Title
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Procedure for Additional Compensation for EHRA Employees
Introduction
Purpose
This procedure describes the requirements for providing compensation in addition to an employee’s base salary, in the form of either a salary supplement or an overload, for EHRA employees. Salary supplements and overloads are intended to address temporary increases in responsibility or significant and substantial duties performed under unusual circumstances outside of normal work hours.
Scope
This policy applies to additional compensation for all permanent and temporary University EHRA employees (faculty and non-faculty), including Senior Academic and Administrative Officers (“SAAO”) and Exempt Professional Staff (“EPS”).
Compensation that is part of an approved special faculty or non-faculty compensation plan (e.g., School of Medicine Clinical Faculty Compensation Plan, School of Medicine Basic Science Faculty Compensation Plan, Department of Athletics Incentive Compensation Plan for Coaching and Non-Coaching Staff, etc.) will be paid in accordance with the provisions of that plan and are exempt from the requirements of this policy.
Procedures
Requirements
Salary supplements and overloads are temporary measures that may only be used to address duties that are clearly exceptional to the employee’s regular position or, in the case of teaching duties, exceed what is classified as assigned teaching load by the relevant School/College academic authority. Both salary supplements and overloads are typically used for additional work performed outside the employee’s base unit, but may be approved for additional work performed in the employee’s base unit in certain circumstances (e.g. the employee takes on an interim/acting assignment, a faculty member teaches a class due to the unexpected absence of a colleague). Additional compensation is not used to compensate added duties on an hour-for-hour basis or duties which may be reasonably construed as incidental to an employee’s regular assignment. Employees who are in a paid or unpaid leave of absence status are not eligible for additional compensation payments.
Guidelines for Salary Supplements
A salary supplement is a specific amount of compensation granted in a recurring monthly amount for the duration of the additional work performed. Salary supplements require a specific secondary administrative appointment in ConnectCarolina. Salary supplements are intended to compensate an employee for additional duties that will generally have a duration of six months or greater.
Guidelines for Overloads
An overload is compensation in a fixed amount for added duties that are typically more limited in duration (e.g. six months or less) for a defined scope of work that is project- or course-based. Overloads can be provided as a one-time payment or in multiple installments. Overloads should be used to compensate EHRA non-faculty employees who teach a University course.
Unless an exception is approved, the total overload compensation for a full-time employee in any fiscal year may not exceed 20 percent of the employee’s July 1 base salary for 12-month appointments or 25 percent of the base salary for 9-month appointments. These requirements do not apply to part-time employees until the combination of the part-time base salary and overload amount in the fiscal year equals the full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) salary on an annualized basis. Once this threshold is reached, the full-time overload limits will apply.
Request Process
All requests for additional compensation must be submitted and approved by all required parties before the employee is notified of the additional compensation and before any work related to the supplement is performed.
To provide an employee with additional compensation, the employee’s supervisor must first be informed of and agree to the additional compensation request. If the request involves work to be performed outside the employee’s base unit, the collaborating supervisor must also be informed of and agree to the request.
The unit’s HR Representative must then ensure the request meets all requirements, including that salary supplements have an active secondary appointment entered into ConnectCarolina and that overloads are within the employee’s earnings limit, and submit the appropriate form in the HR Toolkit (located on the HR at UNC website) to EHRA Human Resources in the Office of Human Resources (“EHRA HR”). Salary supplement requests are completed using the Rainbow Form and overload requests are completed using the Overload Request Form.
EHRA HR may approve the request or ask for additional information from the unit. When approved, the best practice is for the supervisor of the unit where the employee is to perform the work to notify the employee in writing of the additional compensation. This communication may include:
- purpose;
- start date;
- monthly or annual amount;
- anticipated end date or at-will end date; and
- a statement that reads “This additional compensation is provided at the University’s discretion and may be modified or ended at any time and for any reason without notice.”
In instances when the request for additional compensation is initiated after the employee begins performing the additional duties, EHRA HR may request a supporting letter from the school/division HR Officer.
When required, EHRA HR will facilitate all necessary approvals from the UNC System Office.
Records
Records of additional compensation must be maintained in the employee’s personnel file in accordance with relevant laws and the General Records Retention and Disposition Schedule.
Exceptions
There are some exceptions that may be allowed in accordance with this policy. To request an exception, HR Representatives should contact their assigned EHRA HR Consultant. Exceptions will be granted only when the request is deemed necessary to conduct essential University business. Some exceptions may require additional approval from the requesting unit’s Dean, Chair, or Vice Chancellor. In such cases, EHRA HR will inform the unit of this requirement. Exceptions must still comply with UNC Policy Manual 300.2.13.
Related Requirements
External Regulations and Consequences
University Policies, Standards, and Procedures
Contact Information
Office of Human Resources EHRA HR Unit
Email: ehranf@unc.edu