PBSci Personnel/Payroll
5th Floor Physical Sciences Building
Mail Stop: PB Sci. Pers/Pay Res. Acctg.
Fax: 831-459-5599

Policy Summary for Academic Research & Administrative Employees (11-month)

(e.g. Postgraduate Researchers, Professional Researchers, Specialists, Visiting Postdocs, Academic Coordinators, Directors, etc.)

Welcome to the University of California and the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences. This sheet contains highlights of the major personnel policies which apply to you.

A Physical and Biological Sciences Personnel/Payroll Representative and an Academic Coordinator were assigned to assist you when your employment with the Division began. Our Contact List provides his/her phone number, e-mail address and work schedule. All Personnel/Payroll Representatives are located in the Physical and Biological Sciences Business Office, 301 & 302 Jack Baskin Engineering Building. You may contact your Personnel/Payroll Representative if you have questions about any information on this sheet. If your representative is not available and you need information right away, you may call the Business Office's main reception line at 459-2018 for assistance from one of our other representatives.

Your position is one that is designated as EXEMPT for purposes of compensation and reporting of time. Exempt employees are considered "salaried" and are paid at a fixed percentage each month, not to exceed 100%, and are expected to fulfill the duties of their positions regardless of hours worked. Time worked is not recorded for purposes of pay and exempt employees are not eligible to earn straight or premium overtime compensation.

PAY PERIODS: Your Personnel/Payroll Representative will be able to tell you when to expect your first paycheck. Thereafter, you will receive monthly paychecks on the first of the month following the month worked (i.e., January time worked is paid to you February 1st.). Your W-2 form will reflect time worked from December through November, not January through December. If your pay date falls on a Saturday or Sunday, you will be paid the preceding Friday (with the exception of December time which is always paid in January).

HOURS OF WORK: The work week for a full-time exempt employee is normally considered to be a minimum of 40 hours, and for part-time employees, the proportion of 40 hours that is equivalent to the appointment percentage. Greater emphasis is placed on meeting the responsibilities assigned to the position rather than working a specified number of hours.

TIME RECORDS: Exempt employees are paid a predetermined salary and not paid based on hours worked. Therefore, actual hours worked should not be reported on time records. Sick leave, vacation, and other leaves should be reported in full-day increments only -- do not report partial days off on your time record. Part time employees should contact their Personnel/Payroll Representative about how to report time off. Completing or approving time records that do not accurately reflect time is a falsification of an official university document. Time records should be submitted to the Business Office no later than the third working day of the following month (i.e., January time record is due the third working day in February). A new time record will be sent to you as soon as possible (usually by the middle of the month) with updated vacation and/or sick leave accruals. Keep track of your time off in another place (such as on a desk calendar) until you receive a new time record.

VACATION: Your vacation accrual rate is 16 hours per month. (This accrual rate is prorated for part-time employees who are appointed at least 50% time). The maximum hours of vacation you may accrue is 384. Your vacation accrual will appear on your time record and all vacation time must be scheduled with the approval of your supervisor. Vacation time is available for use the month immediately after it is earned. Vacation time may not be used before it is accrued or during the same month that it is accrued and may not be used until then. All vacation time must be scheduled with the prior approval of your supervisor. NOTE: In the event of a campus closure, different policies may apply.

SICK LEAVE: The sick leave accrual rate for full-time employees is 8 hours per month. (This accrual rate is prorated for part-time employees who are appointed at least 50% time). There is no maximum amount of sick leave you may accrue. Sick leave may be used when you are ill, for medical appointments, illness of family members or bereavement. If you will be out for more than five days, even if you have sufficient sick leave balances, please notify your Academic Personnel Coordinator immediately. Under certain circumstances you may be required to provide medical verification of illness from a licensed health practitioner. Sick leave accruals are credited to you on the first of the month following the month in which they are earned, and may not be used until then.

CATASTROPHIC LEAVE: The campus provides a Catastrophic Leave Program which allows employees to donate their accrued vacation leave to another employee who is suffering from, or whose eligible family member is suffering from, a catastrophic illness or injury, and who has exhausted their own accrued sick leave, vacation and comp time.

HOLIDAYS: The University observes thirteen (13) administrative holidays during the calendar year. Holidays are listed in the labor agreement. One of the observed holidays is a "floating" administrative holiday, which usually falls on the last Friday in March. Since 1991, the campus has closed for approximately 10 days during the Christmas/New Year's holiday season. During this time, you must use accrued vacation for any work day that is not a holiday or weekend day if you wish to be paid for those days. More detailed information about the campus closure will be sent to you in early December. Holidays will be designated on the monthly time records you receive from the Business Office by an "H" preprinted in the appropriate box under "other leave" taken. An employee with a part-time appointment of 50% time or more, receives prorated holiday pay. NOTE: Employees who work alternate schedules (e.g., 4 10-hour days rather than 5 8-hour days, etc.), should receive a handout from their Personnel/Payroll Representative which discusses schedules to be worked during weeks with a holiday.

HEALTH & SAFETY: The University has a campus wide Injury and Illness Prevention Program to assure a safe and healthful work environment for its employees. You are responsible for your personal safety, knowing and complying with the applicable policies, procedures, and work rules, and promptly reporting serious dangers to your supervisor or campus safety official. Talk with your supervisor about safety regulations and safety training opportunities relevant to your job duties.   For your information, campus emergency procedures and a listing of campus safety and emergency services is located in the front of the Campus Directory. In addition, the campus Environmental Health and Safety web site provides extensive information about safe work practices and safety-training programs offered on campus. If you work at a computer for more than 4 hours a day or 20 hours a week, it is recommended that you take a class on ergonomics. To register, go to http://ehs.ucsc.edu/training_classes.

ACCIDENT REPORTS: If you sustain a job-related injury or illness, you must report this to your supervisor immediately. State law requires you and your supervisor to complete appropriate forms (available in the Business Office) within 24 hours of the occurrence of any job-related injury or illness. If you wish to be seen by your own doctor in the event that you are injured or become ill on the job, you must have on file in the Business Office a "UCSC Employee Physician Designation Form" prior to being injured. You should have received a form when you signed employment forms in the Business Office. If a designation form is not on file, the University will arrange for your medical care at the Dominican Occupational Health Center.

REAPPOINTMENT/MERIT/PROMOTION REVIEWS: Based on your title and the end date of your current appointment, departmental needs and budgetary considerations, you will be eligible for reappointment with a possible merit or promotion in one to three years. You should contact your unit's Academic Personnel Coordinator for your specific review schedule and for details of the review procedures applicable to your title.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE: If you need to be off work for longer than one workweek, please contact your Personnel/Payroll Representative immediately to discuss your leave of absence options and to ensure your absence does not jeopardize your insurance benefits.