I. GROUP DESIGNATIONS

A. Group 1 (Overtime Ineligible)

• Definition: Positions in this group regularly exercise substantial discretion, independent judgment and decision-making authority. The work is relatively unsupervised. Responsibilities include developing unit policies and procedures, managing departments or divisions, providing authoritative advice and consultation relating to the administrative operations of a unit, performing specialized or highly technical work, or work which is original or creative in nature. Human Resources has determined these positions are not covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

• Full-Time Professional Staff: Individual work schedules of full-time employees will consist of 174 hours per month; however, the nature and responsibilities associated with the majority of staff may frequently require that the employee exceed that amount. Individual schedules which vary from the University’s campus business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. may be approved by employing officials, depending on unit work requirements.

• Associated Extra Hours with Regular Work Assignments: Professional Staff in this group are not eligible for overtime compensation.

• Part-time Professional Staff: A part-time schedule is any work schedule less than one FTE (full-time equivalent). Although a regular and predicted work schedule may be established, a part-time professional staff employee in this group will be expected to remain flexible to accommodate the goals and mission of the unit.

• Leave Reporting: Professional staff will complete the appropriate leave request form and route to his/her supervisor prior to taking leave, unless prearranged.  Leave forms may be completed after the fact for sick leave.  Employees in Group 1 are not required to charge accrued leave balances to cover supervisor-approved part-day absences unless otherwise directed for an approved family/medical leave.

• 180-day Medical Leave Plan: Professional Staff from Group 1 who have the 180-day medical  leave plan as defined in the Professional Staff Handbook will not have a leave balance indicated on their earning statement due to the renewal nature of the 180-day medical  leave plan. Employees will be required to report days sick leave used. Sick leave usage will be input in the Western HR system allowing for reports to be produced.

B. Group 2 (Overtime Eligible)

• Definition: Positions in this group have significant responsibility for providing administrative and professional support to administrators and executive heads. They exercise judgment and discretion in carrying out the work of the unit, requiring the interpretation and application of institutional policies, protocols and program regulations. Human Resources has defined these positions to be covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act, thus requiring employees in this group to charge appropriate leave balances or leave without pay for partial day absences of .25 of an hour or greater.

• Full-time Professional Staff: Regular work schedules of full-time employees will consist of 40 hours per work week. Individual schedules which vary from the University’s campus business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. may be approved by employing officials, depending on unit work requirements.

• Extra Hours Associated with Regular Work Assignment: Full-time employees must be compensated at one and one-half times their regular hourly rate for all time actually worked over 40 hours in a work week or, by agreement with the employee, as compensatory time.

• Part-time Professional Staff: A part-time schedule is any schedule less than one FTE (full-time equivalent). Part-time employees in this group must be compensated for all hours worked over the regularly scheduled FTE percentage. Additional hours worked up to 40 in a work week must be paid at the straight time rate of pay or, by agreement with the employee, as straight-time compensatory time. Any time actually worked in excess of 40 hours during a work week must be paid at the time and one-half rate or, by agreement with the employee, as compensatory time.

• Leave Reporting: Professional staff will complete the appropriate leave request form and route to his/her supervisor prior to taking leave, unless prearranged.  Leave forms may be completed after the fact for sick leave.

II. GENERAL INFORMATION

Depending on department policy, electronic timesheets will either be submitted by the employee or by a designated departmental representative.  All leave that should be reported shall be submitted by the designated deadline.  Leave will be approved on-line by a designated department representative who will have access to approved leave forms.  If the department policy is to have leave submitted by a departmental representative, then departments must maintain adequate documentation supporting the reported leave taken. This documentation must be kept in the department for six years for audit purposes.

B. Leave Balance Reports

Department representatives have access to print the Departmental Leave Report which reflects balance and leave activity for classified and professional staff.  Individual Professional staff leave activity and available balances are shown on their earnings statement.

Vacation balances in excess of 240 hours (30 working days) on the employee's anniversary date will be extinguished unless the appropriate Vice President/Provost has given prior written approval for additional balances.  All requests for approval to exceed the maximum must include a plan to reduce the balance below the maximum by the beginning of the next anniversary year.  The Western HR system extinguishes balances at the end of the pay period in which the employee's anniversary date (adjusted service date) occurs.