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ITHACA COLLEGE
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VOLUME V
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5.3 Compensation ProgramThe Compensation and Organizational Design Department within the Office of Human Resources is responsible for and oversees the compensation program at Ithaca College. This includes establishing rates of pay, ensuring compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act and other governing legislation, overseeing the writing of job descriptions and establishment of classifications, reviewing salaries on an annual basis, providing direction on reorganizations and organizational design, representing the College in unemployment insurance proceedings and coordinating employee wage garnishments. The Compensation and Organizational Design Department is assisted by an external consultant, as needed. The primary objectives of Ithaca College's Compensation Program are listed below.
In order to meet the objectives of the Compensation Program, in 1978 Ithaca College established a formal classification system for all administrative and staff positions. Periodic reviews were undertaken to confirm that our compensation system remained intact. In 1998-99, the College engaged compensation consultant Fred Owen to do a comprehensive review of the program. The director of compensation and organizational design (project lead), working closely with the director and associate director of human resources and a staff advisory committee, implemented the recommendations of the project and made changes to jobs and salaries in the fall of 1999. The annual review process for 2000-2001, conducted in the spring of 2000, was the first year under the revised procedures established by the compensation project. The Compensation Program and the annual review procedures were approved and supported by the Salary Committee (vice president for finance and administration, director of human resources, director of budget, and director of compensation and organizational design) and the President's Council. The Compensation and Organizational Design Department oversees reviews of individual positions and groups of positions, as well as plans for departmental reorganizations, to ensure that the classifications of all positions are appropriate. Although the Compensation and Organizational Design Department has central responsibility for the Compensation Program, each supervisor has the important role of seeing that policies and procedures are consistently implemented in each department. In reviewing any position, the director of compensation and organizational design first updates the written job description to ensure its accuracy. Analysis of any job may include discussions with the supervisor and job incumbent, as well as on-site observation. The director of compensation and organizational design then evaluates the job to determine the appropriate grade level. This grading process also involves comparing the job to the established benchmark position for that grade, as well as comparable positions across campus, to ensure that jobs are graded consistently. Each new or reevaluated position is then assigned to one of twenty-seven job grades each having a corresponding salary range with an established minimum and maximum for each grade. Within these salary ranges, individual salaries will vary according to a number of factors, including length of service and the quality of each employee's performance.
It is the supervisor's responsibility to provide each employee with a copy of the formal job description and to discuss it with the employee. It is also the supervisor's responsibility to make sure that job descriptions are kept up-to-date; a request for a job review should be directed to the Compensation and Organizational Design Department whenever there are significant changes in a job. It is possible, however, to make minor changes to a job description without the need for a job review or reclassification. Supervisors should forward a draft of the description with any proposed wording changes to the Compensation and Organizational Design Department. Job descriptions should be reviewed by the supervisor at least once a year, at the time the performance evaluation is conducted, and every time a job is vacated. In addition to the formal job description approved by the Compensation and Organizational Design Department, the supervisor may wish to write and issue a more detailed task description. The task list should be specific and not outside the realm of the job description. Keep in mind that the classification of a job is concerned only with the duties and responsibilities of the job. The performance or productivity of the individual currently in the job should not be considered in the classification procedure.
A job should be reevaluated anytime there are significant changes to the job description. If a supervisor feels that a position should be reclassified, a written request for a review should be submitted to the Compensation and Organizational Design Department as described in section 5.3.1.2.1. An employee may initiate a job review by submitting a written request to the supervisor with a copy to the Compensation and Organizational Design Department. If the supervisor supports the request, the supervisor will follow the procedures for a reclassification (see section 5.3.1.2.1). If the supervisor does not feel a review is justified, the supervisor will inform the employee in writing, with a copy to the Compensation and Organizational Design Department.
New Positions - The director of compensation and organizational design is available to assist a supervisor in writing a preliminary description and estimating the cost for a position (for the Budget Committee) prior to the approval of that position. Every new position, or position that will be funded through a grant, must be described, evaluated, and graded before it is posted or advertised. Therefore, it is essential that the supervisor make a formal written request to the Compensation and Organizational Design Department once a job is approved so that the evaluation and grading can take place in a timely manner. Most new positions are approved to begin on June 1 (the first day of the fiscal year), but supervisors may wish to have a position posted and advertised well before that date. Reorganized Jobs - If one or more jobs in a department might be reorganized, the reorganization should be discussed fully with the director of compensation and organizational design to assess the impact on existing jobs. Any revisions to job descriptions must be submitted to the director of compensation and organizational design for review and to establish the appropriate grade level. If an employee who previously performed most of the responsibilities will be assuming the reorganized job, a waiver to posting may be required (see Volume III, section 3.1.3). The incumbent should be informed in writing of the change in the incumbent's job, with a copy to the Office of Human Resources for inclusion in the employee's personnel file.
An employee or supervisor may initiate an appeal of the outcome of a job classification review. Employees may initiate the appeal by submitting a request in writing to the supervisor, with a copy to the Compensation and Organizational Design Department. The supervisor, upon receiving the appeal request, should state whether or not the supervisor feels there are grounds for appeal and forward the supervisor's comments to the Compensation and Organizational Design Department within two weeks. The supervisor also may initiate an appeal by submitting a request in writing, with supporting documents and comments, to the Compensation and Organizational Design Department. The Compensation and Organizational Design Department will review the appeal and, if necessary, request additional information and interview the parties involved. If the Compensation and Organizational Design Department and the supervisor reach an agreement, the supervisor will discuss the outcome with the employee, and either the job will be changed accordingly or the original recommendation will be implemented. The outcome will be confirmed in writing. In the event that an agreement is not reached, the department head must discuss the appeal with the department head's executive officer. If the executive officer chooses, the compensation and organizational design department's recommendation may be appealed to a committee composed of the director of human resources, and the vice president for finance and administration. The committee will review the written details of the appeal and may, if it so wishes, meet with a member of the Compensation and Organizational Design Department, the supervisor, the employee, or any other individual who can provide pertinent information. The decision of this committee will be final. Supervisors should ensure that all employees are aware of this appeals procedure.
The salary structure is intended to provide a framework or context for determining individual base salaries. Each job's salary range should take into consideration:
The College presently uses salary ranges having a minimum and a maximum. In addition, the College calculates quartiles within each range in order to be more definitive about where individual salary rates are positioned within their assigned ranges. These practices are consistent with sound compensation management principles and should be continued. The midpoint of each range can be used as a reference point for such purposes as assessing individual progression in salary range as well as for comparing salary ranges with the marketplace. Since most salary surveys report midpoints of salary ranges, those midpoints tend to serve as reliable comparisons with the College's established range midpoints. The College's range widths are 40 percent from minimum to maximum for staff positions and 50 percent from minimum to maximum for senior administrative positions. Those widths provide appropriate opportunities to recognize differences in performance and competencies. The wider range for senior administrative positions is appropriate since those positions have greater potential variance in performance outcomes on an organization-wide basis. These range widths should be maintained. The percentage difference from one range to the next - or "spread" - of approximately 8 percent is appropriate and should be maintained. The minimum of each range is intended to be competitive in the marketplace for attracting new candidates whose competencies, abilities, and experience do not yet measure up to the organization's standards for full, competent performance. Most new incumbents, therefore, should be paid at or near the minimum and should progress toward midpoint as their experience and competence grow. Progress to a point in the general area of the middle of the range for appropriately skilled incumbents typically will take five to seven years, depending upon the complexity of the respective jobs. Candidates whose background, competencies, and experience clearly make them able to perform at close to fully competent levels may be placed between range minimum and midpoint, but probably not at midpoint until they have proven themselves as valuable contributors. This policy is intended to recognize and compensate present staff members who already have contributed to the institution's success over a period of years. Fairness to present staff members is the objective. The portion of the ranges in the third and fourth quartiles is intended to reward and to encourage the kinds of outstanding performance that makes a major contribution to the success of the institution. Is intended to recognize excellence. A normal distribution of data would suggest that, over time, a substantial number of seasoned incumbents' salaries would be near midpoint. In most organizations there is a tendency for staff members to meet the general requirements of their jobs. In most organizations that level of performance is compensated in the general area of range midpoint. Ithaca College, on the other hand, is an organization of high academic and service standards. Its staff members, therefore, need to hold competencies higher than just average and to perform at a superior level. Thus, the administration of salaries to or toward salary range maximum is appropriate when staff members achieve truly exemplary results.
Each of the twenty-seven job grades has a salary range with a fixed minimum and maximum. Rates for non-exempt jobs are expressed as an hourly amount and for exempt jobs as an annual salary amount. The employee will normally complete one year of continuous service before becoming eligible for transfer, promotion, or voluntary demotion; however, this requirement may be waived if agreed to by the current supervisor and the director of human resources. The department must complete the appropriate workflow to reflect approved salary offers and changes. See the Parnassus documentation for instructions (Volume III, section 3.1) for procedures on hiring and promoting. For information regarding payment for hours worked during summer and semester breaks, see Volume III, section 3.6.10.1, Payment for Hours Worked During Summer and Semester Breaks.
The hiring rate for new employees is normally the minimum rate of the grade for that particular position. A supervisor may request a hiring rate in excess of the minimum in those special cases where the individual is exceptionally well qualified. Any rate in excess of the minimum must be reviewed with the Compensation and Organizational Design Department before the offer is made. If approved, written justification for the higher rate must be sent to the Compensation and Organizational Design Department. Hiring rates never exceed the midpoint of the grade unless approved by the president. New employees may, on rare occasion, be hired below the minimum rate if they lack the minimum training and experience required by the job. The maximum period of time an employee may remain below the minimum rate is six months. The rate will usually be 10 percent below the minimum rate for the grade. Any rate below the minimum must be reviewed with the Compensation and Organizational Design Department before the job offer is made. If approved, written justification for hiring at a rate below the minimum must be sent to the Compensation and Organizational Design Department.
A promotion is a move to a position that is at a higher grade. This may occur by an employee applying for the position and being selected or by the supervisor receiving approval to directly promote an individual (see Direct Line Promotion Policy in section 5.2.3.1). A reclassification is a change in grade level resulting from a job review. A reclassification to a higher grade occurs when the job an employee holds is reviewed and then reevaluated at a higher level. Employees promoted or reclassified to a higher grade shall have their rate of pay adjusted to the minimum rate of the new grade. If the minimum of the new grade is less than 10 percent above the employee's current salary, a total increase of up to 10 percent may be given if approved by the Compensation and Organizational Design Department. The new salary may never exceed the maximum of the new grade. In circumstances where the employee seeking a promotion lacks the minimum training and experience, a special trial rate of pay may be used with the agreement of the Compensation and Organizational Design Department. The parameters for a trial period are outlined below.
A demotion is a move to a position in a lower classification. An employee may voluntarily apply for a position in a lower classified job, or may involuntarily be demoted as a disciplinary action. A supervisor considering demoting an employee must review the circumstances with the director of human resources prior to taking any action. A reclassification to a lower grade occurs when the position an employee holds is reviewed and reevaluated at a lower level. When an employee is demoted, either voluntarily or involuntarily, or reclassified to a lower grade, the employee's rate of pay should be within the range of the lower-rated position, with consideration for the employee's background and ability to perform the duties of the new position. The new rate of pay cannot, however, exceed the maximum for the new grade.
A transfer is a move within the same classification level and is made without adjustment to the employee's current rate of pay, unless the employee is transferred from a non-exempt to an exempt position. (See section 5.3.3.1 for information on exempt or non-exempt status.) In that case, the Compensation and Organizational Design Department would apply the appropriate formula to guarantee proper placement within the exempt salary scale.
A former employee who is rehired into the same job title and classification in the same department within one year from the resignation date will receive either the same rate of pay, or if the salary scales have been revised, the same percent above the minimum as the employee had prior to leaving the College. If the employee is rehired into the same job title and classification, but in a different department, the employee will receive the same percent above the minimum unless the hiring supervisor wishes to offer a lower rate. (See section 5.6.2.2 of this volume and Volume III, section 3.9.3.2 for additional information.)
See Volume III, section 3.9.15, Leaves of Absence (and the sections which follow) for information about paid leaves of absence such as those for military duty, jury duty, bereavement, and similar circumstances.
Grant-funded positions are subject to the same guidelines as all other Ithaca College positions. The supervisor must consult with the Compensation and Organizational Design Department before a grant proposal is submitted if the grant includes funds for employment, either for an external hire or a current employee. After a grant is approved, the Compensation and Organizational Design Department will work with the department to write job descriptions and determine the appropriate grade level and rate of pay for any newly created positions (see Volume III, section 3.6.4, Employees Working on Grants).
Salary increases are given primarily at the time of the College's annual salary review, except as a result of a promotion or job reclassification. Salaries are reviewed once a year and changes are effective on June 1. The allocation for increments for each department is established by the College budget process and takes into consideration the availability of College resources and other factors such as inflation, cost of living, and the competitiveness of the College's pay rates in relation to those of comparable employers. Guidelines for determining individual increases for employees are issued to supervisors each year. The supervisor recommends the increase for each employee in the supervisor's department according to these guidelines. Written justifications are requested for any recommendations that are exceptionally high or low. These recommended increases are then reviewed by the appropriate executive officer, the director of compensation and organizational design, the budget director, the vice president for finance and administration, the director of human resources, and the president. Generally, an employee who is at or near the maximum for the employee's grade may be limited in the percent of increase granted. If the salary scales are increased and an employee is at a rate below the new minimum, the employee's rate of pay must be adjusted to at least the new minimum.
The salary review process may include provisions for general merit increases, additional merit increases, and equity adjustments where appropriate. The process for the current year is located at www.ithaca.edu/hr/compensation/annualreview/.
The compensation scale is reviewed annually and revised, as appropriate, within the limits of the College's financial resources. This review includes an analysis of rates paid throughout the College, in the local community, and in other appropriate labor markets offering comparable work and employment conditions. Supervisors who have access to comparative salary information through professional organizations, the recruitment process, or other sources are urged to share this information with the Compensation and Organizational Design Department.
In 1966, amendments to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 brought colleges under the jurisdiction of the Wage and Hour Law. The FLSA regulates the minimum wage for employees, as well as payment of overtime. The College is also governed by New York State Wage and Hour Laws, and when provisions are more restrictive than the federal law, the state law governs. All employees should direct questions regarding provisions of the FLSA to the Compensation and Organizational Design Department.
All employees are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act as amended; however, some positions are "exempt" from certain provisions of the act, such as the requirement to pay overtime for hours worked in excess of forty per week. An employee qualifies for exempt status only by meeting conditions stipulated in the law that define a bona fide "executive," "administrator," or "professional." An employee will be considered to be paid "on a salary basis" within the meaning of the regulations if under the employee's employment agreement the employee regularly receives each pay period on a weekly, or less frequent basis, a predetermined amount constituting all or part of this compensation, which amount is not subject to reduction because of variations in the quality or quantity of work performed. The College cannot arbitrarily assign exempt status to a position. The Compensation and Organizational Design Department is responsible for interpreting the FLSA and for making exempt status determinations that will meet the standards of the final authority, the U.S. Department of Labor.
Effective 8/3/2004. The standard payroll week for all employees is 12:01 a.m. Monday to 12:00 p.m. (midnight) Sunday. This standard is necessary to enable computation of overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The regular workweek for staff may be 37.5 or 40 hours, with work schedules established in accordance with the needs of specific departments. (Some departments have evening or night shift schedules.) Special instructions for time reporting for nurses are explained in the TRF section of the Parnassus HR/Payroll documentation. Within departments, there may be positions with schedules that vary from the standard work schedules. This may include, but is not limited to, a four-day work week option. These are established after consultation with the Compensation and Organizational Design Department. (See also section 3.6.7 Flexible Working Hours Policy.)
Effective 8/3/2004. Employees classified as non-exempt must be paid for all hours worked
including those in excess of the normally scheduled workweek. In determining
the total hours, all hours a non-exempt employee is "permitted or
required to work" must be counted. This includes work performed at
the College, at home, or away from campus. A non-exempt employee should
not be asked or permitted to take work home except in unusual circumstances.
Work may not be done at home without prior approval from the supervisor.
In calculating the total number of hours worked, waiting time, changing
and washing time, mealtime, and travel time under certain circumstances
must be included. For example, if an employee must cover the telephone
when eating, the time must be counted. If a non-exempt employee on an
overnight job-related trip travels during regular working hours or the
corresponding hours on Saturday or Sunday, these hours must be paid. Questions
regarding whether or not time should be paid, should be
Effective 8/3/2004. The FLSA requires that non-exempt employees be paid the premium rate of one and one-half times the regular rate for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a standard workweek. In calculating 40 hours, it is the College's policy to include all paid hours (including hours worked, sick, personal, or vacation time; and holiday time equal to the number of hours the individual is normally scheduled to work) authorized by the supervisor and paid for under a College benefit entitlement. (Premium pay for holidays is not counted as hours worked.) Even though a non-exempt employee may be working only part-time in a particular department, the College is responsible for paying overtime if the employee works elsewhere for the College and accumulates a total of more than 40 hours in a week. In those cases, the supervisors in both areas should consult with the Compensation and Organizational Design Department to determine the rate of overtime pay. The Compensation and Organizational Design Department will apply a formula prescribed by the Fair Labor Standards Act. The supervisor should carefully control overtime. Employees should be requested to work overtime only when absolutely necessary. The supervisor must authorize all overtime in advance. Supervisors should inform employees at the onset of employment that it is a condition of employment that they will work overtime if asked. Also, supervisors should indicate the usual frequency for overtime in their department. If possible, when overtime work must be scheduled, the supervisor should give the employee advance notice. It is also the supervisor's responsibility to offer the opportunity to earn overtime pay as equally as possible among the employees who are capable of performing the work.
According to the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, a non-exempt employee's request to take compensatory time instead of payment for overtime may not be granted unless the supervisor can schedule the time to be taken off in the same work week in which the "extra hours" are worked. It is not allowable to take "time off" during the following workweek, even if it is within the same pay period. Special rules apply to hours worked on a holiday as explained in section 5.3.4.1.1 of this volume. See the information pertaining to the holiday pay during the semester break at www.ithaca.edu/hr/compensation/HolidayPay.php. While exempt employees are expected to work whatever hours are necessary to complete the job, an exempt employee may, on occasion be granted "time off" at the discretion of the employee's supervisor. Exempt employees are not eligible for overtime pay for hours worked over forty in a week.
Ithaca College's time report form (TRF) meets the record-keeping requirement of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is an official College record. The signatures of the employee and supervisor on each time report form officially confirm the information contained on it. Supervisors should refer to www.ithaca.edu/hr/hrinfo for instructions on completing the TRF.
When a non-exempt, benefits-eligible employee is required to work a full shift on a day designated as a holiday and that day would be a normally scheduled work day, that individual will be paid time and one-half for the actual hours worked, and will accrue a full holiday day. In the event, the individual works a partial shift on a day designated as a holiday, the individual will be paid time and one-half for the actual hours worked, will be paid holiday time for the remaining hours, and will accrue the number of hours actually worked on the holiday up to the number of hours normally scheduled for that day. If an individual is asked to work on a day designated as a holiday, but that day would not be a normally scheduled work day, the individual will be paid time and one-half for the actual hours worked. The individual will not receive holiday time for that day since it is not a normally scheduled workday for that individual. For example, if an individual is regularly scheduled to work 8 hours and works 3 hours, the individual would be paid 3 hours at time and one-half and 5 hours of holiday pay. In addition, the individual would accrue 3 hours of holiday time to be used at a later date. Employees who are not benefit eligible do not receive holiday pay. In the event an individual who is not benefit eligible works during this time frame, she/he will be paid straight time for the hours worked.
Benefits-eligible employees who are scheduled to work only during the academic year will receive holiday pay for Thanksgiving, Winter Holiday Break, and New Year's in accordance with the College holiday schedule. This applies even if the employee is not scheduled to work on the holiday or on the days that precede or follow the holiday, but does not apply unless an employee is returning for the spring semester. Any employee who is on disability during an official College holiday will only receive holiday pay if the employee is receiving pay from the College (i.e. medical, vacation, or personal leave) in addition to disability payments.
When necessary, employees will be expected to "fill in" for short periods of time for another position in a department. When an extended period of time is involved, there may be remuneration. If an employee is asked to assist in the employee's department by assuming additional responsibilities or a higher level of responsibility for an extended period of time (e.g., to cover a medical leave of a co-worker), the supervisor may compensate the employee at a higher rate of pay after consultation with the Compensation and Organizational Design Department. In these cases, payment may be made over the duration of the time period involved or in one or more lump sum payments.
Hourly employees who are regularly scheduled to work second or third shift are paid a shift premium. This is to recognize that these hours are usually less desirable to work. In order to qualify for a shift premium, an employee must be regularly scheduled to work a full shift (a normal workday of 8, 7.5, or 7 hours).
$9.25 (hourly rate) + .65 (shift premium) = $9.90 $9.90 x 1.5 = $14.85 (overtime hourly rate) For additional information see www.ithaca.edu/hr/compensation/ShiftDifferentials.php.
Determining "Essential" Employees During an official emergency closing, it is anticipated that some employees in the Office of Facilities, Public Safety, and the Health Center will be "essential." The directors of physical plant and public safety will establish appropriate procedures for designating "essential" employees and communicating with employees. No other employees will be considered "essential" without consultation with an executive officer and the Office of Human Resources. In the event of a College closing, "essential" personnel are expected to report to work or remain at work for their regularly scheduled hours, and possibly beyond, or until the emergency is over. Payments to Essential Employees When an Emergency Closing is in Effect When an emergency closing is in effect, all employees designated as "essential" and who report to work will be compensated at their regular rate and will receive an additional one and one-half times their regular rate for all hours worked during the first three days the College is officially closed. (See Parnassus documentation, TRF section, for instructions on completing the TRF for "essential" employees when an emergency closing is in effect.) Payments to Employees Who Are Not Required to Report or to Remain at Work ("Non-Essential") During an official emergency closing, all "non-essential" employees who had been scheduled to work will be paid for their normally scheduled work hours, for up to three days. Employees who are using sick time or previously scheduled vacation or personal time will not have those hours converted to emergency closing (regular) hours. If a closing lasts more than three consecutive days, the president will determine the pay policy for "essential and non-essential" employees.
If a non-exempt employee has worked or is on authorized, paid time off and is recalled to work, the employee will be paid in one of two ways, whichever is greater: (1) a minimum of the equivalent of 3 hours at straight time or (2) for all hours worked with any hours over 40 in the week paid at time and one-half. Equivalent time off may be given in the same workweek in lieu of payment. EXAMPLE A An employee has completed the normal 37.5-hour workweek and worked two additional hours when recalled to work for twenty minutes. The employee would be paid three hours of straight time pay beyond the 39.5 hours for a total of 42.5 hours at straight time. EXAMPLE B If an employee has taken 40 hours of vacation and is then called in to work three hours on Saturday, the employee will receive three hours at the time and one-half rate since these hours began after the employee already had 40 hours of authorized paid time off. This is consistent with the College's policy for payment of overtime (see section 5.3.3.4). EXAMPLE C If an employee worked 39 hours and is recalled for two hours, the employee will be paid 39 hours at straight time plus the three hour recall minimum (for a total of 42 hours at straight time), because this is greater than paying an additional one hour at straight time and one hour at time and one-half.
If a non-exempt employee must attend staff meetings outside of the employee's regularly scheduled work hours, the employee should be compensated at the usual hourly rate and according to the policy on payment of "recall hours." Shift arrangements in some College departments means there is no time when all employees are on duty at once; therefore, some employees will have to attend meetings during off-duty hours. An appropriate approach is to establish a set time for the meetings and compensate individuals for the time from the start to the formal conclusion of the meeting. The meeting should be scheduled at a time that would fall within the normal workday of as many employees as possible. Whenever possible, the work schedule of employees who normally work 40 hours should be rearranged so that the total hours of a given week do not exceed forty including the hours of the staff meeting. If any employees choose to attend meetings that are not mandatory, but are for their own benefit, they do not need to be compensated for the time in the meeting. For instructions on entering "recall hours" on the time report form, see Parnassus documentation.
A check will be issued to the estate paying the deceased employee's regular pay for the pay period in which death occurs. A second check will be issued to the estate paying any vacation and/or personal accrual balances. (This calculation is through the date of death.) A third check will be issued to the estate representing a payment equivalent to one month's salary, which is calculated by taking 1/12 of the employee's annualized salary at the time of death. If an employee is not entitled to a paycheck for the period in which the employee dies and there are no accrual balances, the estate will receive a check for one month's salary only. For example, if a person who works only during the academic year dies in July, the estate receives 1/12 of the annualized salary at the time of death. The appropriate executive officer and the director of human resources should be notified immediately in the event an employee is seriously ill or dies. The director of human resources will arrange for the payments, which in most circumstances will be in accordance with the above guidelines. If special circumstances warrant a different payment, the case will be referred to the president for review and authorization (see section 5.6.3.2).
The College has two different payroll schedules based on FLSA requirements for exempt and non-exempt personnel. Bi-weekly Payroll - Non-exempt employees must be paid by the hour and receive paychecks every other week. The bi-weekly pay schedule is issued annually. Paychecks, or pay advices for those on direct deposit, are usually issued on Friday following the end of a pay period, and are distributed through the employee's department. Semi-monthly Payroll - Employees in exempt positions are paid twice a month: the pay schedule is the 15th and the last day of each month or on the last regular business day preceding these dates when they fall on a holiday or weekend. Direct Deposit - Arrangements have been made to offer a direct-deposit option. Information on the services offered and enrollment forms are available through Employee Self-Service and in the Payroll Office. Employees are strongly encouraged to look into the advantages of direct deposit. The paycheck is deposited on the scheduled pay date, and the pay advice slip is available on-line.
The College makes the following payroll deductions for
Employees who wish to change the number of tax exemptions may obtain a W-4 form from the Payroll Office. If an employee is eligible to participate in benefits, the employee's College benefit credits and charges are reflected in each paycheck. In addition, the College will make any deductions required by law or court order and in some cases at the request of the employee (e.g., the Cornell Fingerlakes Credit Union or the United Way). Benefits-eligible employees who work less than 12 months per year are placed on an alternative benefits payment schedule. This schedule allows the employee to pay for the costs of their coverage during the period of time scheduled to work. For example: A benefits-eligible employee who works 10 months would have 1/21 (instead of 1/26) taken out every pay period.
The law requires that the College process wage assignments, tax levies, or other court-ordered wage attachments. When the College is notified, the Office of Human Resources will handle the matter and will discuss it with the employee. Employees will be encouraged to arrange for direct payment and a written release from the creditor.
All requests for verification of employment and employee salary information should be directed to the Employment and Employee Relations Department within the Office of Human Resources. There are times when individual employees initiate the request for completion of paperwork (i.e. mortgage applications, etc.). While the Employment and Employee Relations Department will make every effort to complete appropriate forms as quickly as possible, employees need to be aware that this process may take more than one day and should plan accordingly. |
Last Updated: August 3, 2004 |
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This document is maintained by the Office of General Counsel. Send comments to: Bonnie LeBlanc |
