Section V: Non-Faculty Policies

Augustana College has adopted a summer flextime policy and will adjust the business hours that it is open to the public in the summer months.

All administrative offices will close at noon on Fridays during the weeks between graduation and the beginning of the academic year. The Human Resource department will announce dates that this program will be effective annually.

The summer condensed schedule policy at Augustana College allows employees to work extra time Monday through Thursday in order to leave early on Friday. Certain positions will be excluded from this program when the nature of their job duties requires an on-campus presence. This would include, for instance, certain employees in dining and public safety. There may also be certain occasions where activities require presence on campus on Friday afternoons, particularly special events or hosting of outside groups.

During this time, employees may choose to work a condensed work schedule where nine-hour days are worked Monday-Thursday with four hours worked on Fridays. Employees should work with their supervisor to establish their schedule and should generally begin work no earlier than 7 a.m. and end work no later than 6 p.m. Employees should continue to follow standard procedures for recording all hours worked using TimeClock Plus.

An employee may also choose to work their normal Monday- Friday schedule. While offices will be closed to the public on Friday afternoon, employees may still complete work in the office and work normal hours during the afternoon.

As noted above, some offices or departments will not be able to close on Friday afternoon due to the service they provide. The college does observe some holidays during the summer hours (ex: Juneteenth and Independence Day). Employees are paid for eight hours of holiday pay on these days and will need to adjust their schedule accordingly or utilize PTO.

At Augustana College, our culture drives our success which is why we have implemented a flexible dress code.

“Dress for Your Day” allows non-uniformed employees to choose the appropriate attire for the business of each work day. The purpose of this is to support a work environment that is comfortable and inclusive for all Augustana staff. Dress for your Day allows employees to work comfortably while maintaining a professional image.

A Dress for Your Day policy allows non-uniformed employees’ discretion to select the appropriate dress for the business of each work day. Employees should wear clothing suitable for the work being performed that represents both the individual and Augustana in a positive light. Employees should feel empowered to express their personality, culture, religion, identity, heritage and Augustana College pride.

Employees have the flexibility to choose to wear business professional, business casual or more relaxed clothing (such as jeans). Business casual or other dress-professional attire may be necessary, and even frequent, for meetings and special events with new or prospective students, donors, clients or colleagues. There may be rare occasions when, based on the day’s business, a decision may be made asking employees to wear business casual or dressprofessional clothing. We will provide as much notice as possible on such occasions.

While Dress for Your Day is intended to be relaxed, the expectation is that employees will nevertheless exercise good judgment and wear clothing appropriate for an office environment. While it is not possible to list every item or instance that may be unprofessional, we are providing some minimum and common sense guidelines designed to help employees make good appearance-related decisions.

Examples of inappropriate or unprofessional attire include:

• Garments that are torn or dirty

• Beachwear, halter tops, tank tops or revealing clothing

• Exercise gear (unless working in athletics) or sleepwear

• Garments that have potentially offensive or derogatory slogans, pictures or words

• Shorts are generally not appropriate for a normal work day, but may be reasonable for certain tasks or positions (ex: athletics) or those which require work outside In the event that a supervisor finds an employee’s appearance to lack the desired level of professional dress, the employee will be asked not to wear the item in the future and/or to return home to make changes.

Some jobs have safety concerns that will dictate what can and cannot be worn on the job. Supervisors will provide specific instructions on what specific safety-related dress code issues may be in place for a specific job. Employees may not opt out of using/wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) whenever it is required. Some employees may be required to wear a uniform during working hours to identify them to students and other members or visitors on our campus. Uniform items are provided by the college and replaced on a regular schedule. Employees who are required to wear uniforms are expected to keep their uniform neat and clean.

While the structure of the Augustana organization is always subject to change, the President’s Cabinet is the highest level of decision-making among our on-campus constituencies, and its members report to President Andrea Talentino. The president reports to the Board of Trustees. Each sector of the college reports to one of the Cabinet members. For more details on each member of the Cabinet, visit www.augustana.edu/about-us/president/cabinet.

In general, it is expected that Augustana College employees will:

• approach their jobs with a positive attitude and put forth their best efforts.
• treat all students, customers, suppliers and co-workers with respect, courtesy and professionalism. 
• act and dress in a safe and professional manner. 
• maintain the confidentiality of all sensitive information regarding the college. 
• look for opportunities to improve themselves and the organization, and provide suggestions for changes. 
• follow the policies contained within this handbook and ask questions when a policy is unknown or unclear.

Non-faculty employees at Augustana College are "at-will" employees. At-will employees do not have a guarantee of continued employment and are free to resign their position at any time for any reason with or without notice. Likewise, Augustana College may terminate the employment relationship at any time with or without prior notice for any reason not prohibited by law. Nothing within this handbook or any other college document or verbal communication is intended to create a contract of employment.

All non-faculty employees are required to sign an Acknowledgement of Receipt of Handbook that clarifies this condition of employment.

This policy of at-will employment may not be modified or changed by any Cabinet member, manager or employee of the college other than the president of the college.

Positions at Augustana College are divided into two classifications, consistent with the Fair Labor Standards Act. These classifications determine how hours of work are recorded and compensated.

Administrative/Exempt:
Administrative (exempt) employees are paid on a salary basis and do not receive payment for overtime.

Staff/Non-Exempt:
Staff (non-exempt) employees are eligible for overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week. 

In addition, the benefits an employee receives may depend on the number of hours that are normally worked in a pay period. These categories are defined as follows:

Full-Time:
Full-time employees work the standard working hours of the college each week for a total of 40 hours per week. Full-time positions may have an academic year work schedule or may work all 12 months.

Part-Time:
Part-time employees work a regular schedule of at least 20 but less than 40 hours per week. Employees with a regular schedule of less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for benefits.

Intermittent:
Intermittent employees do not have a regular schedule as work is determined and scheduled on an as-needed basis for the college. Work hours may fluctuate from week to week without a regular schedule of work. Intermittent employees are not eligible for most college benefits.

Temporary Employees:
Temporary employees are hired for a specified project, season or time frame and sometimes work for a temporary agency rather than the college. Temporary employees do not receive any benefits provided by the college and do not receive holiday pay or double time if they work on a holiday.

Because of the varied nature of the work and the variety of services provided, departments create work schedules for employees based on the needs of students, as well as the overall Augustana College community. Full-time employees generally have an eight-hour workday and a workweek of 40 hours. Administrative offices are generally open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Other departments and buildings at Augustana College have working hours that are extended to meet the needs of the college. Each employee’s schedule will be set by the supervisor and may change based on the needs of the college and the changing services provided. Employees must be prepared to adapt to schedule changes as necessary. Additional information on meals and rest breaks are included elsewhere in this handbook.

For non-exempt employees, all work completed must be reported. This includes work completed both on-campus and away from campus. “Volunteering” to work extra hours without compensation is prohibited. Specific guidelines on what is considered “time worked” when traveling, working off campus and attending professional development opportunities are available from the Office of Human Resources.

Full-time employees at Augustana are expected to work a 40-hour workweek. Part-time staff employees are assigned a specific number of hours that generally should be worked each week and may have a specific schedule of hours. The most common workday is 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. five days per week with a 30-minute lunch break. When possible, and with the approval of the supervisor, employees may start their workday as early as 7:30 a.m. and end as late as 6 p.m. to accommodate a longer lunch period. As always, the needs of our students and campus community should be taken into account when deciding work hours.

Supervisors may request employees to alter work hours to avoid overtime implications. For example, a non-exempt employee who stays late on a Monday evening to finish a project or answer a student’s question, may be asked to leave early or come in late on another day that week.

Each staff (non-exempt) employee is responsible for creating an accurate accounting of the time worked during each pay period. Employees must submit this documentation by the deadline created by the payroll staff in order to receive pay in a timely manner. The methods used to document time worked may change occasionally, and the payroll staff will communicate these changes to employees. Currently the college utilizes Time Clock Plus for collecting daily work hours for all students and staff employees.

All employees, both staff and administrative, must accurately report time away from work due to paid time off, vacation reserve, or other leaves available to the employee.

Supervisors are required to approve time off and ensure that all work time and paid leave time are accurately reported. Providing false information and/or not reporting time away from work is considered misconduct and will subject employees to discipline up to and including termination.

Each employee’s job is classified as either exempt (administrative) or non-exempt (staff) based on guidelines in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This classification determines each job’s eligibility for overtime payment. For purposes of compensation, Augustana College’s workweek starts on Monday at 12:01 a.m. and ends on Sunday at midnight.

Exempt/administrative employees will not receive any additional compensation for time worked beyond a 40-hour workweek.

Non-exempt/staff employees will be paid one and a half times the regularly hourly rate for time worked over 40 hours in a workweek. Overtime will be paid only when an employee works in excess of 40 hours per week. Weekend work that is part of the regular schedule and/or hours beyond eight in a day will be paid at the regular rate of pay.

In cases where an employee uses accrued paid time off, holiday pay, bereavement leave, short-term disability time or any other paid leave, these hours will not be considered time worked for purposes of overtime. All overtime must be approved in advance by the employee’s supervisor. Approval should be requested and received before any overtime hours are worked. Failure to receive advance approval for working overtime hours may result in discipline up to and including termination.

Some employee jobs may be eligible for special categories of pay, including a flat rate for being called in for special duties outside of the scheduled workweek, a rate for accepting phone calls at home and special pay categories for hazardous duties. In all situations, Augustana College complies with the FLSA regarding regulation of special circumstances.

Eligibility for these pay categories is limited to specific job titles and categories. Additional recordkeeping and documentation is necessary for those employees eligible for these pay categories.

Punctuality and regular attendance are essential to meet the needs of the college’s students and to facilitate the smooth operation of departments. Staffing levels have been created to allow the college to meet these needs as well as provide adequate time off to meet employee needs for sickness, time off or unforeseen circumstances.

It is expected that employees will arrive on time and prepared for work duties. Employees who anticipate a late arrival to work should call a supervisor with as much notice as possible. A pattern and/or repeated occurrences of missing work or arriving late to work may result in discipline.

Employees who are unable to work due to an unexpected illness or circumstance are required to call in before the workday would normally begin to notify their supervisor. Failure to notify the supervisor of an absence will result in discipline. Employees are required to call in and notify the supervisor on each day that an absence will occur. Additionally, in the event an employee does not show up to work and does not call in to discuss the absence with a supervisor for three consecutive days, this will be considered a resignation, and employment will be terminated.

Meal and Rest Breaks

In compliance with Illinois State Law, all staff (non-exempt) employees who work a shift of more than six hours must take an unpaid meal break of at least 20 minutes, and this should be taken within the first five working hours. This unpaid break is mandatory and cannot be combined with other breaks and cannot be taken at the end of the day in order to leave early. Additionally, “working through lunch” or otherwise skipping this break is not allowed.

While not required by law, rest breaks of no more than 15 minutes are allowed and are to be taken at the time designated by the supervisor. During extremely busy times, these rest breaks may not be possible. Rest breaks cannot be used at the end of the day as a means of ending the employee’s workday early. Splitting breaks or changing the timing of breaks may be allowed with supervisory approval.

The college provides paid time off to eligible employees for time away from work, both planned and unplanned. Paid time off can be used for planned vacations and medical appointments, with approval of a supervisor, as well as time off for unplanned absences due to personal or family illness. 

Eligibility: Faculty positions, athletic coaches, and some additional salaried positions with an academic year schedule are not eligible for paid time off, and instead observe academic breaks for planned absences. These positions will receive guidance from their department chair or supervisor on handling of unexpected time away of less than three days. Any absence longer than three days should follow the short-term disability and/or life event leave policies.

All other positions working a regular schedule of at least 20 hours per week will accrue paid time off with each pay period.

Planned Absences: All planned time away must be scheduled in advance and approved by the employee’s supervisor or manager and may be denied based on workflow concerns and/or multiple employee requests for the same time.

Unplanned Absences: Paid time off can be used for personal or family illnesses as well as for care of family members or appointments. Family members for purposes of this policy include: 
• dependent child 
• parent 
• spouse 
• mother-in-law 
• father-in-law 
• sibling 
• grandchild 
• grandparent 
• stepparent 

As with any unplanned absence, employees must notify the supervisor or manager as soon as possible and on a daily basis. Unplanned absences of three days or more may require a doctor’s release before returning to work. Excessive unplanned absences may require documentation that it is being used for purposes for which advance notice is not possible. 

Accrual Schedule: Eligible employees accrue paid time off (PTO) for every full payroll period worked. The accrual amount varies based on length of employment, and new accrual rates are based on the anniversary date of the employee’s hire. Part-time employees who work a schedule of 20 hours or more per week accrue PTO on a pro-rated basis. Part-time employees who are regularly scheduled for less than 20 hours per week do not accrue paid time off.

• 0–5 years of employment: 152 hours (19 days) during a 12-month work period. 0.73 per hour worked.

• 6–10 years of employment: 192 hours (24 days) during a 12-month work period. .092 per hour worked.

• 11 or more years of employment: 232 hours (29 days) during a 12-month work period. .111 per hour worked.

For employees who have a break-in service, years of employment for PTO accrual purposes will be based on rehire date only, and prior service years will not be counted.

PTO will accrue for regular hours worked. This includes actual hours worked, along with hours paid for bereavement leave, holiday, vacation reserve and PTO usage. PTO hours will not accrue when Life Event Pay and Short Term Disability hours are used.  

Paid Time Off balances are provided on each employee’s earnings statement. Employees may borrow up to 40 hours of paid time off before it is accrued. Requests to borrow vacation must be approved by a supervisor. Additional borrowing of paid time off may be available with approval of both the supervisor and Human Resources. 

Using PTO Time

PTO time can be used before it is accrued which will create a negative PTO balance. New employees are encouraged to wait for three months before taking planned PTO to allow for a successful orientation to work duties. Employees who need to borrow more than 40 hours of PTO will be asked to sign an agreement that any negative balance will be deducted from final pay. Generally, employees will not be allowed to borrow more than 80 hours of PTO.

“Use it or Lose it” and Payouts: Paid time off cannot be carried over from year to year and must be used in the year that it is given. For purposes of PTO, the benefit year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. This is a “use it or lose it” policy, and on June 30 of each year, any unused PTO time will be forfeited. Employees will be paid for PTO hours that are accrued and available for use but not used at the end of employment with Augustana. Any borrowed PTO time will be deducted from an employee’s accruals.

Employees who began service with Augustana prior to September 1, 2020, may have unused vacation hours that were accrued under the college’s prior Vacation Policy. Employees will continue to have access to these "reserve vacation hours" that were previously accrued, in addition to time off benefits under the Paid Time Off policy.  

Employees are encouraged to use their reserved vacation hours, as carryover limits will result in a loss of vacation in excess of the limits. In accordance with the terms under which these hours were earned and accrued, reserve vacation are subject to maximum carryover limits from year to year and hours over those maximum carry over limits will be forfeited. 

As of September 1, 2020, carryover from year to year (July 1 to June 30) of any reserve vacation hours are subject to the following maximums:    

• June 30, 2021: Up to 200 hours of reserve vacation hours can be carried over.
• June 30, 2022: Up to 150 hours of reserve vacation hours can be carried over.
• June 30: 2023: Up to 100 hours of reserve vacation hours can be carried over. 
• June 30: 2024: No reserve vacation hours can be carried over.

Employees will be paid for reserve vacation hours available for their use at the end of their employment with Augustana.

Outside of the leave categories listed, additional time away from work generally is not allowed. Employees with a situation that is believed to merit additional consideration for unpaid leave should meet with the Director of Human Resources, who will present the request to the president for a decision.

Employees who voluntarily terminate their employment with Augustana College are requested to give at least two weeks’ notice and provide this resignation in writing. Employees who do not provide adequate notice may not be eligible for rehire. Employees should contact the Office of Human Resources to schedule an exit interview and complete the checkout process. At this meeting, employees will be provided information on applicable benefit extension and will be asked to return any keys, ID card, purchase card or other property of the college. For non-faculty employees access to the Augustana network and email address will end with the last day of employment.

Augustana College is committed to a policy of employment and advancement based on qualifications and merit and does not discriminate in favor of, or in opposition to, the employment of relatives.

Due to the potential for perceived or actual conflicts relatives of persons currently employed may be hired only if they will not be working directly for or supervising a relative or will not occupy a position in the same line of authority where employees can initiate or participate in decisions involving a direct benefit to the relative. Such decisions include, but are not limited to, hiring, retention, transfer, promotion, wages and leave requests. This policy applies to student workers as well as all full-time, part-time and intermittent employees.

“Relative” is defined as one of the following: relationships by blood—parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, first cousin, and relationships by marriage—spouse (as defined by state law), stepparent, stepchild, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, father-in- law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, half-brother, half-sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, spouse/partner of any of the above and cohabitating couples/significant others.

If any employee, after employment, enters into one of the above relationships, the affected individuals must disclose the relationship to the Director of Human Resources so that options for a transfer or a change in the reporting relationship can be explore.

Student workers are not allowed to be employed in the same department as a parent or other relative even if a supervisory relationship does not exist.

Augustana College takes great pride in its high standards when it comes to serving its students, customers and community, as well as the way its employees interact with one another. While it is the college’s general practice to attempt to solve performance problems in the most informal way possible, the following is a list of some of the activities that may lead to immediate discharge: 

• criminal activities engaged in by any employee 
• theft or removal of any college product or property without expressed permission 
• refusal to perform assigned duties
• discovery of false information on an employee’s application of employment or any pre-employment tests or documentation 
• use, or possession, of illegal substances on the job and/or reporting to work under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs 
• falsification of records, including but not limited to time cards, student records, deposit slips, invoices, expense accounts, shipping/receiving records, business records or any other similar report or documentation 
• unauthorized solicitations or other activities that interfere with productivity 
• sexual harassment, or other forms of harassment or prohibited discrimination of other employees, students, vendors, customers, contract workers or other third parties 
• striking or other physical assault or threat of physical assault of a co-worker, student, customer or supplier during the performance of assigned duties 
• forgery of a signature on any document used in any way in connection with college business 
• knowingly engaging in an unsafe work practice or refusing to follow safety instructions

This is by no means an exhaustive list of behavior that may lead to immediate termination, but a general listing that may be expanded or changed at any time with or without notice.

The college expects employees to follow rules of conduct that will protect the interests and safety of all employees and the organization. Listing all forms of behavior that are unacceptable in the workplace is not possible; instead it is expected that employees will use good judgment and rely on feedback from managers and supervisors to establish and enforce appropriate workplace behavior.

In most cases, a series of steps including verbal and written warnings will be followed when discipline is necessary. These steps will not be followed in all cases, and Augustana College reserves the right to follow alternate courses of discipline.

• verbal warning 
• written warning 
• unpaid suspension 
• termination

The disciplinary process used in response to employee performance problems and/or the college in light of the facts and circumstances of each case will determine misconduct. While a variety of factors may be taken into consideration, the college generally will consider:

• seriousness of the situation 
• employee’s past conduct and length of service 
• nature of the employee’s previous performance or incidents involving the employee

Severe breaches of workplace rules and/or standards may result in immediate termination. Some examples of severe breaches of workplace rules are listed in the Employee Conduct section of this handbook, but this list is not intended to be an exhaustive list.

Augustana College strives to provide a positive work environment. When an employee has a problem or concern, the college will endeavor to resolve the problem whenever possible. However, the college cannot guarantee that a consensus can be reached on every issue or that every issue will be resolved in the manner requested. In general, employees seeking to resolve problems or concerns should follow these steps:

1. Meet with supervisor: Employees are encouraged to bring problems or issues to the attention of their manager or supervisor. Bringing a history of the issue along with potential solutions also is helpful, but not required.

2. Meet with the director or another supervisor: If the employee is uncomfortable meeting with a supervisor or if the issue or problem involves the immediate supervisor, the employee may choose to schedule a meeting with the director of the department, a manager or another supervisor or leader within the department. This step also can be used if an employee has used step one, but is not satisfied with the resolution. Again, a written history of the problem and issue is most helpful in this situation. Employees should approach this meeting with an open mind towards potential solutions.

3. Meet with director of Human Resources: Employees who have used steps one and/or two and are not satisfied with the resolution of the problem or complaint may schedule a meeting with the director of Human Resources to share the issues, possible solutions and outcomes of the meetings held. The director of Human Resources, based on this meeting, may choose to meet with the other parties involved and/or the vice president of finance and administration to seek solutions and/or resolution of the complaint.

This complaint resolution process is available only to current employees and will not be used to review any termination decision. For complaints of harassment and discrimination, please see the Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment. Steps and/or participants in this process may be altered in response to individual circumstances at the discretion of the college.

Regular performance feedback is essential to help each employee perform at the highest level possible. To achieve this, employees should receive both informal and formal feedback on performance. New employees generally will meet with a member of the Human Resources team after an initial period of employment to discuss transition issues and answer questions.

During the work year, the college sets aside time for performance engagement activities including goal setting, mid-year check ins and annual appraisals. During these meetings, employees will meet with their supervisor/manager to receive performance feedback and to recognize those areas where employees are strong as well as areas where improvement is needed for growth. Managers and/or supervisors can provide employees with specific details on when this type of feedback will be provided and the areas on which the evaluation will take place. For employees with multiple reporting relationships, one manager/supervisor will be charged with gathering input from others and providing this feedback. The Office of Human Resources will maintain completed performance appraisals or other feedback documents electronically.

Employees who resign their position with adequate notice may be considered for re-employment should future positions become available for which the employee is qualified. Employees re-hired at Augustana College will begin their employment anew and accrue paid time off based on their new period of employment. Benefit eligibility, including tuition remission and exchange will be based on the new employment date.

Drug tests are required for employees when there is reasonable suspicion that an employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol while performing job duties. All drug testing will be coordinated with an outside provider. Complying with a request for a drug test is a condition of continued employment. Refusal to submit to a drug test will be considered a resignation.

Employees who test positive for illegal drugs or alcohol will be subject to discipline up to and including termination.

Except in cases of true emergency, personal calls using either a personal cell phone or college phone should be limited to break or meal times. Conducting personal business on work time should be a rare occurrence. Frequent personal calls will result in discipline up to and including termination.