Probationary Period of Employment
New employees of Auburn University are on probation for a 90-day period. The probationary period serves two purposes:
-
New employees can evaluate their job, unit, supervisor and colleagues and decide whether to remain in University employment.
-
Supervisors can evaluate the employee's performance and decide whether to retain them as a regular employee, extend their probationary status or terminate their employment.
The probationary period can be extended only once up to a maximum of 90 days. Employees with questions about their job or performance should seek assistance from their supervisor.
Commitment to Fairness in Work Practices
Auburn University recognizes its legal and moral obligation to provide an environment in which an opportunity for employment is available to all qualified individuals without discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex (which includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), age, religion, national origin, disability, and protected veteran status. The University affirms its commitment to this principle and to an affirmative action program which not only will establish and sustain the criteria of equal opportunity for employment, but which will also detect and eliminate any elements of discrimination in employment which may exist within the institution.
The University also commits itself to maintaining on a nondiscriminatory basis the conditions for continuing employment and for individual advancement within the job structure of the University.
Any employee or group of employees has the right, without discrimination or retaliation, to discuss with their supervisor(s) and/or the Executive Director, Campus Relations and/or the Executive Director of Affirmative Action, the terms of their employment or working conditions.
Occasionally, the University, just as any other large organization, has to make decisions without prior consultation with its employees. The University must, therefore, maintain exclusive discretion to exercise the customary functions of management including, but not limited to, the discretion to select, hire, promote, transfer, demote, suspend, dismiss, assign, supervise, and discipline employees; to determine the work schedule; to determine the sizes of and composition of the workforce; to establish, change and abolish policies, procedures, rules and regulations; to determine and modify job descriptions and job classifications; to assign responsibilities to employees, and to establish and change salary and wage rates in accordance with needs and requirements determined by the University.
Responsibility for administration of the policies and rules is delegated by the President to the Associate Vice President for Human Resources through the Executive Vice President.
Appointment Status
Employment is subject to a variety of terms and conditions as identified by university needs and generally accepted personnel management practices. Once an employee has successfully completed the probationary period, they are considered a regular employee and subject to a limited term or continuing term appointment.
University Staff employees are paid biweekly and are classified as "non-exempt" under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Employees hired for a specific period of time (generally governed by the duration of a project, contract, or grant) are on a limited term appointment. The duration of term will be specified at time of employment.
Employees hired for an unspecified time are on a continuing term appointment. These individuals are still subject to the availability of funds, rules of performance, and the business needs of the university.
Employees with a normal scheduled work week for less than 40 hours are considered to be part-time. Employees with a normal scheduled work week of 40 hours or more are considered to be full-time.
Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9
Under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, all employers are required to verify an employee’s eligibility for employment in the United States upon offer and acceptance of appointment. To ensure Auburn University’s compliance with the law, a University representative must verify an employee’s identity and work authorization by completing a Form I-9, in addition to successful completion of an E-Verify action.
Auburn University requires an employee to complete a Form I-9 when an offer has been made and accepted by the employee. Auburn University will not require an employee to complete the Form I-9 prior to acceptance of an offer of employment. The employee MUST complete Section 1 of the Form I-9 no later than the first day of employment (when the employee begins work for pay), and the designated University representative must complete Section 2 of the Form I-9 no later than the third business day of employment (when the employee begins work for pay). E-Verify actions are automatically initiated through the approved electronic system with completion of the Form I-9.
Personnel Record
An employee's permanent and official personnel file is maintained only in Auburn University Human Resources (AUHR). This file represents a historical employment record. The information in this file will be kept confidential and only released when the employee has given written permission. However, AUHR will disclose employee records to comply with lawfully issued subpoenas, judicial orders, and appropriate and legitimate requests from university administrators. Exceptions to the confidentiality policy involve:
-
Verification of employment for benefits purposes
-
Request from governmental agencies as to the employee's work status or pay
Working Hours
Overtime Pay
The standard workweek for non-exempt employees is 40 hours. During peak workloads or emergencies, it may be necessary for the employee to work overtime (over 40 hours in a week). In such cases they will receive either compensatory time off from work or overtime pay (at the discretion of the department). Non-exempt employees earn one and one-half (1.5) hours of compensatory time for each hour of authorized overtime work, or are paid at one and one-half time (1.5) times their standard pay rate for overtime hours. Overtime is calculated for the period of each workweek, and not on a daily basis. Only time actually worked, plus holiday time, counts toward overtime; leave time taken does not count toward the 40-hour period for overtime purposes. Any overtime work must be approved by the employee's supervisor prior to the work being performed.
Overtime and Holidays
If the employee is required to work on an officially designated University holiday, and they are not given an alternative day off, they will be paid for all hours worked plus their holiday time. Holiday time does count toward the 40 hours per week required to qualify for overtime pay.
Call-Back Work Time
University Staff employees who are called back to work outside their regular schedule are guaranteed at least four hours of work. This does not apply when an employee still at work is asked to continue working past the normal quitting time.
Worktime Entries
Employees are required to maintain accurate records of all time worked. The FLSA requires Auburn University to collect timecards for all hourly “non-exempt” employees. 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 a AU Banner ID card at a smart terminal
-
Web-enabled Timestamp - Log into a TigerTime url with your AU GID 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 Breaks
Supervisors may authorize two 15-minute breaks (one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon) for non-exempt employees. Employees may leave their work area during their break unless notified otherwise by their supervisor. Where it is necessary to have someone on duty at all times, 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.
Paycheck
University Staff “nonexempt” 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 and Professional, “exempt" employees, graduate assistants and certain faculty members 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.
Job Opportunities
The Employment section of AUHR maintains a current posting of all job vacancies for University Staff and Administrative/Professional positions. These can be found at www.auemployment.com. Please see the following section on Promotions and Transfers for additional detailed information regarding eligibility to apply to these posted positions.
Promotions, Transfers and Demotions
Promotion
Promotion is recognized advancement of a position due to a validated significant and permanent increase in the job content value of the position’s assigned work. This work is either,
-
Being performed by an employee currently assigned to the position
-
To be performed by an employee who has been selected to be assigned to this position through a competitive selection process
-
To be performed by an employee who has been appointed to the position through a legitimate university-authorized organizational establishment, expansion, or reorganization, in full compliance with university policies, and state and federal regulatory requirements
A promotional advancement is reflected in the position’s assigned job being allocated to a higher pay grade level and is typically accompanied by a commensurate change in the job’s title.
Employees are eligible to be considered for positions which represent promotional opportunities for them outside their current work unit as they become available once they have completed one year of service in their current work unit. (Application may be submitted via www.auemployment.com at 10 months of service.) Employees may apply for promotional opportunities within their work unit provided they have satisfactorily completed the probationary period (minimum of 90 days in regular appointment).
Positions are filled through a competitive process and may include external as well as internal searches. Current job performance and compliance with university work rules are given great consideration in making the selection decision.
Lateral – Voluntary or Involuntary
A lateral position action occurs when, through the normal course of business operations it may be appropriate that an employee move, from one job to another job having the same job content value, whereby both jobs are allocated to the same pay grade range and therefore are considered “like-valued” jobs. This is a position lateral action.
Demotion – Involuntary
Involuntary demotion is when a position demotion is involuntary and has been initiated by university management in response to the employee’s performance deficiencies in the current role or area of discipline. As a result, the employee is involuntary moved to another position with a job of lesser job content value (allocated to a lower pay grade range) with a different role or area of discipline; and whereby management believes that the employee can successfully and fully meet the new position’s performance expectations.
Demotion – Voluntary
Voluntary demotion is when the position demotion action has been voluntarily initiated by the employee and is the result of the selection of the employee for a vacant and posted position through the competitive selection process. In this case the employee voluntarily moves to another position with a job of lesser job content value (allocated to a lower pay grade range) with a different role or area of discipline.
Resignation
Administrative/Professional employees may resign by submitting their resignation in writing to their immediate administrative supervisor. A copy of the written resignation must be forwarded to the Department of Human Resources for inclusion in the employee's personnel file. Administrative Professional employees should give at least a one-month notice.
University Staff employees may resign by submitting their resignation in writing to their immediate administrative supervisor. A copy of the written resignation must be forwarded to Human Resources for inclusion in the employee's personnel file. University Staff employees should give at least a two-week notice.
Layoff Policy
Performance Management Process
Performance management is about successfully accomplishing work expectations and achieving expected outcomes and results. Employees want to know where they stand with their supervisors and how well they are meeting the requirements of the position they hold. Supervisors will formally review job performance with employees in a four-step process involving performance planning, coaching and feedback, planned check-ins, and a year-end review.
This is an annual process beginning June 1 and ending May 31 during which performance expectations based on position responsibilities and supporting duties, goals, and developmental needs are established. Performance is observed, assessments are made concerning performance, and consequences of these assessments are established. During this process, development in what the employee does and how they do it are emphasized. The performance process is intended to be a constructive two-way process between employee and supervisor. Supervisors should expect employees to express their own views and ask questions of their supervisor, and planning using documents provided such as an Employee Input Document. Supervisors should discuss with their employees any questions that they have about their position responsibilities and supporting duties and/or the performance expectations for the position, including goals and development opportunities.
