Employee Categories
Policy Statement
The University System of Georgia (USG) has established employee categories (types of employees and types of employment) to identify persons who are employed by the USG. The types of employees and types of employment are used to determine benefits eligibility and applicability of Board of Regents (BOR) policy, as well as ensure accuracy in reporting based on employee and employment type. This policy ensures consistency necessary for hiring, extending benefits, applying policy, and meeting applicable reporting requirements.
Definitions
Benefits Eligible: There are three definitions pertaining to benefits eligible as described below:
- Full Benefits Eligible: This is defined as 30 or more hours per week or .75 FTE and greater, which applies to regular faculty and regular staff employees. Full benefits include all benefits in accordance with University System of Georgia of Board of Regents policy 8.2.9 Insurance.
- Partial Benefits Eligible: This is defined as 20 to 29 hours per week or .5 FTE to .74 FTE. Partial benefits eligible may apply to regular faculty and regular staff employees. Partial benefits include retirement and pro-rated leave accruals.
- Non-Benefits Eligible: This is defined as nineteen or less hours per week (.49 FTE or less), which applies to regular faculty and staff employees. Non-benefits eligible also includes temporary faculty, staff, and student employees who may not work more than 1,300 hours in a 12-month period as defined later in this policy. Students may not be placed into a regular status.
Employee Categories
- Student Employees: Student Employees are considered temporary and include graduate assistants and student workers.
- Faculty: The faculty shall consist of the corps of instruction and the administrative officers as defined in Section 3 of the Policy Manual of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
- Staff: Staff employees shall consist of two major employee groups 1) staff professional and administrative employees and 2) staff non-exempt and defined as follows:
- Staff Professional and Administrative Employees are exempt from the Federal Wage-Hour provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) because of their professional or administrative responsibilities. (This group does not include faculty or graduate assistants); and
Staff Non-Exempt Employees are not exempt from the federal wage-hour provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). (NOTE: The University System of Georgia position classification system includes the appropriate FLSA status in the “Master List with Definitions and Guidelines”.)
- Classified Employees shall consist of the Staff Professional and Administrative, and Staff Non-exempt employees as defined above.
Employment Status
- Regular Employment Status: Regular employment is considered continuous and may also be defined by agreement, contract, term, or restricted funding source(s). Regular employment may be benefits eligible, partial benefits eligible, non-benefits eligible, full-time, or part-time, exempt or nonexempt. Regular exempt employment must meet the “salary basis” requirement under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
- Salary Basis: Being paid on a “salary basis” means an employee regularly receives a predetermined amount of compensation each pay period on a weekly or less frequent basis and the predetermined amount cannot be reduced because of variations in the quality or quantity of the employee’s work subject to exceptions under FLSA.
- Temporary Employment Status: Temporary employment is short in duration to address business needs and must meet the requirements and characteristics described below:
- A temporary is non-benefits eligible.
- A temporary does not have an expectation of long-term employment.
- A temporary may be full-time or part-time.
- A temporary employee may not exceed a total of 1,300 hours worked in a 12-consecutive month period. The 1,300 hours can be accumulated in any combination during the 12 month period. Once a temporary employee has worked 1,300 hours or has been employed for 12 consecutive months, whichever comes first, the temporary employee must have a break in service of 26 consecutive weeks. Employment applies across all USG institutions.
- If a temporary employee is needed beyond the 1,300 hours, they must be moved to a regular employee status.
- A temporary who is dually or jointly employed in more than one position must have all hours worked counted towards the 1,300 hour worked limit from the date of hire into the first position this includes Temporary Staff Arrangements.
- A temporary may be separated at any time for any reason without notice and either the employer or the employee can end the employment relationship. Such separation is not grievable or subject to appeal.
- A temporary is typically considered non-exempt under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime provisions and paid for all hours worked on an hour for-hour basis, and they must receive overtime pay for hours worked over forty in a workweek at a rate not less than time and one-half their regular rate of pay. In some instances, temporary employees, such as graduate assistants, post docs or credentialed professionals, may be exempt.
Note: If a temporary employee exceeds an average 30 or more hours per week during the ACA measurement period and meets the definition of healthcare eligibility under ACA, if they continue employment in a regular position, they will become eligible to enroll in healthcare benefits during the ACA administrative period.
Employee Categories—Types of Employment
International students in lawful F-1 and J-1 status are eligible to work for an institution but must not work more than 20 hours per week in accordance with Federal Regulations they can work more than 20 hours a week during school holidays and breaks. Additionally, students in F1 and J1 status may work in positions not classified as student employment as approved by their Primary Designated School Official (P) DSO or Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO).
Related Links
BOR Policy Manual on Personnel Categories
BOR Human Resources Administrative Practice Manual on Employee Categories