4-8: Employment Agreements for Faculty & Exempt Staff
Issued: 4-96
Revised: 7-05
I. PURPOSE
These are policies, procedures and documents required for hiring faculty and exempt staff and notification of salary and status changes.
II. GENERAL
A. Categories for Employees
1. Faculty - Faculty may have tenure, tenure-track, non tenure-track renewable or visiting appointments. Tenure-track appointments are probationary. Non tenure-track renewable appointments are renewable by notification letter each year but are at-will appointments. Visiting faculty fill temporary positions or temporarily unoccupied permanent positions. (Source: Faculty Handbook page 12)
2. Librarians - Librarians are considered faculty but are hired on a fiscal year basis and are entitled to the accrual of annual leave subject to Section 2.9.3.1 of the Exempt Staff Handbook. Librarians may have tenure-track, or visiting appointments. Tenure-track appointments are probationary.
3. Exempt Staff - Exempt staff are those employees exempt from the State of Colorado Personnel System, with the exception of faculty. Exempt staff includes administrative officers, directors, and executive, professional and administrative employees as determined by the College.
(Source: Exempt Staff Handbook page 2.)
B. Types of Employee Agreements
1. Contract of Employment - Written agreement between the College and an employee to serve as a member of the faculty and/or exempt staff.
2. Supplemental Pay - Supplemental pay is added to the payroll of an existing employee agreement for time specified on pay request. The employee does not receive a written employee agreement when supplemental pay is requested.
3. Reappointment Letter for Faculty/Librarians
a) Confirms the continued employment of faculty, including librarians (tenure-track, and tenured).
b) States salary for the next year.
c) Includes changes in rank or any special conditions.
4. Salary Notification Letter for Exempt Staff - Confirms the continued employment of exempt staff and salary for the next fiscal year, including changes in titles or any special conditions.
5. Third Term Letter - Issued to tenure-track or tenured faculty to confirm their employment for Third Term Five-Week Sessions.
C. Employment Action
1. Tenure-Track - Probationary faculty members are appointed to permanent positions on an academic year basis. An individual holding a tenure-track appointment may be awarded tenure upon completion of the probationary period.
2. Visiting - Visiting faculty members are appointed to either part-time or full-time positions for one academic term or for one academic year, and are not eligible for renewal of contract. They may, however, apply for subsequent appointments if positions are available. Visiting faculty members are not eligible for tenure.
3. Post Retirement Appointment - An appointment given to an employee who has recently retired. The employee is not eligible for benefits as a active employee and is subject to PERA limitations regarding time worked in a calendar year.
4. Initial Appointment - Exempt staff contracts are intended to be for a permanent position for which funding and need are expected to be long-term.
5. Temporary - Temporary positions are funded for a limited period of time and are not expected to become permanent.
6. Supplemental Pay Request - Supplemental pay is requested for work performed outside of the principal responsibilities for which an employee (faculty and exempt staff) has been hired.
7. Revision - Revisions are requested to modify an existing employment agreement for changes in pay, dates of employment, rank, or title. It is also used to correct errors in information submitted on the original pay request or errors in the type of employee agreement issued. If the original request was submitted with a Contract and Supplemental Pay Request (CaSPR), then a revised CaSPR must be submitted. If the original request was a Personnel Action Request List (PeARL) or Third Term Staffing List, then a memorandum is required to request a revision.
D. Forms or Lists Used to Request an Employment Action
1. Contract and Supplemental Pay Request (CaSPR) - The CaSPR is a four-part form used to request a Contract of Employment, a Revision of the Contract of Employment and Supplemental Pay. Special conditions of the Contract of Employee MUST be noted on the CaSPR. Otherwise, employment conditions as noted in the employee handbook apply.
2. Personnel Action Request List (Pearl) - The PeARL is a list of employees created and submitted by deans and vice presidents. The following actions may be requested on the PeARL: Salary Notification Letters, Third Term Letters and Reappointment Letters. (The PeARL is to be used for promotions, tenure, sabbatical leave, leave without pay, changes in title and changes in salary.)
III. POLICY
A. Responsibilities
1. Department Requesting Personnel Action
a) Submission of CaSPRs and PeARLs should occur in a timely and accurate fashion before an employee begins work. Adequate time must be allowed for the approval process and to ensure payroll deadlines are met.
b) Individuals submitting pay requests and approving employee agreements are responsible for ensuring compliance with Academic Faculty and Exempt Staff Handbooks.
2. The Office of Human Resources
a) Employee agreements are prepared following College procedures and policies.
b) Generate benefits/payroll, ensuring accuracy of information being entered into data bases.
c) Assign account code, position number and FTE determined by information submitted on the CaSPR.
3. Employee
a) Upon receipt of an employment agreement, the employee is responsible for monitoring the accuracy of the employment data and any special conditions of employment listed on the contract.
b) The employee should notify the Office of Human Resources, and/or the immediate supervisor if employment ceases or changes occur that affect the conditions of the original employment agreement.
c) An employee receiving a Contract of Employment is required to return two signed copies to the Office of Human Resources within the time limit established on the contract to ensure expedition of benefits/payroll processing.
d) Employees receiving a Salary Notification Letter, a Reappointment Letter, or a Third Term Letter are not required to return any signed copies to the Office of Human Resources.
B. Generating Benefits/Payroll
1. Monthly payroll is dictated by dates of employment indicated on CaSPRs and/or PeARLs and the type of employment agreements issued.
2. Payroll is issued on the last working day of the month with the exception of June 30th which is issued on July 1 or the first working day following July 1.
3. CaSPRs and PeARLs are utilized to ensure accurate entry of information required into data base files to generate pay.
C. Approvals
1. The individual who requests hiring additional personnel will submit a CaSPR or PeARL with his/her signature of approval. The requesting individual may be a dean, administrative head or grant project director.
2. The following individuals have been delegated with the authority, including budget responsibility, to approve hiring specific types of employees:
a) Faculty and/or Librarian positions are approved by the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
b) Exempt Staff approval is given by the appropriate Vice President or President.
D. Submission of Pay Requests
1. Contract and Supplemental Pay Requests (CaSPRs) should be submitted as early in the month as possible to ensure sufficient processing to meet payroll deadlines.
2. Personal Action Request Lists (PeARLs) should be submitted to the appropriate approving authorities as soon as budgets for faculty and exempt staff have been completed. Prompt submission facilitates preparation of Salary Notification, Reappointment, and Third Term Letters.
3. Status changes such as promotion/tenure, sabbatical leave, leave without pay, senior administrative staff personnel actions and/or changes must be approved by the Board of Trustees for Fort College. All other personnel actions are delegated to the College President. These non-delegated items cannot be completed until approved by the Board.
E. Issuance of Employee Agreements
1. Contracts of Employment are issued upon the receipt of a completed and approved request (CaSPR).
2. No contract is issued for supplemental pay. Payment is made at the end of each month along with the payroll.
3. Reappointment and Salary Notification Letters
a) Faculty Reappointment Letters are issued in late May or the middle of June.
b) Exempt Staff Salary Notification Letters are issued the middle or latter part of June.
4. Third Term Letters are issued as follows:
First Five Week session - late April
Second Five Week session - late May
Third Five Week session - late June
F. Submission of Employee Agreements
1. Contracts of Employment are to be signed and returned by dates designated on the contract.
2. Salary Notification, Reappointment, and Third Term Letters are to be retained by the employee.
G. Employment Data
1. Full Time - Exempt staff employees whose customary, authorized work schedule requires 40 or more hours per workweek.
2. Part Time - Exempt staff employees whose customary, authorized work schedule requires less than 40 hours per workweek.
3. Sabbatical Replacement - Employees hired to replace a faculty member that has been released of his/her responsibilities for a year or a shorter period of time.
4. Medical Replacement - Employees hired to replace faculty or exempt staff on medical leave from his/her academic or administrative duties and responsibilities.
5. Release Time - Employees hired to replace a faculty member released from their normally assigned responsibilities.
6. Other - Employees hired for special conditions indicated in the special condition section of the CaSPR.