Human Resources Staff Manual

>> Return to Staff Manual Homepage <<

C. Position Classifications

1. Overview
When you are hired, you will receive an appointment letter that will specify how your position has beencategorized and its grade level under the university’s position classification system. The system ofcategorization is described below. If you do not understand your position's  classification or any of theterms used in this manual, please ask questions. How your position is defined is important for several reasons. Most particularly, it determines which policies apply to you and what benefits you are eligibleto receive. However, in all cases, the terms of the individual benefit plans, to the extent they conflictwith anything in this manual, supersede and control.

2. Position Definitions

   a. Administrative or Hourly
The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (the Act) requires employers to determine which of their employees are subject to its provisions and which are exempt from them, based on a number of criteria specified in the Act. At Wittenberg, generally, all administrative staff are deemed “exempt” from the provisions of the Act. This means that administrative staff members are not entitled to receive overtime pay. By contrast, all hourly staff are deemed “non-exempt.” Under the Act, nonexempt employees are entitled to overtime pay, and the university is required to keep hourly work records. The Human Resource department evaluates the job responsibilities of each position together with the Act’s criteria for determining whether a position is classified as exempt (administrative) or non-exempt (hourly).

   b. Full-time or Part-time
The status of your position is also determined by the number of annual hours worked, the regularity of your work schedule, and the duration of the position.

The definitions of Full-time and Part-time Applicable to Hourly Staff are:

  Full-time hourly staff are those who are scheduled to work 40 hours per week or 1,560 or more hours annually. Full-time hourly staff receive all benefits applicable to hourly staff as described in this manual or as modified by the university from time to time.

  Part-time I hourly staff are those who are regularly scheduled to work 20 hours or more per  week and between 780 and 1,559 annual hours. Part-time I hourly staff receive prorated sick leave, prorated vacation time, prorated personal time, and prorated holiday time. Tuition reimbursement for the employee at one half the full-time hourly staff benefit is available. The tuition waiver/scholarship policies described in Appendix I do not apply to the children or spouses of part-time I hourly staff, and part-time I hourly staff are not eligible for short-term disability benefits, or health or life insurance. Hourly staff who work 1,000 hours or more are eligible to participate in the TIAA-CREF retirement
plan.

  Part-time II hourly staff are those who are regularly scheduled to work fewer than 20 hours per week and less than 780 hours annually. Part-time II hourly staff are not eligible for benefit programs other than coverage under Social Security and Workers' Compensation.

The definitions of Full-time and Part-time Applicable to Administrative Staff are:

  Full-time administrative staff are those who are regularly scheduled to work a minimum of 40 hours per week, 12 months per year. Full-time administrative staff receive all benefits applicable to administrative staff as described in this manual or as modified by the university from time to time.

  Part-time administrative staff are those who are regularly scheduled to work at least 1,560 annual hours. Such employees receive prorated vacation and sick pay, may participate in the TIAACREF retirement plan, receive the university’s life insurance benefit and are eligible for the tuition waiver benefit. Part-time administrative staff are not eligible to participate in the university’s group health insurance plan, long-term disability plan or tuition scholarship program. Administrators who work less than 1,560 annual hours are not eligible for benefits other than coverage under Social Security and Workers' Compensation with the exception of the TIAA-CREF retirement plan if the employee works a minimum of 1,000 annual hours. Please consult the Human Resources department and plan documents for additional details.

c. Temporary Staff
Temporary staff are those individuals that the university hires for a pre-established period, usually during peak workloads or unplanned staff vacancies. Temporary staff may work a full-time or part-time schedule and are ineligible for university benefits other than coverage under Social Security and Workers' Compensation programs.

Generally, temporary staff may not apply for the open position for which they are providing temporary service. Requests for an exception to this policy will be considered on an individual basis by the associate vice president for human resources.