
WHILE ON LEAVE:
Please remind people going on leave that they can save a little money
if it is convenient for them to turn in their parking sticker while they
are on a leave of absence. It's not a requirement, and you can assure
them they will get it back when they return from leave.
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POSTDOC
MINIMUM SALARIES:
The Vice President for Research and the Graduate School has mandated that
a minimum salary be established for postdocs. The current figure is $33,492.
In limited circumstances, a lower salary might be offered (in relation
to an older grant that cannot accommodate the higher rate, for example);
however, under no circumstances may we pay less than the maximum amount
paid to a graduate assistant (a regulation needed to be compliant with
NIH policies). Check with Beth Trimble and/or Bob Meyer for the current
information.
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PROBATIONARY
PERIOD:
Staff members new to the University have a probationary period
that is six months in length.
If the person begins work at Penn State on September 15th, then the probationary
period ends six months later — March 14th.
People moving from
one job to another within Penn State do not have a new probationary
period.
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RECORDS
RETENTION:
Remember that the University Archives is responsible for all of Penn State's
business records. See Appendix 18 of the General Forms Usage Guide (http://guru.psu.edu/gfug/appendices/)
for guidelines.
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RE-HIRE
OF RETIREES:
See HR-45 for guidelines. Violation of regulations for an SERS retiree
could result in the withdrawal of the individual's pension. Note that
it is necessary to request permission for rehire of a TIAA retiree. Note
also that the policy has been changed to cover a calendar year rather
than a fiscal year.
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SALARY
SETTING FOR STAFF UNDER THE SPEC PROGRAM:
The rule-of-thumb for setting staff salaries for existing Penn State employees
involves —
- No change in salary for a lateral move. Exceptions are possible when the move occurs near salary increase time, or when the person moves from a non-market-sensitive job to a market-sensitive position.
- 4% per grade drop in salary for a move downward in grade.
- 4% per grade promotional increment for a move upward.
Exceptions are possible if upward movement does not meet the minimum for the grade, or movement in either direction creates inequity for the individual or for others in the workplace.
For new hires, coming in from outside Penn State, consider —
- The range for the grade.
- The candidate's education and experience related to the minimum requirements of the vacancy.
- The candidate's current salary or salary requirement.
- Equity with other employees in the work unit and across the University doing similar work.
- The availability
of funding.
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STANDING
VS FIXED TERM APPOINTMENTS:
Standing appointments are those with a permanent budget line. Among academic
job titles, those in a rank above Sr. Instructor or Lecturer, or Sr. Research
Assistant must hold the Ph.D. and are subject to the provisions of tenure.
Fixed Term appointments have a specifc beginning and ending date and are generally funded on "soft money" or are subject to enrollments or other project-specific conditions.
University benefits
are idential for all full-time employees.
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UPDATING PERSONAL INFORMATION
IN IBIS:
Highest degree information can be updated using the function UPIN.
Name changes and home address changes can only be done on a new W-4 form.
Visit ESSIC at http://www.ohr.psu.edu/benefits/benefits.htm
for more information on benefits changes.
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WAGE
HIRING:
ADA applies
even when hiring people on wage appointments. Therefore, the principles
of interviewing and careful reference checking apply even here. FMLA may
also apply, depending on the length of service. Finally, always ask wage
applicants to complete an official Employment Application Form.
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WAGE, MORE ON
*Foreign national students are typically limited by their visas
to no more than 20 hours of work per week, including their assistantship
(if any), while classes are in session, so check those situations carefully
in advance.
*You must obtain approval from this office in advance before paying anyone
on a graduate assistantship any additional wage money, and when
you make the request, I'll ask you to confirm that you have also obtained
permission of the individual's graduate supervisor.
*Anyone performing technical service type work must be both
appointed and paid using the technical service object code.
*Also, remember that the hire, work schedules, and hours of all employees
hired through temporary services who are doing technical service type
work must be reported (send me an e-mail). Reporting after the fact
can become a serious problem!!
*In wage overtime situations, the rule of thumb is that the secondary
appointment owes the overtime, so it becomes important for you to process
appointments in a timely fashion.
*Checking references is as important for a wage job as it is for
a full time job. We recently had a case where a wage employee was hired
who had just been fired for cause from a full time job elsewhere in the
University. For this reason, if you're hiring a non-student wage employee,
I recommend not only checking the stated references, but also call me
to run a quick check of the database at OHR to see if there are any problems
in the person's prior University work record.
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WAGE
TECH SERVICE:
Keep in mind language from the Teamster Contract—"A
regular job is one that consists of thirty (30) hours or more of work
each week and which is intended to last twenty (20) consecutive weeks
or longer. If it is determined that non-regular employees have worked
on a job thirty (30) hours or more each week for twenty (20) weeks within
a thirty (30) calendar week period, the University shall either provide
written notification to the Union that the job is intended to continue
for no more than four (4) additional consecutive weeks or the job shall
be made regular and filled in accordance with the provisions of Article
XII—Job Vacancies." This applies to wage employees
doing technical service duties. Such individuals must be appointed on
a WAPP in the technical service class, and hours reported on the WAGC
timecard in that class. Examples of this type of work includes stockroom
workers, people who wash laboratory glassware, perform maintenance or
skilled craft trades, who move equipment and furniture, operate duplication
equipment, who set up laboratories or perform greenhouse/animal facilities
support. Individuals who perform both staff and tech service work
should have hours reported separately.
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WEATHER
DAYS:
See HRG-10—Only the University President has the authority to close
the University and grant paid time off in relation to weather emergencies.
In all other circumstances, employees who take off because of the weather
must charge vacation or personal time.
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WEB-BASED
TRAINING:
Web-based tutorials in commonly-used software programs are available FREE
at http://cac.psu.edu/training/, with more programs being added periodically.
Acknowledging that it is often difficult to do tutorials at your regular
work stations, the college has arranged for the use of several work stations
in the Department of Statistics Computer Laboratory between 8-10 a.m.
on weekday mornings. Availability of spaces may be limited, so before
you go there, please register with Beth Trimble, 3-6216, eit1@psu.edu.
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WORKERS COMPENSATION:
Accident reports must be completed ASAP after the accident - preferably
within 24 hours - even if we don't have complete information. If an accident
involves lost time, be in touch with Beth Trimble immeidately.
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This page is
maintained by Myra Bowling: mlb1@psu.edu
Eberly College of Science, Office of Human Resources,
512 Thomas Building, University Park, PA 16802
This page was last updated on August 23, 2006
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