Temporary Positions (formerly known as Hourly Positions)

Scope

This policy applies to all Temporary positions (formerly Hourly) in all associated employee categories at Indiana University, including the following and any other Temporary category established:

• With Retirement (HP)
• Regular (HR)
• Student (HS)
• Workstudy (WSU)

Temporary positions are generally considered for temporary part-time work; with pay through the University’s biweekly payroll. (Units with a full-time work need should consider establishing an Academic or Staff position, with review and approval of department and RC heads.)

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Policy Statement

1. Employees in a Temporary position are considered part-time and departments are to limit the number of hours worked.
   1. The total number of hours worked, including regular and overtime hours across all jobs and units, shall be no more than 116 over any two consecutive biweekly pay periods (4 weeks).
      1. Hours worked as part of the Federal Work-Study Program, or a substantially similar State program (i.e. Temporary – Workstudy (WSU) positions), do not count toward the above limit.
      2. To avoid exceeding the policy limit, units may want to set a limit of 58 hours in a bi-weekly pay period, with any excess hours adjusted in the following biweekly pay period.
         
         

         Example:  John, a Temporary employee, worked 80 hours during a biweekly pay period.  His department must limit him to working no more than 36 hours during the following biweekly pay period – a total of 116 hours over two consecutive biweekly pay periods.

   2. Alternatives for Seasonal employment – employment when increased staffing is to accommodate seasonal increases in work – are permitted with specific approval from the University Human Resources office under the following conditions:
      1. New Employees
         1. Definition:  An employee having no employment with Indiana University in the prior 26 calendar weeks (approximately six calendar months).
         2. A new Temporary employee may be employed during a seasonal period for up to 40 hours per week, and up to six consecutive biweekly pay periods, under the following conditions:
            1. The employee will be terminated from the position at the end of the seasonal period; AND
            2. Will not work in any other part-time position (including part-time Academic, Staff, and Temporary positions) for the following seven consecutive biweekly pay periods.
         3. The employee is eligible to be immediately transferred to a full-time Academic or Staff position at the end of the seasonal period.
      2. Existing Employees
         1. Definition:  An employee with hours worked for Indiana University in the prior 26 calendar weeks (approximately six calendar months).
         2. An existing Temporary employee may be employed during an approved seasonal period for up to 40 hours per week, and up to six consecutive biweekly pay periods, under the following conditions:
            1. OPTION 1 – No break in employment
               1. The average of all hours to be worked during the seasonal period, PLUS all hours worked during the previous continuous employment period, will not exceed 116 per two biweekly pay periods (58 per pay period).
               2. University Human Resources will review the employee’s overall hours worked as part of the review/approval process.
                  

                  
                  Example: Jane works 10 hours per week for six pay periods (12 weeks, 120 total hours) and her department wants her to work 40 hours per week for a seasonal period of six pay periods (12 weeks, 480 total hours).
                  
                  Her average work hours per two biweekly pay periods is 100 (or 50 per pay period) – fewer than the “116 hour limit”.

            2. OPTION 2 – Break in employment
               1. The employee will be terminated from the position at the end of the approved seasonal period; AND
               2. The employee will not work in any other part-time position (including part-time Academic, Staff, and Temporary positions) for the lesser of:
                  1. 26 calendar weeks; OR
                  2. The length of continuous employment achieved at the end of the approved seasonal period.
               3. University Human Resources will determine the required length for the break in employment as part of the review/approval process.
                  
                  

                  Example: Joe has worked 25 hours per week for five pay periods and his department wants him to work 40 hours per week for a seasonal period of six pay periods.
                  
                  His required break in employment at the end of the seasonal period would be eleven biweekly pay periods (five “regular” pay periods, plus six “seasonal” pay periods) – a length of time less than 26 calendar weeks.

      3. Units that use this “seasonal employment” alternative are responsible for ensuring that the respective conditions for work hours are followed, including all work hours in other units.
2. Employees in any Temporary position, except Temporary with Retirement (HP), are not permitted to work more than 999 hours during a calendar year, including all regular and overtime hours aggregated across all jobs across all University units.
   1. If the 999-hour threshold is exceeded in the calendar year, or if an employee holds or has held a Temporary with Retirement (HP) position in the calendar year, then all the positions in which the individual is employed for the remainder of the calendar year must be established as Temporary with Retirement (HP) positions. (Once the “999- hour” limit is reached, an individual cannot work any further that calendar year unless all positions in which he or she is employed are covered by the University’s retirement plans.)
3. Effective 2014, employees in Temporary with Retirement (HP) positions are not permitted to work more than 1,508 hours during a calendar year, including all regular and overtime hours aggregated across all jobs across all University units. (Employees in a Temporary with Retirement (HP) position are eligible for retirement program coverage; including participation in the University’s base plan for such employees and the University’s two supplemental retirement plans.)
4. Hours worked while qualifying for a student exemption to FICA, in accordance with Federal tax law, do not count toward participation in IU-sponsored retirement plans. (Generally, Temporary employees who are enrolled and regularly attending classes at IU may qualify for this FICA exemption.)
5. Departments with a work need of more hours than specified by the above limits should consider establishing a new Staff position, and then follow normal University policy for filling that position. (Requires review and approval of department and RC heads; with funding covered by current base budgets.)
6. All Temporary employees are required to record hours worked in the University’s time keeping system, TIME, or another University-approved timekeeping system, using synchronous mode (clocking in and out to record actual time worked).
7. Departments must terminate an employee from a Temporary position after the employee has not worked any hours during eight consecutive bi-weekly pay periods.

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Definitions

Temporary Position Categories

• With Retirement (HP): when the total number of hours worked is expected to be more than 999 hours during a calendar year (cannot exceed 1,508 hours in a calendar year, starting 2014)
• Regular (HR): when the total number of hours worked is expected to be less than 1,000 hours during a calendar year (cannot exceed 999 hours in a calendar year)
• Student (HS): when the hours expected to be worked are expected to qualify for an exemption to social security tax withholdings in accordance with federal tax laws (reference IU Financial Policy, Student Social Security Tax Withholding Exemption)
• Workstudy (WSU): when the funding of the hours expected to be worked is provided in total or in part from a Workstudy financial aid award

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Sanctions

Managers, supervisors, and employees who violate this policy are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

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Additional Contacts

Temporary employment information
UHRS
812-855-1286
tmppolcy@iu.edu

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History

This policy replaces Hourly Positions of January 1, 2010.

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