Position Classifications and Employee Categories

Policy Number: 8.2.18     
Effective Date: February 27, 2023
Revision History: March 17, 2022 
Policy Contact: Chief Human Resource Officer

I. Purpose and Policy Statement

The purpose of this policy is to ensure consistency in the assignment of position classifications and employee categories within Georgia Gwinnett College (“GGC”).   The University System of Georgia (“USG”) has established a position classification system which forms the basis for GGC’s administration of its Office of Human Resources’ wage and salary administration programs. Salary structures and job classifications are linked in a manner to support GGC’s wage and salary administration program. The classification system is based on job families, categories, and levels that group positions which have similar duties, responsibilities, training and experience requirements. The classification system is designed to promote fair and equitable pay.

GGC has also established employee categories (types of employees and types of employment) to identify persons who are employed by the College. The types of employees and types of employment are used to determine benefits eligibility and applicability of USG and College policy. These designations are also used to ensure accuracy in reporting based on employee and employment type.

An individual may not be employed at Georgia Gwinnett College in more than one (1) employment type. For example: an employee should not be employed as a regular employee and as a temporary employee. An employee should not be employed as a student assistant and as a half-time regular employee.

An employee should never be employed as both an Exempt employee and as a Non-exempt employee.

II. Scope

All departments of GGC are covered by this policy.

III. Definitions

Position Classification: A system that establishes and maintains GGC’s overall job structure in an equitable and flexible manner, grouping positions which have similar duties, have approximately the same levels of complexity and responsibility, require similar training and experience at the time of recruitment.

Wage and Salary Administration Program: A program that co-exists with GGC’s position classification system to provide an equitable, competitive, and consistent basis for paying employees. GGC’s wage and salary administration program includes a salary structure that provides a framework that combines internal job relationships developed through the job evaluation and classification process with the internal and external prevailing market conditions. It provides guidance for determining pay when certain job actions occur, including but not limited to, hires, promotions, reclassifications, and demotions.

Full Benefits Eligible: Defined as 30 or more hours per week or .75 FTE and greater, which applies to regular faculty and regular staff employees. Full benefits include all benefits in accordance with Board of Regents Policy Manual 8.2.9 Insurance.

Partial Benefits Eligible: Defined as 20 to 29 hours per week or .5 FTE to .74 FTE. Partial benefits eligible may apply to regular faculty and regular staff employees. Partial benefits include retirement and pro-rated leave accruals.

Non-Benefits Eligible: Defined as 19 or less hours per week (.49 FTE or less), which applies to regular faculty and staff employees. Non-benefits eligible also includes temporary faculty, staff, and student employees who may not work more than 1,300 hours in a 12-month period as defined later in this policy. Students may not be placed into a regular status.

Exempt: An employment status in which the employee is not eligible for overtime; staff professional and administrative employees are exempt from the Federal Wage-Hour provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) because of their professional or administrative responsibilities. This group does not include faculty or graduate assistants.

Non-Exempt: An employment status in which the employee is eligible for overtime; staff non-exempt employees are not exempt from the federal wage-hour provisions of the FLSA.

IV. Roles and Responsibilities

1. Chief Human Resource Officer (“CHRO”) or designee: Ensures appropriate utilization of GGC’s position classification system, including creation of campus specific job categories where appropriate, maintaining market competitive pay structures to ensure appropriate compensation for GGC employees, and ensuring utilization of position categories in compliance with applicable policies and laws.
2. Human Resources: Provides guidance to management on appropriate application of the policy. In compliance with the policy, follows appropriate procedures to administer fair and equitable evaluation of position classifications.
3. Chief Business Officer (“CBO”) or designee:  Certifies availability of funding associated with compensation changes requested of position classifications and in alignment with fiscal affairs policies.
4. Direct Manager: Ensures that current, and accurate employee and position-related information, is maintained and submitted to the Office of Human Resources on a timely and appropriate basis.

V. Position Classification System

1. A position classification system was developed and is maintained  to provide the basis for administering human resource programs for GGC. The position classification system includes regular positions, which if half-time or greater, are eligible for applicable benefits, and temporary positions, which, regardless of work commitment, are not eligible for benefits.
2. The job categories are represented by a six (6) digit code with the first four (4) characters established at the USG system level. The job categories have been established with a format intended to comply with the reporting requirements associated with the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (“IPEDS”) and the Fair Labor Standards Act.
3. The Office of Human Resources maintains GGC’s job architecture which includes a classification guide, and a list of official job families with a general description of the types of positions that would normally be included in each category.

VI. Employee Categories

1. Faculty: The faculty shall consist of the corps of instruction and the administrative officers as defined in BOR Policy Manual 3.2.1 Faculty Membership.
2. Staff: Staff employees shall consist of two major employee groups:
   1. Staff Professional and Administrative Employees: Exempt from the Federal Wage-Hour provisions of the FLSA because of their professional or administrative responsibilities. This group does not include faculty); and
   2. Staff Non-Exempt Employees: Not exempt from the federal wage-hour provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).  
3. Classified Employees: Classified employees shall consist of staff employees, which includes staff professional and administrative, and staff non-exempt employees as defined above.
4. Student Employees: Student employees are considered temporary and include resident assistants, student assistants, interns, federal work study students and student workers.

VII. Employment Status

1. Regular Employment Status: Is defined as  employment which is  considered continuous and may also be defined by agreement, contract, term, or restricted funding source(s). Regular employment may be benefits eligible, partial benefits eligible, non-benefits eligible, fulltime or part-time, exempt or nonexempt. Regular exempt employment must meet the “salary basis” requirement under the FLSA.
2. Salary Basis Employment Status: An individual paid on a “salary basis” means an employee regularly receives a predetermined amount of compensation each pay period on a weekly, or less frequent basis, and the predetermined amount cannot be reduced because of variations in the quality or quantity of the employee’s work subject to exceptions under FLSA.
3. Temporary Employment Status: Employment under this status is short in duration to address business needs. The position must meet the requirements and characteristics described below.
   1. Non-benefits eligible
   2. Does not have an expectation of long-term employment
   3. May be full-time or part-time

VIII. Types of Employment by Category

1. Regular Faculty: Faculty employed on a continuous basis and whose duration of employment may also be defined by agreement, contract, term, and/or restricted funding source(s). Regular faculty may be full-time or part-time. Those faculty with a work commitment of half-time or greater are partial, or full benefits eligible, and those who work less than 20 hours per week, are non-benefits eligible.
2. Temporary Faculty: Include faculty employed on a short-term basis through written appointment. They are not employed on an academic year contract. If they are employed for more than one consecutive academic semester for 30 hours or more, except when the academic semester is combined with summer semester immediately preceding or following the academic semester, they shall be employed as regular faculty. Temporary faculty are non-benefits eligible.
3. Regular Staff: Staff positions employed on a continuous basis and whose duration of employment may also be defined by term and/or restricted funding source(s). Regular staff employees may be full-time or part-time. Those with a work commitment of half-time or greater, or .5 FTE, are partial, or full benefits eligible, and those who work less than 20 hours per week, are non-benefits eligible.
4. Temporary Staff Employees:  Staff positions that are employed for a short duration and are non-benefits eligible. A temporary employee may not exceed a total of 1,300 hours worked in a 12- consecutive month period. The 1,300 hours can be accumulated in any combination during the 12-month period. Once a temporary employee has worked 1,300 hours or has been employed for 12 consecutive months, whichever comes first, the temporary employee must have a break in service of 26 consecutive weeks. Employment applies across all USG institutions.
   1. If a temporary employee is needed beyond the 1,300 hours, they must be moved to a regular employee status. An employee, in a temporary role who is dually or jointly employed in more than one position, must have all hours worked counted towards the 1,300-hour worked limit from the date of hire into the first position; this includes temporary staff arrangements.
   2. An employee in a temporary role may be separated at any time for any reason without notice. Either the College, or the employee, can end the employment relationship. Such separation is not grievable or subject to appeal.
   3. An employee in a temporary role is typically considered non-exempt under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime provisions and paid for all hours worked on an hour for-hour basis.  Additionally, based upon their non-exempt status they must receive overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek at a rate not less than time and one-half their regular rate of pay. In some instances, temporary employees, such as post docs or credentialed professionals, may be exempt.
   4. If a temporary employee exceeds an average 30 or more hours per week during the ACA measurement period, meets the definition of healthcare eligibility under ACA, and continues employment in a regular position, they will become eligible to enroll in healthcare benefits during the ACA administrative period.
5. Student employees: The college may employ students who are currently enrolled in at least six credit hours at Georgia Gwinnett College with the primary goal of receiving a degree, on a temporary, part-time basis, subject to need and availability of funding.  A regular, benefits eligible employee who elects to enroll or is enrolled at the time of hire in courses at GGC or another institution within the University System of Georgia, whether full or part-time, is not considered a student employee for these purposes.
   1. Student employees are considered temporary in nature and are not benefits-eligible. Student employees shall be employed and paid by the hour (non-exempt) unless otherwise classified by Human Resources. Student Employees may not exceed 25 hours per week.
   2. International students in lawful F-1 and J-1 status who are enrolled full-time are eligible to work for GGC but must not work more than 20 hours per week in accordance with visa restrictions and must ensure compliance with Federal Work Study Requirements.
   3. Employment and budgeting of students is limited to a period of time corresponding to the academic year unless otherwise noted.  Some student employee positions are designated on an academic semester. The Office of Human Resources maintains the designated terms for all student employment positions. All such student employment is temporary, at-will and is subject to reevaluation without prior notice including a change of location and function.

IX. Related Regulations, Statutes, Policies, and Procedures

BOR Human Resources Administrative Practice Manual (“HRAP”) Policy on Position Classification
HRAP Policy on Employee Categories
U.S. Department of Labor Wages and Fair Labor Standards Act