Human Resources Policy Guidelines

Your Guide to Human Resources Policies at

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Employer

of Choice

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute seal is a trademark and the stylized word RENSSELAER is a registered

trademark of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

i March 2014

Table of Contents

Page

100 Introduction and Disclaimers 100.1 Intent . . . . . . . . . 100-1

100.2 Scope . . . . . . . . . 100-2 100.3 Employment At-Will . . . . . . . 100-3

100.4 General Contract Disclaimer . . . . . 100-4 100.5 Oral Representation Disclaimer . . . . . 100-5

100.6 Right to Modify Procedures and Policies . . . 100-6 100.7 Right to Deviate from Procedures and Policies . . 100-7

100.8 Benefit Disclaimer . . . . . . . 100-8

200 Recruitment and Selection 200.1 Performance Management Tool . . . . . 200-1

200.2 Position Approval for Staff Positions . . . . 200-3

200.3 Job Posting for Staff Positions . . . . . 200-5 200.4 Recruitment for Staff Positions. . . . . . 200-7

200.5 Hiring for Staff Positions . . . . . . 200-9 200.6 Recruitment and Selection for Faculty Positions . . 200-12

200.7 Postdoctoral Research Appointments . . . . 200-16 200.8 Exclusions to the Search Process. . . . . 200-21

200.9 Nepotism and the Employment of Relatives . . . 200-24 200.10 Physical/Medical Exams – Post Invitation/Pre-Employment 200-26

200.11 Physical/Medical Exams – Current Employees . . 200-29 200.12 Reference and Background Checks . . . . 200-33

200.13 Immigration/Employment Eligibility Requirements . . 200-36 200.14 New Hire Orientation . . . . . . 200-39

300 Position Classifications and Status Changes

300.1 Position Classifications . . . . . . 300-1

300.2 Independent Contractors, Consultants and Agency Employees 300-4 300.3 Volunteers and Unpaid Interns . . . . . 300-6

300.4 Initial Period of Employment . . . . . 300-8 300.5 Promotion . . . . . . . . 300-10

300.6 Transfers: Voluntary and Involuntary . . . . 300-11 300.7 Demotions . . . . . . . . 300-14

400 Personnel Files

400.1 Personnel Information and Employee Privacy . . 400-1 400.2 References and External Requests for Employee Information 400-4

400.3 Employee Access to Personnel Files . . . . 400-6

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500 Terminations and Layoffs

500.1 General Policy on Employee Separations . . . 500-1 500.2 Rehire Policy . . . . . . . . 500-3

500.3 Exit Interviews. . . . . . . . 500-5 500.4 Reductions in Force . . . . . . . 500-6

600 Non-Discrimination/Non-Retaliation

Equal Employment Opportunity

600.1 Non-Discrimination/EEO Policy Statement . . . 600-1

600.2 Sex Discrimination . . . . . . . 600-3

600.3 Sexual Harassment Policy . . . . . . 600-5 600.4 Other Types of Prohibited Harassment . . . . 600-9

600.5 Accommodating Individuals with Disabilities . . . 600-11 600.6 Religious Accommodation . . . . . . 600-13

600.7 Non-Retaliation Policy . . . . . . 600-15 600.8 Reporting and Resolution Procedure for Complaints of

Discrimination, Harassment, Retaliation or Unethical Actions . . . . . . . 600-17

700 Compensation and Work Schedules 700.1 Compensation Philosophy . . . . . . 700-1

700.2 Pay Procedures . . . . . . . 700-2 700.3 Work Schedules and Compensation . . . . 700-4

700.4 On-Call . . . . . . . . . 700-8 700.5 Meal and Break Periods . . . . . . 700-10

700.6 Telecommuting . . . . . . . 700-12 700.7 Merit Increases . . . . . . . 700-16

700.8 Exempt Staff Supplemental Pay . . . . . 700-17

800 Performance and Conduct

800.1 Standards of Performance and Conduct . . . 800-1 800.2 Employee Attendance . . . . . . 800-5

800.3 Tobacco Use. . . . . . . . . 800-7 800.4 Alcohol Use and Possession . . . . . 800-9

800.5 Drug Free Workplace . . . . . . 800-10 800.6 Physical and Verbal Altercations . . . . . 800-12

800.7 Electronic and Media Communications . . . . 800-14 800.8 Social Media . . . . . . . . 800-20

800.9 Workplace Searches . . . . . . . 800-26 800.10 No Solicitation/No Distribution . . . . . 800-27

800.11 Acceptance of Gifts, Gratuities, Favors . . . . 800-28

800.12 Financial Conflict of Interest/Conflict of Commitment . 800-29 800.13 Intellectual Property Agreement . . . . . 800-43

900 Disciplinary Process and Appeals

900.1 Progressive Discipline . . . . . . 900-1 900.2 Dispute Resolution and Peer Review Appeal Process . 900-7

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1000 Business Expense Reimbursement 1000.1 Travel and Entertainment Expense Reimbursement Policy 1000-1

1000.2 Relocation Assistance Policy. . . . . . 1000-2

1100 Benefits 1100.1 Eligibility Requirements for Rensselaer’s Benefits Plans . 1100-1

1100.2 Eligibility/Termination Dates of Rensselaer’s Benefit Plans 1100-6 1100.3 Tuition Scholarship Benefits—Employees and Spouses . 1100-9

1100.4 Tuition Scholarship Benefits—Dependent Children . . 1100-13 1100.5 Employee Assistance Services . . . . . 1100-17

1200 Retirement

1200.1 Retirement . . . . . . . . 1200-1 1200.2 Health Insurance Benefits for Retirees . . . . 1200-3

1300 Paid Time Off and Leaves of Absence 1300.1 Paid Time Off (PTO) Program . . . . . 1300-1

1300.2 Paid Time Off for Sick Leave . . . . . 1300-4 1300.3 Consistent Attendance . . . . . . 1300-9

1300.4 Paid Holidays . . . . . . . . 1300-10 1300.5 Leave of Absence . . . . . . . 1300-15

1300.6 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Leave of Absence . 1300-24 1300.7 Bereavement Leave . . . . . . . 1300-31

1400 Environmental Health, Safety and Workers’ Compensation

1400.1 Environmental Health and Safety Policy Statement . . 1400-1 1400.2 Refusing to Work in Unsafe Conditions . . . . 1400-3

1400.3 Domestic Pets on Campus . . . . . . 1400-4 1400.4 Service Animals on Campus . . . . . 1400-5

1400.5 Minors in the Workplace . . . . . . 1400-7

1400.6 Minors Involved in Institute-Sponsored Events or Programs on Campus . . . . . . 1400-9

1400.7 Workers’ Compensation Program . . . . 1400-17 1400.8 Return-to-Work Policy . . . . . . 1400-18

1500 Workplace Security and Emergency Planning

1500.1 Institute Closings . . . . . . . 1500-1 1500.2 Violence Policy . . . . . . . . 1500-2

1500.3 Liberal Leave . . . . . . . . 1500-5

1600 Staff Performance Management Tool 1600.1 Staff Performance Management Tool . . . . 1600-1

Initial Period of Evaluation . . . . . . 1600-3