Seniority Date and Service Credit

Scope

This policy applies to all staff employees.

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Policy Statement

The university uses seniority dates and service credits to determine employees’ time off accrual rates, terminal pay limits, university and occupational unit seniority, and eligibility for other forms of accruals and privileges.

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Procedures

1. Use of University Seniority Date and Occupational Unit Seniority Date
   1. These dates are used to determine university and occupational unit seniority in the personnel policies listed below. This list is not exhaustive. See the specific policies for details.
      • Selection and Filling 
      • Reduction in Force
      • Position Placement Within the Job Framework
      • Overtime (assignments)
      • Vacation (scheduling)
      • Work Schedules and Hours for Non-Exempt Employees
2. University service credit is used to determine time off accrual rates, identify eligibility for higher time off accrual rates, and determine terminal pay limits. It is also used as a factor in determining recipients for service recognition programs.

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Definitions

1. University seniority date
   1. Staff employees hired before January 1, 2003: The university seniority date is the date from which employment has been continuous in an appointed position including any continuous employment as a part time employee immediately preceding the appointed position at the same or greater percentage as the appointed position. This date is obtained from the existing HRIS database.
   2. Staff employees hired on or after January 1, 2003: The university seniority date is the date from which employment has been continuous in an appointed position. It excludes any employment as a part time employee. This date is obtained from the HRMS database.
2. Occupational unit seniority date
   1. Staff employees hired before January 1, 2003: The occupational unit seniority date is the date from which employment has been continuous in an appointed position in the current occupational unit, including any employment in the occupational unit as a part time employee at the same or greater percentage as the appointed position. This date is obtained from departmental employment records.
   2. Staff employees hired on or after January 1, 2003: The occupational unit seniority date is the date from which employment has been continuous in an appointed position in the current occupational unit. It excludes any employment as a part time employee. This date is obtained from the HRMS database.
   3. As of July 1, 2019, occupational unit seniority is no longer considered for Non-Exempt CWA covered employees.
   4. Positions classified as Exempt or Non-Exempt PAO in all salary plans are considered to be in the same occupational unit. Each classification other than these is considered to be a separate occupational unit. A list of occupational units is contained on the campus HR Web site.
3. University Service Credit
   1. University service credit is the total amount of time, as defined below, that an individual has been employed with the university. It is reported as either the number of years, months and days of service (e.g. 6 years, 5 months, 3 days or as a percentage of years e.g. 6.42 years).
   2. Continuing staff employees hired before January 1, 2003: The university service credit is based upon the adjusted service date (or university service date if no adjusted service date exists) contained within the HRIS database plus any employment in appointed and part time with retirement positions after January 1, 2003.
   3. Staff employees hired on or after January 1, 2003 who had periods of employment before that date in an appointed position: The university service credit will be based upon the adjusted service date (or university service date if no adjusted service date exists) contained within the HRIS database plus any employment in appointed and part time with retirement positions after January 1, 2003.
   4. Staff employees hired on or after January 1, 2003 with no university employment before that date: The university service credit will include all periods of employment in appointed positions plus periods of employment in part time with retirement positions.
   5. Staff employees continue to accrue university service credit during unpaid leaves of absences for the following reasons:
      • FMLA
      • Non-FMLA Medical (Such leaves are limited to one year.)
      • Military
      • Furlough
   6. Staff employees do not accrue university service credit during discretionary unpaid leaves of absence for reasons such as education, political leave of absence, and other voluntary leaves.

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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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History

June 2022
Updated "temporary" employee nomenclature to "part time". 

March 2021
Updates made due to Job Framework Redesign Project. 

January 2021
Updates made due to Job Framework Redesign Project. 

August 2020
University service credit accrues during a discretionary leave of absence

July 2019
Updates made to CWA procedures based on union discussions

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