Faculty and Staff Handbook Vice President for Human Resources

Regular or Temporary Position

A regular position is one that (a) continues from pay period to pay period, (b) lasts for an indefinite duration (more than one year) and (c) involves working 20 or more hours each week. Positions classified as regular are eligible for the University´s staff benefits, subject to eligibility requirements.

A temporary position is one that lasts for a limited period of time during a year, or one with employment that is intermittent, irregular or seasonal, and which may be either full time or part time during the period of employment. Positions classified as temporary are not eligible for the University's staff benefits but do qualify for Social Security and workers' compensation.

Recording Work Hours

To comply with applicable laws and to ensure that nonexempt employees are paid in a timely fashion for hours worked, the University requires all departments to maintain accurate, written records of all hours worked. Employees are responsible for accurately recording both hours worked and hours paid. Falsifying a time record is a violation of University policy and is grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Questions employees may have concerning recording work hours should be directed to their immediate supervisor, the director of compensation, their respective human resources team (West Lafayette campus) or the regional campus human resources department.

Determining Pay

Purdue strives to maintain competitive pay levels. At the same time, levels of pay may be influenced by general economic conditions, the supply and demand of the labor market and the availability of funds. 

Employee pay is based upon approved University pay scales, which are reviewed each year. Employees should discuss any questions they may have concerning pay with their immediate supervisor.

Overtime

For the purposes of determining eligibility for overtime pay, positions are classified as exempt or nonexempt. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires the University to pay staff in nonexempt positions overtime pay. University pay policy requires departments to pay employees in nonexempt positions overtime at the rate of one and one-half times the employee´s regular rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in any one workweek. The regular rate of pay includes the value of any perquisite (room, board and other facilities) furnished by the University and any applicable shift differential but excludes the value of uniforms, protective clothing, etc., that may be furnished. Employees must have permission from their supervisors to work overtime. Failure to request supervisor permission to work overtime may result in disciplinary action.

Regularly scheduled hours paid for University recognized holidays, are included in the normal workweek to determine the eligibility for overtime pay, and are included in the meaning of time worked.

No employee may work more than 16 hours (regular and overtime) in a 24-hour period. The maximum overtime an employee may work in any workweek (Monday through Sunday) is 20 hours, allowing at least one full day off per workweek, except for approved emergency situations.

The University´s fire department and firefighters are covered by other policies and practices due to their special status as described in the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The University does not allow the use of compensatory time off in lieu of overtime pay.

Questions regarding overtime pay policy/procedures should be directed to the employee´s immediate supervisor. Employees may also refer to the Vice President for Human Resources´ Wage Administration Policies For Clerical/Service Staff and Operations/Technical Assistants (VI.C.2), www.purdue.edu/policies/human-resources/vic2.html.

Shift Differential

Shift differentials are used to compensate regular nonexempt staff members who normally work on the evening or night shifts.

  • If four or more hours of a shift are scheduled between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m. for more than 10 working days, the shift differential applies to all hours worked on the shift, not just those worked between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m.
  • The shift differential is added to all hours the employee is in paid status, e.g., holiday, vacation, sick leave and overtime, etc.
  • The value of the shift differential is subtracted from the cash pay in order to determine if a pay rate is within bracket.
  • Student and temporary employees are eligible for shift differential when they work 20 or more hours per workweek.
  • Employees should discuss questions concerning shift differentials with their immediate supervisor.

Callback Pay

On occasion, it may be necessary for employees to physically return to the workplace after they have finished their workday to handle emergency repairs, equipment failures or to deal with other problems. In such cases, advance notice of the need to return to work may not be possible. In consideration of the inconvenience that these circumstances may place on an employee, the University will pay an employee extra compensation as set forth in the Vice President for Human Resources´ Wage Administration Policies For Clerical/Service Staff and Operations/Technical Assistants (VI.C.2), www.purdue.edu/policies/human-resources/vic2.html.

Time Worked

All time worked by clerical/service and operations/technical employees for the benefit of the University employer, with or without supervisory approval, must be compensated at the appropriate rate. Time worked includes but is not limited to: 

• Reading or answering e-mails off-site.

• Any work for the employer performed off-site.

• Working over the lunch hour.

• Any work performed prior to or after the start/end of the normal work schedule.

• Travel time under certain circumstances.

Work Hours, Meal Periods and Breaks

A regular workweek for full-time employees normally consists of 40 hours divided into five calendar days, Monday through Friday. Typical work hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a one-hour unpaid, uninterrupted meal period, normally taken during the middle of the shift, and one or two 15-minute paid breaks.

Due to the complexity of the University´s operations, however, each department establishes its own normal workweek, work hours, meal period and break schedule (if any) based upon its business needs. Accordingly, check with a supervisor for work schedule questions.

Work schedules may be changed at the discretion of a department or supervisor to meet the University´s business needs. Generally, changes in work schedules will be announced as far in advance as practical. Work schedules may not be changed to avoid the payment of overtime.

Flexible Work Schedules

The personal needs of an employee may result in a request to vary the normal daily work schedule. Typically, such requests involve time off on one day to be made up on another day within the work week. 

Flexible work schedules are intended to offer variations for the mutual benefit of the employee and organizational unit. Not every work situation is conducive to such schedules, especially where essential services or “services on demand” are involved. Nor do flexible work schedules provide a means for avoiding overtime opportunities or payment. Flexible work schedules do not alter the authority and responsibility of supervisors to establish and change work schedules in order to accomplish the objectives and requirements of the department or organizational unit.

Employees should direct their questions about working a flexible schedule to their immediate supervisor. Employees may also refer to Business Office Memorandum No. 178, Flexible Work Schedules for Biweekly-Paid Staff and Operations/Technical Assistants as Subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act (VPBS 178).

Payroll Period

The basic payroll period for clerical and service and operations/technical staff members consists of two weeks, Monday (12:01 a.m.) through the following second Sunday (midnight). Due to the business needs of an employee´s department, however, an employee´s payroll period may be different. Employees should discuss any questions they may have concerning their payroll period with their immediate supervisor or contact payroll services.