Secondary Assignments Policy

AUDIENCE

All University employees.

PURPOSE STATEMENT

The purpose of this Policy is to establish guidelines regarding the acceptance of a Secondary Assignment within the University.

DEFINITIONS

Secondary Assignments: are additional assignments within the University where the duties are clearly outside of the regular responsibilities of the employee’s primary job with the University.

THE POLICY

It is the policy of Thomas More University to permit employees to accept a Secondary Assignment within the University under certain approved circumstances and in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Procedures section of this Policy.   Secondary Assignments are generally temporary and are not benefit-eligible, except where required by law. 

Note: This Policy does not govern secondary employment outside of Thomas More University.

RELATED POLICIES AND APPLICABLE LEGAL OR ACCREDITATION STANDARDS

Fair Labor Standards Act of 1966

Hours of Operations Policy
Pay Period Policy
Time Reporting Policy

PROCEDURES

I. General Requirements for Secondary Assignments

1. The responsibilities associated with Secondary Assignment are clearly outside of the employee’s primary job responsibilities.
2. The intended Secondary Assignment does not diminish the employee’s effectiveness in the employee’s primary job with the University.
3. The University’s best interest is served by allowing the Secondary Assignment.
4. The employee is qualified to perform the responsibilities of the Secondary Assignment.

II. Procedures Applicable to All Secondary Assignments

1. Employees who seek a Secondary Assignment within Thomas More University, including part-time teaching engagements, must obtain prior written approval from the employee’s current direct supervisor and area vice president or Provost as applicable. In determining Secondary Assignment eligibility, the supervisor and area vice president/Provost must consult Human Resources and consider whether the assignment meets the general requirements described in this Policy.
2. All Secondary Assignment pay is based on the applicable pay structure for the work to be performed and must be reported and paid in accordance with current payroll and FLSA guidelines:
   1. A non-exempt employee must be compensated on an hourly basis for any Secondary Assignment and is entitled to overtime pay where applicable.
   2. A non-exempt employee’s total hours among assignments will be accumulated to determine weekly overtime.
3. Supervisors are responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with this Policy.
4. It is the responsibility of both the primary and secondary supervisors to coordinate with one another regarding applicable leave administration and compensation, including eligibility for overtime pay for non-exempt employees, where due.
5. Continuation of the Secondary Assignment will be reviewed at the time of the employee’s annual evaluation. If either the employee’s current direct supervisor and area vice president/Provost determines that the employee’s Secondary Assignment within the University interferes with the performance or ability of the employee to meet his or her primary job requirements, the Secondary Assignment will be terminated.

III. Procedures Relating to Staff Accepting Adjunct Teaching Assignments

The following procedures apply to staff employees seeking to accept an instructional assignment that are not part of their normal job responsibilities.

A. Staff Accepting Adjunct Teaching Assignments

Any staff member interested in adjunct teaching must possess the proper credentials and meet all institutional, accreditation, and regulatory requirements applied to course instructors.

B. Balancing Primary and Secondary Adjunct Teaching Assignments

An eligible staff employee may seek a Secondary Assignment to teach a course as an adjunct instructor under one of the following conditions:

1. The staff member teaches the course during non-work hours (i.e., evenings or weekends);
2. The staff member, supervisor and area vice president/Provost agree on a flexible work schedule by which the staff member performs part of his or her primary job responsibilities outside normal work hours; or
3. The staff member teaches without charge to the University if the teaching is done during regular working hours and the employee’s supervisor and area vice president/Provost approves the teaching assignment.

Staff who teach as adjunct faculty in accordance with paragraph (1) or (2) above shall be compensated according to the regular compensation schedule for adjuncts. Adjunct compensation is not provided for staff whose normal job responsibilities include teaching as part of their primary assignment and on which their contract and base salary are based.

C. Course Limitations

A full-time staff member is not permitted to accept a Secondary Assignment to teach more than one course per semester.

REFERENCING THE POLICY

HISTORY

APPENDIX

There are no appendices to this Policy.

APPROVALS

Laura Custer, Director of Human Resources

Dr. Kathleen Jagger, Acting President