University Staff Human Resources Plan

• Operational and Administrative (O&A): University Staff employees performing office, laboratory, student and library support; building construction and maintenance; equipment services; public safety; and other operational responsibilities. O&A Staff Employees are typically non-exempt employees under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and therefore are eligible for overtime.
• Managerial & Professional (M&P): University staff employees who manage a division or subdivision of a major academic or administrative unit and/or exercise significant knowledge, discretion and independent judgment gained through advanced education or experience. This category includes coaches and assistant coaches on individually negotiated contracts. M&P Staff are typically exempt employees under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and therefore not eligible for overtime.
• Executive & Senior Administrative (E&SA): University staff employees on limited term appointments having significant administrative responsibilities and duties and exercising considerable independent discretion, and having the ability to commit the University to a long term course of action. This category includes:
  • University Executive officers including Vice Presidents and the Director of Athletics, but excluding academic administrators (whose primary responsibility is administrative but who oversee an academic or academic-support unit of the institution) such as the Provost, Deans, University Librarian, and VP Research;
  • Members of the President’s professional staff (e.g. Chief of Staff, Chief Audit Executive; Director, Equal Opportunity Programs; etc.); and
  • Senior administrative officers with a direct reporting line to any of the above-named executives, academic administrators or Presidential professional staff, for example, Associate or Assistant Vice Presidents, Associate or Assistant Deans with administrative responsibilities, Vice Provosts with administrative responsibilities, Executive Directors, Directors, or other key senior staff.

• Classified exempt and non-exempt employees
• A&P Faculty employees

A&P Faculty who become University Executive & Senior Administrative (E&SA) Staff continue to hold limited term appointments. Current employees who become E&SA Staff receive new employment letters reflecting their changed status as University Staff. A&P Faculty who become University Managerial & Professional (M&P) Staff (except those with individually negotiated employment contracts) replace their limited term appointments with the standard terms and conditions of University Staff. For those individuals holding restricted positions (positions with an end date in the Integrated System), the designated end date will continue to apply. A&P Faculty with an Expectation of Continued Employment (ECE) who become University E&SA or M&P Staff retain their ECE.

University Staff use a new performance management process that has a greater emphasis on planning and communications between supervisors and employees. Performance Planning is central to the University Staff Plan, and is designed to provide employees and supervisors with opportunities for more meaningful performance discussions; supportive learning and development plans; and opportunities to reward performance and accomplishments with compensation and promotions. See the policy for more information.

• The guiding principle behind the new system is managing performance for success. Supervisors help employees make the connection between individual performance goals, departmental objectives, and University-wide strategies. Employees and supervisors work together to set clear goals and evaluate performance and competencies development.
• The performance evaluation process has a five-point rating scale. The process begins with employee self-evaluation and includes procedures to build consistency into the way evaluation ratings are applied.
• Performance evaluation is an area where University Staff can directly influence their pay. They are eligible for pay increases based on their performance evaluation ratings. See the Compensation Section for more detail.
• As part of the annual performance process, the supervisor and employee agree on specific actions to achieve the employee’s work goals and review progress during the year.
• The new performance management system also focuses on career development. Supervisors support staff career development goals. Together, supervisors and employees work together to set goals, identify strategies and actions to achieve them, and track and measure progress.
• Career Development is also an area where employees can directly influence their pay. Acquiring skills listed in the Learning & Career Development Action Plan can result in bonuses; raises when using new capabilities; and can lead to promotions within career paths. See the Compensation Section for more.

Classified Staff will also use this system as their performance planning and evaluation and career development planning tool. There is no link between performance, career development and compensation for classified employees, as there is for University Staff. The five-point rating scale will be converted to the State Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) EWP performance evaluation 3-point system for State reporting purposes.

The new Performance Management system is also available for use by A&P faculty.

University Staff may take advantage of career opportunities at the University by enriching their career skills in their current work, developing capabilities to advance in their current career path, or transitioning to other career paths. The new system demonstrates the University’s deep commitment to employee career development by: 1) making it a key piece of the performance planning process, and 2) supporting it with pay and promotion opportunities.

The University Staff Plan is designed intentionally so that employee career development, performance management, and compensation work together in a coordinated way. Supervisors and employees identify career goals, the performance management process tracks them, and the compensation process rewards them. The University provides support and resources for employee career development, training, and education. Read more on the Career Web site.

• A Learning & Career Development Action Plan is part of the annual performance planning process. Supervisors and employees identify learning and career goals for the employee and develop specific actions to accomplish them. During the year they meet to check on progress. Goals include required skills and competencies for both the current position and future career goals. Accomplishing a goal may result in bonuses and/or raises; significant changes in job responsibilities as a result of a goal accomplishment may result in promotion.
• The University provides information, resources and support to assist employees and supervisors with career development. Employees who wish to support their education may use the Education Benefits program. Supervisors are expected to support employees’ career development goals. Employees are expected to make their own career choices and to keep their capabilities current.
• University Human Resources (UHR) Staff Career Services provides information, resources, and support on career development, education planning, and job searches. Examples include:
  • Career Path Guides are being developed for more than 75 U.Va. career paths with information on skills, experience, and education necessary to succeed in a career path and on connections to other career paths.
  • Competency guides are being developed with information and resources to increase competency levels.
  • Support in developing annual Learning & Career Development Action Plans is available.
  • Support in developing long-term individualized career strategies is available.
  • Support in planning employee education and training using the University’s education benefits program is available. See the University’s Education Benefits Policy at http://www.hrs.virginia.edu/benefits/educben/edbenefitsprogram.html.
• • UHR’s Office of Employee Development offers training and development courses for employees to gain and renew skills, grow in their jobs, and develop their careers. Course descriptions identify the skills and competencies that employees will learn, making it easy to connect coursework to the Learning & Career Development Action Plan. Supervisor training will be provided on career development, as well as the new performance management system and new compensation guidelines.

The University Staff Plan is based on a compensation philosophy of using market information on salaries from similar jobs to determine employee pay ranges. A key part of restructuring is the University’s commitment to communications and openness, including keeping employees, supervisors, and management aware of employee market pay ranges. As the University Staff Plan matures, the University expects the market pay ranges to become more precise and targeted to School and Department needs.

Market-based pay ranges are used to determine University Staff base salaries. Market pay information comes from more than 25 published and independent salary surveys of related employment markets. Market data includes salary data on pay rates of similar jobs, in relevant sectors (higher education, private, public, etc.) and in similar markets, primarily the entire state of Virginia, including Northern Virginia. National and regional data are used for positions that are recruited nationally and regionally. Relevant local market data is only used when the local market ranges are higher than regional or national ranges.

Market pay ranges are divided into thirds. The beginning third reflects emerging qualifications and competencies, the middle third reflects proficiency and full qualifications, and the upper third is reserved for advanced capabilities, unique qualifications or subject matter expertise, and for those whose performance consistently exceeds expectations. These factors help determine where a salary belongs in a range. Employee salaries typically fall between the lower and upper end of their market range, and it is possible for salaries to be above or below a market range.

U.Va. market pay ranges are reviewed periodically against market data to ensure that they keep pace with changing market conditions.

Market ranges are used to determine competitive starting pay for both internal and external candidates accepting new University Staff positions. There are no state-mandated limitations. A starting salary is typically within the first third of the market range.

The University’s Pay Action 7 tool (PA7) is used to support informed salary decisions, including determining initial offers. PA7 assists managers to consider salary decisions systematically, using seven key factors, resulting in more consistent and equitable decision-making across Grounds. The seven factors are:

• Qualifications (education, experience, unique skills)
• Job content and individual performance contribution)
• The position of the employee’s pay in the market pay range
• Employee’s pay relative to similar jobs at U.Va.
• Employee’s pay relative to average market salary for similar jobs outside U.Va.
• Pay history
• Length of total State and University service

Performance is an area where employees can directly influence their pay. University Staff are eligible for pay increases based on their performance evaluation ratings. Higher performance ratings result in higher increases. See Performance Management for more detail on performance evaluations.

• The University develops pay increase guidelines for each performance evaluation rating.
• If an employee’s salary is above the market pay range, the increase may be a one-time payment, rather than a base pay adjustment.

Promotion pay is available to University Staff in the form of a base pay increase. PA7 is used to support salary decisions. There are no state-mandated limitations on the amount of a promotion pay increase, subject to the availability of funding. If the employee is above the top of the market pay range, the increase is typically provided as a bonus rather than a base salary increase.

Promotion pay may be granted for:

• On-the-job application of new skills documented in the employee’s Career Development Action Plan
• Significant changes in job duties and responsibilities with no change in market range
• Significant changes in job duties and responsibilities with a change in market range

Employee Recognition Reward and recognition bonus payments, non-monetary awards, and recognition leave (up to five paid days) are available to recognize a University Staff member’s contributions to the overall objectives of the University.

• The employee’s acquisition of a new skill or skills, documented as part of the Career Development Action Plan, may be rewarded. Additionally, the program may also typically reward:
  • Teamwork
  • A special project
  • A new or modified business practice
  • Exemplary effort
  • Employee appreciation

There is no cap on the number of bonuses received for skill acquisition, but the total value of employee recognition bonuses received may not exceed $3,000 annually.

Non-exempt Classified Staff who elect to become University Staff remain in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS).

Exempt Classified Staff have a one-time choice to stay in VRS or move into the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) when they elect to move to University Staff.* Once that choice is made, it cannot be reversed.

A&P Faculty who elect to move to University Staff remain in either the ORP or VRS, whichever they elected upon hire.

A $300 annual supplemental benefit credit is provided to full-time and part-time benefits-eligible University Staff with annualized salaries* at or below $40,000 per year to offset benefit deductions – including the U.Va. Health Plan, parking, supplemental life insurance, Tax Deferred Savings Plans, gym memberships, and more.

The amount an employee receives in a specific paycheck depends on how frequently they are paid and the number of months worked per year. Part time (less than 32 hours per week) benefits-eligible employees are eligible for 50% of the credit. Please be aware that this money can only be applied toward the amount needed for benefit deductions in any given pay period. If benefit deductions do not exceed the supplemental benefit credit in any given pay period, the extra supplemental benefit credit funds cannot be received as income.

*see glossary at http://www.hrs.virginia.edu/restructuring/glossary.html

• An Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Process is available to resolve employment-related problems and complaints informally and voluntarily without fear of retaliation. Any University employee may request ADR. Read more at http://www.hrs.virginia.edu/relations/adr/.

The Standards of Conduct policy for University Staff employees (https://policy.itc.virginia.edu/policy/policydisplay?id=HRM-014) adopts the State’s DHRM Policy 1.60 – Standards of Conduct, found at http://www.dhrm.virginia.gov/hrpolicy/web/pol1_60.pdf.

Executive & Senior Administrative Staff are governed by the terms of their appointments.

The layoff policy for University Staff employees (https://policy.itc.virginia.edu/policy/policydisplay?id=HRM-015) adopts the State’s DHRM Policy 1.30 - Layoff, found at http://www.dhrm.virginia.gov/hrpolicy/web/pol1_30.html except:

• The notice period has been increased to give University Staff, except for Executive & Senior Administrative Staff, a 60-day notice of layoff, rather than the current State policy of 14-day notice.
• Executive & Senior Administrative Staff are governed by the terms of their appointments.

The severance policy for University Staff employees (https://policy.itc.virginia.edu/policy/policydisplay?id=HRM-016) adopts the State’s DHRM Policy 1.57 – Severance Benefits found at http://www.dhrm.virginia.gov/hrpolicy/web/pol1_57.html

• Executive & Senior Administrative Staff are governed by the terms of their appointments.
• There is also a new policy in place regarding temporary workforce reductions for budgetary reasons.

The new Telecommuting Policy applies to both University and Classified Staff.

It requires that a formal work plan be developed by the employee and supervisor.

The new Alternative Work Schedules Policy applies to both Classified and University Staff.

It requires that a formal work plan be developed by the employee and supervisor.

Probationary Period The new University Staff probation policy https://policy.itc.virginia.edu/policy/policydisplay?id=HRM-020 continues to require a twelve (12) month probationary period for newly hired University Staff or previous employees re-hired after a break in service. This period may be extended an additional six (6) months under exceptional circumstances.

Current A&P Faculty who elect Managerial & Professional Staff status and have completed one year of service are not required to serve a probationary period. Those who have served less than one year will serve the remainder of the 12 months as probationary employees.

• Executive & Senior Administrative Staff are governed by the terms of their appointments.
• Extensions and terminations require UHR review.