Human Resources Procedures

Procedure: Employment Classifications and Practices

Effective Date: July 1, 1995 (2/98) (1/05) (10/08) (08/17)

Procedure Number: HR 8

A. Scope:

To promote uniformity and equity in staffing practices.

B. Institutional Regulations:

Personnel actions relating to pay, hours of work, and position classifications shall be initiated by the immediate supervisor with the approval of the appropriate budget authority and will be monitored by the human resources office to ensure compliance with existing administrative policies and procedures.

C. Procedures:

Employees will be hired according to the appropriate classification and status, and will also be eligible for benefits as identified.

Classifications:

  1. Faculty (Instructional Staff): Individuals whose primary duty is to provide instruction to students enrolled full-time or part-time in any of the programs or courses offered by the College. Teacher Exemption: An employee in this classification is exempt from the overtime requirements as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division; therefore are not eligible for overtime or compensatory time (i.e. comp time).
  1. Administration: Individuals whose primary duty consists of the management of a division or department within the College (a.k.a. Budget Authority). They customarily and regularly direct the work of two or more other employees; have the authority to make recommendations of hiring and termination decisions; and can make suggestions as to the advancement, promotion or any other change of status of other employees. Executive Exemption: An employee in this classification is exempt from the overtime requirements as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division; therefore not eligible for overtime or compensatory time (i.e. comp time).
  1. Professional: Individuals who perform office or non-manual work directly related to the management or general business operations of the College; and they exercise discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance. Administrative Exemption: As long as the minimum salary level is met, an employee in this classification is exempt from the overtime requirements as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. If the minimum salary level is not met, this employee may be eligible for overtime or compensatory time (i.e. comp time) for hours worked over 40 in a work week.
  2. Other Professional: Learned professional, creative professional, computer employee.

*Learned professional. Individuals who have the primary duty of performing work requiring advanced knowledge, defined as work which is predominantly intellectual in character and which includes work requiring the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment; the advanced knowledge must be in a field of science or learning that is customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction.

*Creative professional. Individuals whose primary duty involves performing work requiring invention, imagination, originality or talent in a recognized field of an artistic or creative nature.

*Computer employee. Individuals employed as a computer systems analyst, computer programmer, software engineer or other similarly skilled worker in the computer field.

*Professional Exemption: As long as the minimum salary level is met, an employee in this classification is exempt from the overtime requirements as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. If the minimum salary level is not met, this employee may be eligible for overtime or compensatory time (i.e. comp time) for hours worked over 40 in a work week.

  1. Coaches: Individuals hired by the College who spend more than 50% of their time as coaches instructing student-athletes in how to perform their sport or instructing student-athletes about physical health, teamwork, and safety. Teacher Exemption, Coaches: An employee in this classification is exempt from the overtime requirements as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division; therefore are not eligible for overtime or compensatory time (i.e. comp time).
  1. Academic Administrative Employees: Individuals whose primary duty is performing administrative functions directly related to academic instruction or training for the College. The positions in this category shall include department heads, academic counselors and advisors, intervention specialist who must be available to respond to student academic issues, and other employees with similar responsibilities. (Academic counselors who perform work such as administering school testing programs, assisting students with academic problems, and advising students concerning degree requirements would also fall under this category.)
  1. Classified: This classification includes persons who are considered non-exempt from minimum wage and overtime pay requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act. This would include most secretarial/clerical and custodial/maintenance positions.

Employment Status:

  1. Regular full-time:

A standard fiscal year of 261 days will be used when determining the FTE of a regular non-faculty position. (It is also recognized that employees hired to perform duties under a 10-month (210 day) arrangement are also considered full-time.)

  1. Regular part-time – An employee who is hired to work less than 40 hours per week for any time period of more than six months.
  1. Temporary – A non-student employee hired to perform duties normally on a short-term basis (less than six months). The employment status of a temporary employee may later be re-evaluated to be considered for Regular Part-time or Regular Full-time.
  1. Faculty (instructional staff)

Full-time faculty – Defined as a minimum of a 9-month (167 day) contract, subject to the provisions of Iowa Code, Chapter 279, with a course load of at least fifteen (15) credit hours per semester for instructors teaching in college parallel programs and 6.75 contact hours per day for instructors teaching in career and technical education programs.

Adjunct faculty – An employee hired to teach at least one credit course but less than twelve (12) credit hours each semester.

Non-credit instructors (without faculty status) – An employee hired to teach non-credit courses in the adult and continuing education department on an “as needed” basis.

5.  Student – A student employee is a part-time hourly employee (normally twenty work-hours per week or less) who is enrolled in at least six hours each term and regularly attending classes at Southwestern Community College. A student’s primary purpose for being at Southwestern is to further his or her education; therefore, employment is temporary and incidental to the pursuit of an education. The definition of student employee also includes individuals who are in between terms as well as individuals who are in high school or attending another educational institution.

Benefit Eligibility

1.  Regular *full-time employees will be eligible for the following benefits:

a.  Accrued paid leave (sick and vacation). *Faculty receive personal days and sick days.

b.  Insurance (Medical, Dental, Life, Long-Term Disability, Work. Comp.)

c.  Retirement Plan

d.  Tuition Remission

e.  Flexible Spending Account

f.  Employee Assistance Program

2.  Regular part-time employees will be eligible for the following benefits:

a.  Accrued paid leave (sick and vacation)

b.  Worker’s Compensation

c.  Retirement Plan

d.  Employee Assistance Program.

3.  Guidance under the Affordable Care Act:

  1. Even if initially hired for part-time work, employees who work an average of at least 30 hours/week must be offered health insurance coverage. (Prior consideration should be made when hiring individuals in multiple positions for the College.)
  2. Re-hire rule. If an individual has been employed full-time by the College and is later rehired for a part-time position or adjunct position (including clinical instructors) within 26 weeks after they left employment, they will be eligible for health insurance coverage at the same status as when they left.

Pay guidelines:

1.  Faculty salary guidelines are defined in Article IX of the Master Agreement. Adjunct rates are determined annually by the appropriate budget authority and the Administrative Cabinet. Noncredit instructor rates are determined by the appropriate budget authority.

2.  Administrative, Professional, and Classified salary and/or wage guidelines are determined by the appropriate budget authority and the Administrative Cabinet.

Approved:

Director of Human Resources

Chief Executive Officer