Personnel Guidelines

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Personnel Guidelines for Lab Employees & Supervisors

This document is intended as an overview of UC policies regarding personnel matters.

Different positions are on occasion governed by different policies. Please contact the Personnel Analyst or Department Manager for assistance with interpreting University policy or if you are unsure of how to handle any personnel matters not directly addressed in this document.

More detailed information regarding UC employee policies is at

RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervisor Responsibilities:

  • Verify that time reported on the timesheet/leave report is accurate before approving.
  • When an employee comes to you with an unusual personnel request, consult with the department before making any decisions.
  • Alert the department if you are considering termination or layoff for an employee.
  • Notify the department if you or your employee is considering making changes to an appointment (i.e., limited to career, change in percent time, separation, etc.).
  • Clearly define work schedule and performance expectations with your employees.
  • Ensure that employees receive appropriate training.

Department Responsibilities:

  • Monitor appointment and funding end dates
  • Track limited hours
  • Alert supervisor and/or employee when proper policies and procedures are not being followed.
  • Notify the supervisor and employee when the employee is nearing their vacation maximum accrual.
  • Monitor the schedules for academic reviews and performance evaluations; notify supervisors of their roles and responsibilities.

EMPLOYMENT CLASSIFICATIONS

TITLE / Type of Appointment / EXEMPT / NON-EXEMPT / UNION / VISA ELIGIBILITY / SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL / MUST BE SUPERVISED IN LAB
STAFF
casual, career, limited / ACADEMIC
term
Lab Assistant I / X / X / TX / X / X
Lab Assistant II, III, IV / X / X / TX / X
Lab Helper / X / X / SX / X / X
Postdoctoral Scholar / X / X / PX / J1, H1-B,
F1 on OPT
Project Scientist series / X / X / FX / J1
Specialist series / X / X / J1
Staff Research Associate II (non-exempt) / X / X / RX / J1
Staff Research Associate I / X / X / X
Staff Research Associate
II, III, IV / X / X / J1
SRA –Supervisor
II, III, IV / X / X / J1
Student Assistant
I, II, III, IV / X / X / F1 / X / X

HOURS OF WORK

The regular number of hours worked by full-time, non-exempt employees is 40 hours per week. Non-exempt employees are paid hourly. Work beyond 40 hours in a week is subject to additional compensation and must be approved in advance by the employee’s supervisor.

The workweek for full-time, exempt employees is normally considered to be 40 hours; however, greater emphasis is placed on meeting the responsibilities assigned to the position than on working a specified number of hours. Exempt employees do not receive overtime compensation or compensatory time off for hours worked beyond 40 hours per week.

TIME REPORTING

Time Reporting System (TRS) -

Most employees report their time and/or leave via TRS, an online system. The Personnel Analyst will provide employee and supervisor training for this as needed. Monthly and bi-weekly timesheet deadlines are posted on the TRS main page.

Postdocs

  • Report sick and personal leave using a paper report, which is provided to them at the time of hire

Timesheets for Non-exempt Staff

  • Time reported in bi-weeklycycles
  • Time reported in quarter-hour increments (.25).

Leave Reports for Exempt Staff

  • Leave reported monthly
  • Full-time employees report their leave in full day (8 hour) increments; part-time employees’ leave is prorated

BREAKS FOR NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES

Meal Periods

Any work period of 6 continuous hours or more shall provide for a meal period of at least 1/2 hour. Meal periods, which should be duty-free, are neither time worked nor time on pay status.

Rest Periods

A full-time employee may be granted two 15-minute rest periods. Such rest periods shall be considered as time worked.

SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL

A shift differential shall be paid to Student Assistants, Lab Helpers, Lab Assistants, and SRA IIs (non-exempt) for all hours of a shift when four or more hours are worked after 5:00 p.m. and before 8:00 a.m. Shift differential is not paid when the evening hours are scheduled on the basis of convenience to the employee.[Personnel Policies for Staff Members, 33A]

TRAINING

At the time of hire, the Personnel Analyst will inform new employees to take the Safety Training Self Assessment available at the UC Learning Center website. This assessment will inform the employee of required and recommended training.

All employees are expected to take sexual harassment training.

The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that his/her lab staff receives any additional training needed to work in their lab.

PROBATIONARY STAFF EMPLOYEES

All career staff appointments have a six-month probationary period. Supervisors are encouraged to provide regular feedback to employees concerning work performance and general suitability for University employment during the probationary period. The supervisor should conduct a written evaluation of each probationary employee at least once prior to completion of the probationary period. At the midpoint of an employee’s probation period the Personnel Analyst will contact the supervisor to request this written evaluation. In addition to this evaluation, the supervisor may conduct a written evaluation at any time there is a question concerning the quality of an employee's performance or general suitability for University employment.

The Personnel Analyst will contact the supervisor 15 days before the end of an employee’s probationary period to verify that the employee is satisfactory. The supervisor may request an extension to the probationary period at this time. To do this he/she will need to work with the Personnel Analyst to assure compliance with all UCI and union policies. An employee who has satisfactorily completed the probationary period shall be informed in writing of the attainment of regular employee status.

SEPARATION, TERMINATION & LAYOFF
Supervisors should speak with the Personnel Analyst as soon as they think they may need to either terminate or lay off an employee. The Personnel Analyst will work with the supervisor to make sure that all UC and union policies are followed.

Employees serving a probationary period or holding limited or casual appointments may be released at any time at the discretion of the University. The employee shall be notified of the release in writing.

An employee holding a limited or casual appointment is automatically terminated as of the last day of the appointment unless there is a formal extension of the appointment in writing.

NON-REAPPOINTMENTS & VETTING

Notify the Personnel Analyst as soon as you know that you will not be seeking a renewal or reappointment for your term employee. Term appointments are scheduled to end on the appointment end date; however, the non-reappointment may need to be vetted by Academic Personnel. If a term employee is leaving of their own volition then vetting is not required.However, if it is the PI’s decision then s/he will need to provide a reason for the non-reappointment. If the reason is that funding is low or the project has ended, AP will need to know approximate dates as to when funding will run out or when the project ends. If the reason is based on poor performance, then the PI will need to provide details that effort was made to correct the performance issues and that the employee was aware of the issues. It is important for the PI to document any such activity.

ANNUAL REVIEWS

Career Staff

Each July the Personnel Analyst shall contact all career staff supervisors to remind them it is time to conduct annual reviews for the time period July 1 – June 30 (or from date of hire through June 30). The supervisors will be provided with the Performance Evaluation Form and guidelines. Evaluations, signed by both the employee and supervisor, should be submitted to the Department by September 30. These evaluations become part of the employee’s personnel record.

Term Appointees

Academic employees are reviewed every one, two,or three years for either merit increase and/or promotion. The Personnel Analyst will contact you as the time nears for these reviews and provide you with the appropriate forms.

LEAVES

Personal Time Off (Postdocs)

  • Postdocs start each 12-month term with a balance of 24 days of personal time off. This is prorated for appointments less than 12 months.
  • Personal time off not used within the appointment period is not carried over into a subsequent appointment year.
  • Use of personal time off requires advance approval by a supervisor. Supervisors may deny requests for personal time off based on operational needs. Postdoctoral Scholars are expected to communicate with the supervisor to request personal time off as soon as the need for the time off becomes known. The request must include the information needed by the supervisor to assess the operational impact of the leave.

Vacation

  • Vacation leave must be scheduled in advance and approved by the employee’s immediate supervisor(s).
  • Supervisors should do their best to accommodate vacation requests.
  • Supervisors are responsible for verifying that the employee has accrued sufficient vacation time for the requested vacation.

Note: leave accruals are listed on the employee’s time sheet/leave report and on their pay stubs.

  • Vacation shall not be scheduled after the last day of work.
  • Although vacation is provided for rest, the employee may request to use vacation for illness, disability, and personal reasons. To use accrued vacation for illness or disability an employee may be required to submit medical certification of inability to work or illness in the family.
  • Limited employees do not typically accrue vacation; however, a limited employee may become eligible to accrue vacation after 6 consecutive months of employment at 50% or more on pay status. The Personnel Analyst will track your employees and let you know if they become eligible.
  • Employees in the SX union (Lab Helpers) must wait 6 months before using their vacation time.
  • Employees in the TX and RX unions (Lab Assistants & Staff Research Associates) and employees not represented by collective bargaining agreements may use vacation immediately after accruing vacation leave.
  • Employees may only use vacation time that has been accrued.

Sick Leave

  • Employees accrue sick leave IF they meet the minimum hours worked criteria. Any career or limited employee with an appointment at 50% time or greater accrues sick leave. (See separate Postdoc policy below.)
  • Postdocs start each term with 12 days of sick leave plus any unused leave from their previous terms.
  • Sick leave is provided to continue the salary of eligible employees who are absent from work because of illness, disability, or medical appointments.
  • To use sick leave, an employee may be required to give at least 30 days advance notice of foreseeable medical needs (e.g., a planned medical treatment) whenever possible or, if 30 days is not possible, reasonable notice; and to submit satisfactory proof of inability to work, illness in the family, or bereavement.

Holidays

Staffdo not typically work on holidays. A non-exempt employee who is required to work on a holiday will earn additional compensation. Holiday work must be approved by the supervisor in advance.

A Postdoc who is scheduled to work a holiday shall receive an alternate day off for each holiday worked.

UC Holidays

January 1

MLK Day (3rd Monday in January)

President’s Day (3rd Monday in February)

Cesar Chavez Day (Last Friday in March)

Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)

Independence Day Holiday (date varies)

Labor Day (First Monday in September)

November 11 (Veteran’s Day)

Thanksgiving Day

Friday following Thanksgiving Day

December 24 (or announced equivalent)

December 25 (Christmas)

Unless the University designates an alternate day, when a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed as the holiday; and when a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed as the holiday.