content row
Valuing Our Employees
Auburn University is committed to competitive, timely, and accurate payment of salaries and wages for all employees. This section describes the components of our payroll processes and pay administration policies.
Learn More
Employee Classes
|
Employee Type |
Accurate Recording of Work Time |
Position Designation |
Overtime Provisions |
Pay Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Staff |
Required |
Nonexempt |
Required |
Biweekly |
|
Administrative & Professional |
Not Required |
Exempt |
Not Applicable |
Monthly |
|
Faculty |
Not Required |
Exempt |
Not Applicable |
Semimonthly |
|
Temporary (TES) |
Required |
Nonexempt |
Required |
Biweekly |
|
Student |
Required |
Nonexempt |
Required |
Biweekly |
|
Some Contract Employees |
Not Required |
Exempt |
Not Applicable |
Monthly |
Exempt vs. Nonexempt
The Fair Labor Standards Act, or FLSA, establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards. It affects full-time and part-time workers in the private sector and in Federal, State, and local governments.
-
Positions designated as FLSA exempt are “exempted” from the legal provisions and obligations required by the act.
-
The FLSA requires that employees whose positions are designated as nonexempt must keep accurate records of time worked, be paid at least minimum wage for all hours worked, and receive an overtime premium for all hours worked in excess of 40 in a workweek.
IMPORTANT: The Compensation and Classification unit of University Human Resources determines and monitors compliant FLSA designations for University jobs. The determination of a position’s FLSA status designation of exempt or nonexempt is based on a combination of factors, including job duties and salary level, and is subject to specific FLSA regulations.
Visit the Fair Labor Standards Act website on the UHR website for additional information or email univhr@auburn.edu.
|
|
Employees with Nonexempt Positions |
Employees with Exempt Positions |
Important to Note |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Auburn University Minimum Hiring Rate (MHR) |
The MHR is for regular, full-time, and part-time employees, regardless of FLSA designated status. |
The MHR is for regular, full-time, and part-time employees, regardless of FLSA designated status. |
Employees who are not eligible include faculty, temporary employees, and student employees. |
|
Minimum Wage |
Employees are entitled to receive at least the federal or state minimum wage (whichever is higher) for all hours worked. |
Employees are not covered by the minimum wage requirement. |
|
|
Overtime Pay |
Employees must be paid overtime pay at a rate of not less than 1 1/2 times their regular rates of pay after 40 hours of work in a workweek. In some cases, compensatory time off in lieu of overtime pay may be offered. However, by law, the employee has the right to choose and receive overtime premium pay. |
Employees are not eligible for overtime pay, regardless of the number of hours they work. |
The employee should make every reasonable effort to receive their supervisor’s pre-approval of any anticipated overtime work being performed. In rare cases, when this preapproval is not possible, the employee remains obligated to accurately record the number of hours being worked. Even if preapproval was not received, any hours worked above 40 in the designated workweek must be paid at the overtime premium pay rate. |
|
Job Duties and Salary Basis |
Employees may perform non-managerial, routine, or manual tasks. |
Employees may perform executive, administrative, professional, or certain specialized job duties and are paid at a rate greater than the FLSA minimum salary threshold. |
For a position to be designated as FLSA exempt, the job must meet specific job duties criteria and the employee must be earning at least the FLSA specified minimum salary level. |
|
Recordkeeping |
Employees are required to maintain accurate daily records of work time — usually through TigerTime, the electronic timekeeping system used at Auburn. They must record all actual hours worked as well as paid and unpaid absences. They are not allowed to voluntarily work “off the clock” without compensation, as this is a violation of federal law. Employers are required to keep accurate records of employees' hours worked, wages, and overtime compensation. |
Employees' time and attendance records may not be required to the same extent, although it is still good practice to maintain records. |
Since this is a federal law requirement, no exception can be granted regarding this legal compliance requirement. |
Leave and Holidays
Leave and holidays are a key part of the benefits package at Auburn University and offered to address the holistic needs of employees and their families.
Payroll
Staff (Nonexempt)
-
Staff employees are paid biweekly and are eligible for the overtime provisions of the FLSA.
-
Biweekly pay periods run from Sunday through Saturday.
-
Payday is Friday following the end of the second week of the pay period unless it falls on a bank holiday. Then it is the day before.
-
If a payday should fall on a holiday, the last working day preceding the holiday will become payday.
Administrative & Professional (Exempt)
-
Administrative & Professional employees are paid monthly.
-
Pay periods are calendar months and paydays are the last working day of the month.
-
If the last day of the month falls on a bank holiday, then payday is the day before the bank holiday.
-
If it falls on the weekend, payday will be the Friday before.
Recording Your Time
The FLSA requires Auburn University employees whose positions are designated as nonexempt to record all actual hours worked as well as paid and unpaid absences.
Employees are not allowed to voluntarily work “off the clock” without compensation, as this is a violation of federal law. The university utilizes TigerTime (powered by Kronos) to automate employee time collection. Work time is entered into TigerTime through one of two methods:
-
Card-swipe terminals - Swipe an AU Banner ID card at a smart terminal.
-
Web-enabled timestamp - Log into a TigerTime URL with the employee's email and password.
In no case should an employee enter another employee’s time. Forging or falsifying these documents, or any other University records, is a serious offense which may result in disciplinary action..
Work and Lunch Breaks
Supervisors may authorize two 15-minute breaks (one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon) for employees whose positions are nonexempt. Employees may leave their work area during their break unless notified otherwise by their supervisor.
Where it is necessary to always have someone on duty, care should be taken to make sure the work assignment is covered. Breaks are not cumulative; employees cannot forgo a break time to use later. Employees whose position is designated as nonexempt must clock out for lunch.
Employees are encouraged to take at least 30 minutes, and preferably an hour, away from their desk or workstation for lunch.
Additional information (Section 2.2.8)
Callback Work Time
Staff employees who are called back to work outside their regular schedule are guaranteed at least four hours of paid time. This does not apply when an employee still at work is asked to continue working past the normal quitting time.
Important to Note
The Employee Resource Guide was developed specifically for University Staff and Administrative & Professional (A&P) employees of Auburn University. Faculty members are also encouraged to reference the Faculty Handbook, as it includes policies and procedures that uniquely pertain to Faculty.
If there is a conflict, University Policies supersede the Employee Resource Guide or any previous employee handbooks.
