Extra Help (Non-Status) Appointments

Purpose

Summarize policies and procedures associated with extra help (non-status) employees.  This includes, but is not limited to: hiring, termination, position management, payroll, and pay scales.

Policy

Departmental needs for employing individuals on a non-status (extra help) basis can be discussed with Human Resource Services (HRS) prior to the hiring to ensure that the individual is eligible for employment and will be properly compensated. HRS may issue policies and guidelines pertaining to the employment of extra help personnel. The department must have available funds in its non-status budget (646) to cover such non-status appointments. Extra help appointments are subject to the rules and procedures of the State Universities Civil Service System (SUCSS) and related biannual audits. Pursuant to these rules, non-status employment is limited to those positions which are temporary or of an emergent nature. The work schedule established by the department must also be within the guidelines set forth in the definition of the type of extra help appointment requested.

Extra help employees are appointed to general categories (EDP Software, Clerical, Professional Services, Technical Assistant, Laboratory Assistant, Custodial, Food Services, Transportation, Stores, and NEC (Licensed Prof/Other)) which do not conform to specific status classifications. These general categories are maintained by Human Resource Services and may be amended as operational needs dictate. By definition an extra help employee is called to work for periodic appointment periods as needed to provide additional help for work of an emergent nature where such services are not regularly required on a constant, repetitive basis and cannot readily be assigned to status employees.

An extra help employee must be employed within the salary range of the appropriate category and all such appointments must be approved by HRS. Extra help employees may receive increases based upon merit or position responsibilities. Such increases must be authorized by the employing department/division and HRS. However, such increases shall be limited to the amount currently in effect for status employees and may not occur more frequently than once every 12 calendar months.

Status employees may hold an extra help appointment outside of their employing department subject to the same controls as above. Payment for such appointments is processed through the Additional Pay Form. The days and times worked should be noted in the comments section of the Additional Pay Form. Departments employing such secondarily appointed extra help employees should be aware that they will be required to pay on an overtime basis (time and one half) for all work completed, which is in addition to the employee’s normal work schedule. Although non-status work may be subject to an overtime rate, benefits do not accrue from such work.  Employees who are assigned duties that are closely related to the duties of their current classification must be paid overtime at time and a half based upon their current rate of pay. 

Employees who are exempt from overtime compensation may hold secondary extra help appointments in another part of the university to perform work not related to their normal duties. Payment for such appointments is processed through the Additional Pay Form. The days and times worked should be noted in the comments section of the Additional Pay Form. In such instances, the supervisor’s signature on the Additional Pay Form certifies that the appointment is not in conflict with the employee’s regular working hours and is not a part of the normal duties of his/her position.

NIU students (who are not Civil Service employees) carrying six or more semester credit hours during fall or spring semester (three or more semester credit hours during summer session) are NOT ELIGIBLE for extra help appointments. Exceptions to this policy will be permitted only for compelling reasons and with the authorization of the appropriate Vice President and HRS.

Persons who currently hold graduate assistantships may be employed as extra help provided they have specific approval of the Graduate School. A request for such approval must be obtained from the Graduate School. Payment for such appointments is processed through the Additional Pay Form.

In accordance with the Statute and Rules of the SUCSS, an extra help position may be utilized for a maximum of 900 hours of actual work in any consecutive 12 month period. If an extra help position has accrued 900 consecutive hours, the position shall not be reestablished until six months have elapsed from the date of termination. To ensure compliance with this statutory requirement, HRS will inactivate the position for a six month period following termination of an extra help appointment regardless of the number of hours worked.; Once inactivated, the position cannot be utilized until after the six month period has elapsed. This inactive status will result in the position not being available for utilization on the Position Funding Summary or Position Pool Report that is produced weekly.

Upon working a total of 900 hours, an extra help employee cannot resume employment in any extra help appointment until 30 calendar days have passed. It is possible for an employee to hold more than one extra help appointment concurrently, however it should be noted that the number of hours worked on each appointment accumulate toward the employee’s 900 hour maximum. Departments are notified of total hours worked in an extra help capacity beginning at 700 hours. Upon notification departments should begin to adjust the employee’s hours so that the individual does not exceed the 900 hour limitation. Under no circumstances should the employee be worked beyond the 900 hours. Departments who violate this statutory provision will be required to provide justification to Human Resource Services. If the department determines that operational needs may result in the employee exceeding the 900 hour limitation, HRS must be contacted in order to receive a case-by-case exception from the SUCSS. This request should be received before the employee reaches the 900 hour limitation so that there is no lapse in work.

Appointment Procedure

As necessary, the department should confer with HRS to determine the proper type of non-status appointment. The employing department should complete the Personnel Action Form (PAF) and submit it to HRS with all required signatures and forms at least one week prior to the employee’s start date. All employees must have the following information on file in HRS at least one week prior to the beginning date of employment.  Under no circumstances should the employee begin working prior to the paperwork being submitted to and approved by HRS.

• Authorization for Release of Information (Background Check)
• Employment Application
• Ethics Act Orientation
• W-4
• Personal Data Form
• Mandated Reporter
• Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) Form

A Position Request Form (PRF) is also required if the position attributes need to be updated. The one-week requirement is essential to ensure that the employee will be compensated on a timely basis according to the pay period in which the work is performed.

After the above forms are received by HRS, the appointment will be processed. It is the obligation of the employing department to submit the employee’s hours on the Payroll Summary and distribute the pay advice to the employee even after the appointment is terminated.

When an appointment is to be terminated, the employing department will submit a Personal Action Form (PAF) to Human Resource Services. If the employee is approaching the 900 hour time limitation established by the SUCSS, Human Resource Services will confer with the employing department to establish a final date of employment. The employee must not be schedule to work beyond this date. Total accumulative hours worked are regularly audited by SUCSS. Any time an extra help employee is not scheduled to work for a period of 30 days or longer, it is advantageous to notify HRS and submit a Personal Action Form to terminate the appointment. Outside of the 900 limitation monitoring, HRS will automatically terminate employees the day after the appointment end date indicated on the PAF. The department is responsible for monitoring this date and cannot work the employee until rehire paperwork is provided to and approved by Human Resource Services.

Extra help appointments are subject to state and federal employment statutes and regulations including non-discrimination and equal employment opportunity and the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Extra help appointments are subject to continued funding and all other conditions of employment established by Board Regulations and university policies.

References

State Universities Civil Service System Statute and Rules