NEBRASKA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY NONEXEMPT PART-TIME 9 MONTH EMPLOYEE [Under 1000 hours per year]

Transcription

1 NEBRASKA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY NONEXEMPT PART-TIME 9 MONTH EMPLOYEE [Under 1000 hours per year] The University administration reserves the right to change any of these benefits during employment. All staff employees are employed at will under Nebraska state statutes. If you have any questions, please contact the Human Resource Office for explanations. Nonexempt employees are those individuals who are subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act. Nonexempt part-time nine-month employees are eligible for such fringe benefits as are set forth hereinafter and as are set forth in their letter of appointment. Salary is paid on a hourly basis from official online time recordings or by timesheets turned into the Human Resource Office. Time sheets are filled out each day at the beginning of the work day and at the end of the work day. Hours worked from the 1 st of the month through the 15 th of the month are turned in by 10:00 a.m. on the 16 th of the month. Hours worked from the 16 th of the month to the last day of the month are turned in by 10 a.m. on the 1 st of the month. If the 1 st or the 16 th is on a weekend, the time worked records are submitted the following Monday by 10:00 a.m. Payroll is on the 10 th and 25 th of each month. If the 10 th or 25 th payroll date falls on either a Saturday or Sunday, payment is made on the prior Friday. Payroll is by direct deposit to saving and/or checking accounts in banks, credit unions, and savings and loans, with the option to direct deposit into three separate accounts. In describing these benefits, the term "child" shall include any natural child, adopted child, foster child, or stepchild. "Stepchild" shall mean the natural child or adopted child of a spouse. The term "dependent" shall be defined as a child or spouse declared as a dependent on the federal and state income tax forms. Immediate family includes spouse, children (birth, adopted, step), dependents, foster children, parents, spouse's parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, relatives who have served as parents, and any other relative by birth or marriage who currently resides in the immediate household. A. Authorized Absences The following are the only paid absences authorized for employees of Nebraska Wesleyan University. All other absences, that are not the result of adjusting the employees work schedule, are on a leave without pay basis and must be approved in advance by the employees supervisor. 1

2 1. Holidays: Aside from conforming to long-standing religious and national customs, paid holidays give workers regularly scheduled breaks from the work routine that they can look forward to spending with their friends and families. Nebraska Wesleyan University holiday schedule is set in accordance with the academic calendar. The Holidays applicable to each employee are listed in the yearly reappointment letter sent at the end of each academic year. The University intends that all employees receive their full holiday benefit. Employees who must work on the holiday receive a corresponding day off arranged with the approval of the supervisor. Holidays are part of the employees total assigned hours for the academic year 2. Vacation Leave: Employees receive two workweeks of pro-rated vacation based on their nine (9) month work assignment and hours worked per week from their first academic year of employment through their fifth academic year of employment. After five academic years of employment, employees receive three workweeks of pro-rated vacation based on a nine (9) month work assignment and hours worked per week. Vacation hours are given at the beginning of each academic year and are a part of the employee s total assigned hours for the academic year. Vacations must be taken at times that will not adversely affect the efficient operation of the employee's department. Therefore, the time of the vacation must be arranged in advance with the supervisor. An employee who did not begin employment at the beginning of the academic year will receive vacation pro-rated by the number of hours available for the partial academic year of employment. Unused vacation will be paid out with the final payroll at the end of each academic year. 3. Military Leaves: Employees are entitled to military leaves of absence with pay for their annual two- (2) week training service and for one-week emergency call up service in the armed forces of the United States or the State of Nebraska, provided the absences fall within the employee s dates of employment. Copies of the official arm forces training or call to active service notice(s) must be filed in the Human Resources Office prior to the leave. 2

3 4. Sick Leave: The University believes that a direct correlation exists between stability in the family and productivity in the work place. When a family emergency arises, requiring the employee to attend to a child's, spouses, or parent's serious illness, or to their own illness, employees need time off to meet their personal and family obligations. The University intends its sick leave policy to provide employees with a healthier balance between their family and work lives. The University allows for the accrual of sick leave in order to provide the employee with paid leave and job security should an extended illness occur for which the employee has sick leave available. Sick leave, paid time away from work because of illness, injury, or doctor appointments involving the employee or members of the employee's immediate family, if they require the employee's care, is accrued at the rate of one working day for the number of assigned months (nine) listed in the employees reappointment letter. Working day is defined as the part-time hours worked in any given day. Sick leave may accumulate to an amount of time equivalent to sixty working days based on daily work schedule. Upon reaching the sixty working day maximum, further accrual of sick leave is suspended until the employee's sick leave balance is again below the sixty working day maximum. Sick leave must be documented with an absence request form attached to the employees timesheet or turned in at the end of each pay period if time entry is by the online system. Sick leave carries over from academic year to academic year. Any accumulated sick leave automatically ceases with termination of employment and is not reimbursed in cash. 5. Jury Service and Witness Under a Subpoena Leaves of Absence: The employee summoned to serve jury duty has a civic obligation to serve. The University supports the fulfillment of that obligation by paying the employee's full salary with all appropriate benefits during any absence required during the employees regular work schedule. The University will not support any employee using their employment at Nebraska Wesleyan University as a reason for exclusion from jury duty. Employees serving on a jury are expected to report to their departments for work during normal working hours when the jury is recessed. Additionally, any employee summoned to serve on jury duty or to appear as a witness under a subpoena shall not be subject to loss or interruption of employee benefits. Employees are entitled to retain the monetary benefits received from the court as provided by law. The receipt of a jury duty subpoena or notice to report for jury duty must be reported at once to the immediate supervisor. A copy of the jury duty notice/subpoena and a copy of the witness subpoena are to be sent to the Human Resource Office. 3

4 6. Election Volunteer Leave. Employees who are volunteer election officials are paid their regular salary for any training time and for volunteer time on Election Day. A copy of the election volunteer notice is to be sent to the Human Resources Office in advance of the election. 7. Bereavement and Funeral Leaves of Absence The University recognizes the fact that a death in the employees immediate family is a traumatic experience that will have a negative impact on work if an employee does not take time off. The University's position is that it is better in the long run for the employee to fulfill family obligations and have a few days in which to grief privately before making what is often a difficult transition back to the normal work routine. The University grants bereavement leaves instead of funeral attendance leave for the death of an immediate family member. Every effort will be made to insure that the employee is able to attend to family matters. The University also recognizes the special obligations involved when an employee acts as a pallbearer and grants an additional half-day off for an employee to carry out this function. If necessary, vacation time or leave without pay may be used to supplement bereavement and funeral leave. When death occurs in an employee's immediate family, paid bereavement leave of five working days will be granted upon the employee's request for leave. In the case of death of a relative or relative of a spouse, bereavement leave of one day will be granted upon the employee's request for leave. In the case of death of a close friend, funeral leave of four hours will be granted upon the employee's request for leave. If an employee is requested to serve as a pallbearer at a funeral, additional funeral leave of one-half day will be granted upon the employee's request for leave. 8. Leaves of Absence Without Pay: Leaves of absence without compensation may be granted to part-time Nonexempt employees only with the written permission of the employee's supervisor. Under some conditions an employee's fringe benefits may cease during a leave of absence without pay. All special leave arrangements that continue benefit must meet the requirements of all benefit summary plans, benefit policies, and federal laws covering employer benefit plans. The Assistant Vice President for Human Resources must approve all special leave arrangements that continue benefits 4

5 B. Insurance. 1. WESPLAN Flexible Spending Plan The University also provides a tax sheltering Section 125 flexible spending plan (WESPLAN) to help employees off set out of pocket medical and dependent care costs. The specific provisions of the plan are determined each year by the University President. The details of the plan are made available through the Human Resource Office at the beginning of employment and again on an annual basis before the start of the calendar year plan. 2. Worker's Compensation Insurance: If any employee is injured while working within the scope of his/her employment, he/she is covered under the University's worker's compensation insurance for medical and hospital expenses and payment for time lost from work for an extended disability, as provided under the Nebraska Workmen's Compensation Law. All accidents no matter how slight must be reported to the employees supervisor. An accident report must be completed and forwarded to the Human Resource Office within 24 hours whether an injury occurred or medical attentions was required or not. The University's worker's compensation insurance coverage is applicable only if the employee follows the University s accident procedures and the insurance carriers certified management plan. The University s insurance carrier makes the determination for the University of whether an injury accident meets the legal definition of a worker s accident. C. Tuition Remission The University recognizes that the academic experience will improve the skills and knowledge that the employee brings to their job responsibilities and expands the employee's horizons. Tuition Remission is a benefit provided to employees with long term N.W.U. employment expectations. In keeping with this intent for the tuition remission benefit, new employees do not qualify for tuition remission benefits. The longer the employment with N.W.U. the more benefit the employee receives. Nebraska Wesleyan University provides employees with the opportunity to changing their work schedule to take classes at N.W.U. in order to retain highly motivated individuals. Flextime is not an automatic right but a privilege provided only if the nature of the employees duties allows the employee to flex their daily work schedule (see guidelines below). The program of tuition remission shall apply only to credit earned at Nebraska Wesleyan University and shall include tuition for regular academic year classes, regular summer and winter session classes, Wesleyan Advantage, and credit earned by examination. Tuition remission will not include fees, tuition assessed in addition to "regular tuition", summer or winter session "tutorial" classes, or special off-campus programs (including summer session workshops). Employees, spouse or dependents are eligible for tuition remission only until 5

6 he/she has earned 135 hours of academic credit at Wesleyan University. The student must pay all fees, book costs, and room and board costs, if required. Under no circumstances may a person receive more than full tuition through tuition remission, scholarship, financial aid, or grants from the University or off campus sources. Tuition remission shall not be granted to any student on disciplinary probation. Tuition remission is not automatic. Tuition remission must be applied for each semester through the Office of Financial Aid. During the first 2080 hours of employment, employees, their spouses, and dependents will be entitled to 25% tuition discount. After working 2080 hours employees, their spouse, and dependents receive 100% tuition discount. The benefits for both child and spouse shall cease at the time employment of the employee by Nebraska Wesleyan University ceases, unless retirement or disability has terminated such employment. "Flextime Privilege" Guidelines: (Effective beginning Fall Semester ) Educational courses can be taken during an employee's duty hours under the University's "Flextime Privilege" program. All courses taken during an employee's duty hours must meet "Flextime Privilege" guidelines. When flextime appears in this document it is understood to mean a flexible work schedule for the purpose of taking classes at Nebraska Wesleyan University. Flextime is an employee privilege, not a right. All employees understand that there are positions on campus that by their very nature cannot accommodate a flexible schedule. Flextime means flexing the work schedule within the standard workweek. Overtime will not be granted if a flextime schedule is in place. Flextime must be arranged to meet the job responsibilities without the use of overtime. Flexible time schedule" means a work schedule, which includes designated hours during which the employee may, with the approval of the supervisor and under the job description approved by the appointing authority, elect an alternative work schedule, in order to take classes at Nebraska Wesleyan University. Courses of study are not restricted to courses that directly benefit the individual's performance of services to the students and fulfillment of the responsibilities of their position. The University acknowledges and promotes the concept that employee performance improves when an employee increases his/her knowledge and through Wesleyan liberal arts educational experience acquires new critical thinking skills. Only one class may be taken under the flextime privilege benefit per semester. Other classes may be taken outside the employee's work schedule. Positions covered by two employees constitute acceptable flex schedule positions, unless severe hardship is documented. An employee's proposed flextime schedule will be approved only if it does not 6

7 interfere with the work to be done or service to be performed. Within this framework, every effort should be made to accommodate an employee's flextime schedule request. It is intended that with the implementations of the flextime work schedules, a commitment is made for a period of not more than on semester. Selection of the work schedule for each term shall be made at least one month prior to the start of the term. The supervisor can waive the one-month prior review. A flextime schedule, once agreed upon by the supervisor, should remain stable, except when a special need arises. Emergencies in the work area are given first priority and absences from class can be required due to emergencies in the work area. In the event that multiple flextime schedule requests would leave an area understaffed, the following options for handling such a situation are available: 1. Seniority 2. Waiting List. 3. Rotating whom receives first choice at flextime. 4. Flip a coin, draw straws, or pick a number lottery. 5. First come, first choices. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to arrange work assignments and schedules so that one employee is not left to "carry the load" while another employee is taking courses. Duties and responsibilities can be temporarily reassigned to make the work assignments more equitable. (If an employee were required to take on the assignment of answering the phones for another during their flextime, the flextime employee would be assigned one of the non-flextime employee's duties to compensate.) Break times for employees are required to count toward flextime. Employees are allowed to adjust their meal break schedules to take classes. The supervisor must approve any adjustment in meal break schedules. If a class is scheduled over the employee's meal break, it is expected the employee will not use flextime for the course. If employees take classes during their meal breaks; meals may not be taken during other work hours. The flextime privilege can be revoked during the semester if operating principles are not observed. The University has never denied an employee or their dependents access to classes based on tuition remission enrollment and will not at this time develop or implement such a restriction. After the implementation of an educational flextime program, problems arise concerning the pre-empting of tuition paying students by employee flextime students the University administration reserves the right to review the denial of access to classes for employee policy. 7

8 D. Termination of Employment To resign in good standing nonexempt employees are expected to give a minimum of two week s notice in writing to their supervisor with a copy to the Human Resource Office. All keys, credit cards, identification cards, Library check out slip, employee handbooks, and other University resources are returned and accounted for by the Human Resource Office. An exit interview with the Human Resource Office is required of all employees. The University reserves the right to adjust final payment of salary for non-completion of assigned responsibilities. The employee will be paid for unused vacation time pro-rated by the number of total hours worked during the academic year. Employees leave in good standing provided they give two weeks notice. 8