Limited Term Employment

Handbook

Table of Contents

General Information About Limited Term Employment 3

            General                                                                                                          3

            What is Limited Term Employment?                                                       3

            What does the hour limitation mean?                                                       3

            Can a person work in more than one LTE position?                               3

            Can LTE’s be fired?                                                                                     4

            Nepotism                                                                                                       4

General Information for Limited Term Employees                             4

            Types of Limited Term Employment                                                       4

            Limited Term Employee Responsibilities                                     4

            Timesheets and Paychecks                                                                         4

            Limited Term Employees and Permanent Positions                              5

Pay Rates                                                                                                      5

            Continuing Limited Term Employment                                                    5

            Applying for Permanent Employment                                                      6

Limited Term Employment Benefits and Policies                                6

            Do LTE’s Receive Benefits?                                                                        6

            Social Security                                                                                              6

            Worker’s Compensation                                                                              7

            Unemployment                                                                                             7

            LTE Rights Under the ADA                                                                        7

            LTE Rights Under the FMLA                                                                     7

Contact Information 7

Attachments:

Attachment A:  Classified Employee Work Rules

Attachment B:  Quick Guide to FMLA

General Information About Limited Term Employment

General

Individuals hired cannot be a University of Wisconsin – River Falls student.  Individuals under age 18 are not normally hired for limited term positions due to restrictions on the employment of minors; however, certain circumstances may apply where this type of practice may need to be done.

What is Limited Term Employment?

Limited term employees are those persons who are appointed to perform a grouping of duties and responsibilities.  The conditions for these appointments do not provide for attainment of permanent status. 

What does the hour limitation mean?

By law, no Limited Term Employee may work more than 1043 hours during a block of time which consists of 26 consecutive bi-weekly payroll periods in any given position.  The date that an LTE first works in a given position is the ‘anniversary date’ for that position.  An LTE must work in that job no more than 1043 hours in the year following the anniversary date.  The hours worked in a given appointment return to zero on the anniversary date of each year.  If an LTE reaches the hourly maximum but the position is to continue, the individual must be terminated and a new LTE appointed.  In other words, the hourly limitation applies to the person, not to the position.  The Human Resources Office will automatically send the supervisor and limited term employee a termination letter when the number of hours worked in a full-time limited term position reaches 880 hours. 

Can a person work in more than one LTE position?

An LTE may work in more than one Limited Term appointment at the same time as long as the appointments have been determined to be ‘different appointments’ by the LTE Coordinator.  In order to determine whether the appointments are ‘different,’ the following things are considered:

ž At least 50% of the duties of an LTE appointment must be unique to that appointment.

ž A different classification title is appropriate.

ž A personnel movement recognized as a transfer, rather than management reassignment of duties within a work unit, would occur if a permanent employee moved from one position to the other.

ž The positions have different supervisors.

ž The positions support different program areas.

ž The positions are located in different buildings or department offices.

ž There is a set work schedule for each position, where the schedules do not overlap, so that the LTE is not performing work for one position while scheduled to be working in the other.  

Can LTE’s be fired?

As temporary workers, LTE’s can be released at any time from a position for any unsatisfactory performance, budget restrictions, violations of work rules (Attachment A), or any other non discriminatory reason. 

Nepotism

No employee shall effectively recommend or decide to hire or promote another person when the person affected is a member of the employees immediate family*, unless that person has been certified from an open or promotional competitive register.  Additionally, no employee shall give preferential or favored treatment in the supervision or management of another employee who is a member of his/her immediate family.

*Immediate family is defined as parents, stepparents, grandparents, foster parents, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, foster children, brothers (and their spouses), or sisters (and their spouses) of the employee or the employee's spouse, a son or daughter-in-law of the employee or the employee's spouse, or other relatives of the employee or the employee's spouse who are residing in the household of the employee.

General Information for Limited Term Employees

Types of Limited Term Employment

ž Short Term Appointment:  This position is allowed 1043 hours during any twelve-month period of time.  It is usually used for short-term fill in purposes such as replacement of an employee on a leave of absence.  This type of position is not continued from year to year.

ž Recurring Appointment:  This position is allowed 1043 hours during any twelve-month period of time.  It is usually used for work requiring a fifty percent appointment (half-time) on an annual or academic year basis and is continued from year to year. 

Limited Term Employee Responsibilities include, in addition to performance of job duties:

ž Adhering to work rules (Attachment A)

ž Completing all payroll forms within the first three days of employment

ž Signing an LTE acknowledgment form which explains the rights and limitations of limited term employment

Timesheets and Paychecks

Pay periods consist of a two-week period starting on Sunday and ending on the Saturday of the following week.  Time sheets are a legal document and are required by federal law to be complete and accurate.  Liability and efficiency considerations require that the work of all hourly employees be accomplished only at University work locations. 

Time sheets must be turned in to the supervisor on the second Thursday of each pay period.  Time sheets are available online at: http://www.uwrf.edu/hr/forms1102.html

Time sheets are due in the Payroll Office, 218 North Hall, to Kathy Young by noon.  Two weeks later, on Thursday, employees will receive a paycheck.  Paychecks will be mailed to the home address unless other arrangements have been made with Payroll.  Direct deposit is strongly encouraged.  Direct deposit forms are available on the web at: http://www.uwrf.edu/hr/forms1102.html, or they may be obtained in the Payroll Office. 

If an LTE is required to work weekends (12:01 a.m. Saturday through 11:59 p.m. Sunday) or nights (6:00 p.m. through 6:00 a.m.), the LTE will receive the applicable pay differential for the hours worked. 

State and federal taxes will be deducted based on earnings and the number of exemptions claimed on the W-4 form that is filled out at the time of orientation.  The number of allowances may be changed at any time throughout the year by filling out a new form, available in the Payroll Office.  Social Security will also be deducted from each paycheck (see Social Security below).

Limited Term Employees and Permanent Positions

Limited Term Employees are not considered permanent employees and thus do not qualify for permanent status, vacation, paid holidays, sick leave, performance awards, or the right to compete in promotional examinations.  With the exception of worker’s compensation, unemployment compensation and social security coverage, other fringe benefits authorized by state statutes are denied to the non recurring limited term appointment. 

Pay Rates

In general, LTE’s are paid in accordance to the Compensation Plan, which is the minimum rate for a permanent position in the same classification title.  The Human Resources Office in accordance with the Wisconsin Administrative Code conducts the recruitment and selection of limited term appointments.  Classification titles for these appointments will be determined in accordance with the provisions of the limited term classification and pay schedule.  Pay rates for this type of appointment shall be in accordance with the provisions of the limited term pay schedule at the University of Wisconsin – River Falls.  Limited term employees are paid only for actual hours worked.

Continuing Limited Term Employment

LTE’s interested in further employment should contact Sally Fields, 715.425.3518.  LTE’s will be given referral consideration for future limited term openings if they have the appropriate experience, qualifications, and an acceptable performance recommendation from previous supervisor(s).  LTE’s may be required to interview for future openings. 

Applying for Permanent Employment

Anyone interested in permanent Civil Service employment should watch for announcements of examinations in the Current Employment Opportunities Bulletin (COB) and compete in the testing process.  For more information on permanent employment, contact Cally Henderson at 715.425.3221.

Limited Term Employment Benefits and Policies

Do LTE’s receive benefits?

Generally, LTE’s receive minimal benefits.  Under certain circumstances, LTE’s may be eligible for retirement and insurance coverage (see below).  Contact Joy DeWyre, at 715.425.3382.

Limited Term Employees who are on a recurring appointment and are anticipate to work at least 600 hours for a 12-month period are eligible for retirement benefits.  A recurring LTE is also eligible for retirement benefits when they hold more than one appointment and at least one appointment meets the specific retirement participation criteria.  In these cases, retirement deductions will be made on the total salary paid.  For those limited term employees eligible to participate in retirement benefits, the State’s share goes into effect immediately. 

Recurring limited term employees making retirement deductions are eligible to participate in state health and life insurance programs, income continuation, accidental death and dismemberment, and major medical insurances.  Limited term employees eligible to participate, like all state classified employees, must serve a six-month waiting period from the point retirement deductions begin before the State’s share goes into effect. 

LTE’s are not eligible for sick leave, vacation, or paid holidays; however, if and LTE is required by their supervisor to work on a holiday, hours worked will be paid at time-and-a-half. 

Social Security

Limited Term Employees are covered by Social Security.  Social Security taxes will be deducted from the LTE’s paycheck.  The State of Wisconsin pays a matching share toward employee Social Security coverage.  The taxable wage base and tax rate are subject to periodic adjustments. 

Worker’s Compensation

If an LTE is injured on the job, the LTE may be eligible for worker’s compensation benefits.  Contact Deb Koehler at 715.425.3109 for more information regarding Worker’s Compensation. 

Unemployment

Limited Term Employees may also be eligible for unemployment compensation if an LTE position ends.  Contact Kathy Young, at 715.425.3247 for more information. 

LTE rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against applicants or employees on the basis of a disability.  This law is designed to ensure equal opportunity to individuals with disabilities.  If an LTE has a disability, which requires a reasonable accommodation, the LTE may complete a Disability Accommodation Request Form.  For more information, contact Suzanne Hagen at 715.425.3383. 

LTE rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

All University of Wisconsin – River Falls employees who have worked for the State of Wisconsin for at least 12 months and who have worked at least 1250 hours in the last 12 months are eligible for unpaid leave under the FMLA.  Eligible employees must be allowed to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for the birth or adoption of a child, for a foster child placement, to care for a family member with a serious medical condition, or for the employee’s own serious medical condition.  For more information, see Attachment B, or call Sally Fields, at 715.425.3518. 

ž For information on Limited Term Employment, contact Sally Fields, at 715.425.3518 or sally.a.fields@uwrf.edu

ž For information on Limited Term payroll, contact Kathy Young, at 715.425.3424 or kathy.young@uwrf.edu

ž For information on Limited Term benefits, contact Joy DeWyre, at 715.425.3382 or joy.m.dewyre@uwrf.edu

ž For information on permanent employment, contact Cally Henderson, at 715.425.3221 or cally.henderson@uwrf.edu

ž For information on Worker’s Compensation, contact Deb Koehler, at 715.425.3109 or debra.koehler@uwrf.edu

ž For information on ADA, contact Suzanne Hagen, at 715.425.3383 or suzanne.d.hagen@uwrf.edu