Policy Title

THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT A CONTRACT BETWEEN EMPLOYEES AND WINTHROP UNIVERSITY, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT CREATE ANY CONTRACTUAL RIGHTS OR ENTITLEMENTS. WINTHROP UNIVERSITY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REVISE THE CONTENT OF THIS DOCUMENT, IN WHOLE OR IN PART. NO PROMISES OR ASSURANCES, WHETHER WRITTEN OR ORAL, WHICH ARE CONTRARY TO OR INCONSISTENT WITH THE TERMS OF THIS PARAGRAPH CREATE ANY CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT.

PURPOSE

Winthrop University is committed to ensuring fair and equitable compensation for all faculty and staff. The university will continue to seek and maintain competitive salaries based on current market data and reward employees, within existing fiscal resources, who consistently contribute to the success of the university’s mission by performing above and beyond what is minimally required.

APPLICABILITY

This policy applies to academic personnel and unclassified employees.

POLICY

WINTHROP UNIVERSITY PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

The Winthrop University Personnel Committee is appointed by the President and includes the Provost, the Vice President for Finance and Business, and the Vice President for Human Resources, Employee Diversity and Wellness, or other Winthrop personnel appointed by the President. The Winthrop University Personnel Committee is responsible for reviewing and recommending to the President approval for pay actions listed below, including hiring salaries, salary increases, salary decreases, and compensation not included in base pay. The completed and approved Personnel Action Form is the final approval for all salary actions. Supervisors who provide information regarding potential salary actions to employees prior to the approval of the PAF may be subject to disciplinary action for failure to follow Winthrop policies and procedures.

COMPENSATION

Winthrop procedures for the salary actions listed in this policy can be located on the Winthrop Office of Human Resources website. All procedures must be followed. Supervisors who fail to follow Winthrop procedures in compensation matters may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

ACADEMIC PERSONNEL

HIRING SALARIES

Academic Affairs shall recommend hiring salaries for academic personnel to the Winthrop University Personnel Committee. Academic Affairs should consider comparable positions and market data for the occupational area when recommending initial hiring salaries for employees in this category.

SALARY INCREASES

With the exception of general increase and performance increase, any salary increase in excess of 15% will be considered an exceptional salary increase. In accordance with authority delegated to Winthrop University by the State Human Resources Director, the Vice President for Human Resources, Employee Diversity and Wellness must approve an exceptional salary increase prior to further review by the Winthrop University Personnel Committee.

1. General Increase

The South Carolina Legislature may appropriate money for state employee salary increases each fiscal year. If money is allocated, employees are awarded a cost of living allowance (COLA). A cost of living allowance will be provided for employees in permanent Full Time Equivalent (FTE) positions in accordance with the appropriations act and direction from the State Human Resources Division.

2. A salary increase of up to 15% may be awarded for any reasons listed below upon appropriate approval and within existing fiscal resources. For an increase of more than 15%, the supervisor must submit written justification to the Office of Human Resources.

a) The acquisition of additional skills or knowledge directly related to the job;

b) The assignment of additional job duties or responsibilities;

c) The retention of an employee who has a bona fide job offer from an employer, either within or outside of State government. For an increase of more than 15%, the employee must have a bona fide job offer outside of State government, and the request must be submitted to the Office of Human Resources for approval. An employee shall receive no more than one retention increase in a one-year period;

d) The need to address internal equity or equity with the external market;

e) Promotion to a higher-level position – The Office of Human Resources shall determine whether the new position has a higher-level of job duties or responsibilities than the former position; or

f) Assignment of higher-level job duties or responsibilities as defined by the Office of Human Resources which results in a change in unclassified State title.

3. As provided in the faculty promotion policy, Academic Affairs may develop policies for rank promotion for faculty. Such increases shall be recommended by Academic Affairs and approved by the President. (Faculty increases according to the Faculty Tenure and Promotion process do not require approval of the Winthrop University Personnel Committee.)

4. Salary increases may be awarded to employees based on exceptional performance and productivity in accordance with 8-1-160 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. (S.C. Code Ann. 8-1- 160)

SALARY DECREASES

1) Performance or Disciplinary Decrease

An employee’s salary may be decreased based upon performance or disciplinary reasons. Performance decreases should be based on the results of a performance evaluation.

2) Removal of Additional Job Duties or Responsibilities

Should the additional job duties or responsibilities which justified an additional job duties or responsibilities increase be removed from an employee within six months of the date that the salary increase was awarded, the salary may be reduced by up to the amount of the additional job duties or responsibilities increase. For academic personnel covered by the State Employee Grievance Procedure Act, this decrease in salary is not grievable or appealable if the removal of the duties and subsequent salary decrease occur within six months of the date the salary increase was awarded.

3) Demotion and Assignment of Lower-level Responsibilities

a) Voluntary Reason

An employee, who is voluntarily demoted or is voluntarily assigned to lower-level responsibilities within his current position, may be paid at a rate which is agreed upon by the employee and Academic Affairs provided the employee signs a written statement indicating agreement to the salary decrease. The signed document should be maintained by the Office of Human Resources.

b) Involuntary Reason

• Academic Personnel Covered by the State Employee Grievance Procedure Act

- Disciplinary or Performance Reason – An employee who, as the result of a disciplinary action or unsatisfactory rating on a performance evaluation, is demoted or assigned lower-level responsibilities, shall not have his salary reduced by more than 15%.

- An employee, who is involuntarily demoted or assigned lower-level responsibilities, shall not have his salary reduced for a period of six months from the date of the action unless an exception is approved by the Budget and Control Board. After the expiration of the six-month period, with the approval of the President, the employee’s salary may not be reduced by more than 15%.

• Academic Personnel Exempt from the State Employee Grievance Procedure Act

- An employee, who is involuntarily demoted or assigned lower-level responsibilities, shall not have his salary reduced by more than 15%.

OTHER SALARY ACTIONS

Administrative Salary Adjustment

Administrative salary adjustments may be awarded to unclassified academic personnel during periods of time when they are assigned additional administrative responsibilities related to their role as Dean, Assistant Dean, Associate Dean, or Department Chair. Administrative salary adjustments are not considered part of the employee’s base salary. An administrative salary adjustment may be awarded up to 15%.

Summer Employment for Academic Personnel of State Institutions of Higher Learning

1) Summer employment is not considered dual employment, which covers additional compensation earned during an employee’s base period of employment. Therefore, summer employment may occur over any specified period of time between May and September of a calendar year.

2) Comparable positions and market data for the occupational area should be considered when determining compensation for summer teaching. The rate of pay should be comparable to the preceding academic year and may not exceed 40% of the employee’s annualized salary.

3) Academic personnel shall be compensated at the same rate of pay as the immediately preceding academic year for sponsored research of other activities performed during the summer months (between academic years) which are not related to a regular summer session.

4) The Office of Human Resources shall maintain records of all agreements pertaining to summer employment.

UNCLASSIFIED OTHER EMPLOYEES

HIRING SALARIES

The Office of Human Resources shall recommend hiring salaries for employees in the category of unclassified other (non-teachers) to the supervisor and the Winthrop University Personnel Committee. Comparable positions and market data for the occupational area should be considered when setting hiring salaries for employees in these unclassified positions.

SALARY INCREASES

Written justification for awarding salary increases shall be maintained by the Office of Human Resources.

1) General Increase

The South Carolina Legislature may appropriate money for state employee salary increases each fiscal year. If money is allocated, employees are awarded a cost of living allowance (COLA). A cost of living allowance will be provided for employees in permanent FTE positions in accordance with the appropriations act and direction from the State Human Resources Division.

2) A salary increase of up to 15% may be awarded for any of the reasons listed below upon appropriate approval and within existing fiscal resources.

(a) The acquisition of additional skills or knowledge directly related to the job;

(b) The assignment of additional job duties or responsibilities;

(c) The retention of an employee who has a bona fide job offer from an employer, either within or outside of State government. An employee shall receive no more than one retention increase in a one-year period;

(d) The need to address internal equity or equity with the external market;

(e) Promotion to a higher-level position. The Office of Human Resources shall determine whether the new position has a higher-level of job duties or responsibilities than the former position; or

(f) Assignment of higher-level job duties or responsibilities which results in a change in unclassified State title.

3) Salary increases may be awarded to employees based on exceptional performance and productivity in accordance with 8-1-160 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. (S.C. Code Ann. 8-1-160)

SALARY DECREASES

Written justification for affecting any salary decrease shall be maintained by the Office of Human Resources.

1) Performance Decrease – An employee’s salary may be decreased based upon performance in accordance with 8-1-160 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. Performance decreases must be based on the results of an Employee Performance Management System (EPMS) evaluation.

2) Removal of Additional Job Duties or Responsibilities – Should the additional job duties or responsibilities which justified an additional job duties or responsibilities increase be removed from an employee within six months of the date that the salary increase was awarded or prior to the end of the trial period, the salary may be reduced by up to the amount of the additional job duties or responsibilities increase. Such decrease in salary is not grievable or appealable under the State Employee Grievance Procedure Act.

3) Demotion or Assignment of Lower-level Responsibilities

(a) Voluntary Reason – An employee, who is demoted or is voluntarily assigned to lower-level responsibilities within his current position, may be paid at a rate which is agreed upon by the employee and the university provided the employee signs the Change in Status Notification form indicating agreement to the salary decrease. The signed form shall be maintained in the employee’s personnel file in the Office of Human Resources.

(b) Involuntary Reason

• Disciplinary or Performance Reason – An employee who, as the result of a disciplinary action or unsatisfactory rating on an EPMS evaluation, is demoted or assigned lowerlevel responsibilities, shall not have his salary reduced by more than 15%.
• A covered employee, who is involuntarily demoted or assigned lower-level responsibilities, shall not have his salary reduced for a period of six months from the date of the action unless an exception is approved by the Budget and Control Board. After the expiration of the six-month period, with the approval of the President or designee, the employee’s salary may not be reduced by more than 15%. An employee exempt from the State Employee Grievance Procedure Act, who is demoted or involuntarily assigned lower-level responsibilities, shall not have his salary reduced by more than 15% immediately following the demotion or assignment of lower-level responsibilities.

COMPENSATION NOT INCLUDED IN BASE SALARY

1) Temporary Salary Adjustment

The Office of Human Resources is authorized to approve a temporary salary adjustment for an employee in an FTE position if circumstances warrant such approval. The temporary salary adjustment must be removed when the circumstances that warranted such an increase are no longer present. A temporary salary adjustment generally includes additional pay for an increase in duties for a temporary period of time. (A temporary salary adjustment is sometimes confused with dual employment, which occurs when an employee accepts a second job assignment that is separate from and in addition to his regular work assignment. See Winthrop University Dual Employment Policy and contact the Office of Human Resources with questions.)

2) Bonuses

The General Assembly has authorized various programs through which agencies may award bonuses to employees. The university shall comply with guidelines established by the Budget and Control Board in the administration of bonus programs. (S.C. Code Ann. 8-11-950 and 8-11-920 (4)).

3) Grant Salary Adjustment

The Office of Human Resources is authorized to approve a grant salary adjustment for an employee in an FTE position if circumstances warrant such approval. The grant salary adjustment must be removed when the circumstances that warranted such an increase are no longer present.

EFFECTIVE DATES OF SALARY CHANGES

1) The effective date of all salary changes shall be no earlier than the date the action is approved by the appropriate authority.

2) Retroactivity – The university must comply with constitutional provisions regarding retroactivity.

3) Concurrent Increases

a) When general increases and other salary increases are awarded on the same date, the general increase shall be applied prior to any other salary increases.

b) When performance pay increases under 8-11-940 of the South Carolina Code of Laws and salary increases other than general increases are awarded on the same date, the performance pay increase shall be applied prior to any other salary increases.

4) Budgetary Limitations – In the case of budgetary limitations, the SC Human Resources Division may approve exceptions to those salary increases that require approval by SC Human Resources Division regarding the effective date of salary increases based on written justification provided by the agency. Agencies should document internally the need to make exceptions regarding the effective date of salary increases for those increases for which they have approval authority.