Title
Types of SHRA Appointments
Introduction
SHRA positions are subject to the provisions of the State Human Resources Act of North Carolina. The State Human Resources Act establishes parameters for position classification, salary, and many personnel policies and programs.
An appointment is the placement of an applicant or employee in an established SHRA position to perform the assigned duties and responsibilities. The appointment of all personnel into classified University positions is subject to approval by the Office of Human Resources and the Office of State Human Resources.
A permanent appointment is a full-time or part-time appointment to an established SHRA position. The employee is expected to be retained on a continual basis. Permanent status must be given when:
- the requirements of the probationary period have been satisfied, or
- an employee in a trainee appointment has completed all training and experience requirements.
Granting of permanent status is contingent upon the employee's attendance at orientation, demonstrated satisfactory performance, and credentials verification.
Wage-Hour Exemption Status
The intersection of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) with the State Human Resources Act (SHRA) creates two major categories of SHRA employment:
SHRA Exempt Employees are not exempt from the State Human Resources, but they are exempt from the overtime compensation provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. SHRA Exempt employees are not required to complete University timesheets (although departments may designate alternative forms of tracking work hours).
SHRA Non-Exempt Employees are not exempt from the State Human Resources Act, and they are not exempt from the overtime compensation provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. These employees must be compensated at a rate of time and one-half for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours during a single work week. This compensation may be overtime pay or compensatory time off. SHRA Non-Exempt employees are required to complete biweekly University timesheets.
Which SHRA positions are FLSA exempt?
Exempt status for permanent SHRA employees is based on the nature of their work and is not directly related to salary, classification, job, or working title.
For more information on position classification and pay bands, refer to the Career Banding section.
Permanent Full-Time & Part-Time Appointments
Permanent SHRA employment may be full-time (40 hours per work week) or part-time (minimum of 20 hours a week up to 39 hours a week). A part-time permanent position must be established for at least 20 hours per week to be considered permanent. Positions established for less than 20 hours per week would be considered temporary employment.
Permanent part-time status affects an employee's eligibility for participation in some benefits programs:
Employees working at least 3/4 time (75% time, or at least 30 hours per work week), are eligible to receive the University contribution to the employee's health insurance premiums.
Employees working at least 1/2 time (50%, or at least 20 hours per work week) but less than 3/4 time may still participate in the health insurance plan, but are required to pay the full monthly premium (there is no University contribution).
Temporary employees (working less than 1/2 time) are not eligible to participate in most benefit programs. See specific benefit programs for more information on eligibility requirements.
Time-Limited Appointments
Employees can be appointed to time-limited positions that can be either part-time (minimum at least 20 hours a week) or full- time. A time-limited appointment (with probationary or permanent status) may be made to a time-limited permanent position that has been established for a period of no more than three years. To track time limitations, a time-limited position and appointment begin on the employee's entry on duty date into the time-limited position.
Time-limited positions are most often used when there are soft monies or grant monies to fund a position where there are no guarantees in the continuance of the funding source. Additionally, time-limited positions are frequently used when there is a project with a defined end date within three years.
Time-limited positions and employee appointments must be changed to permanent at the end of the three-year period if the position is to be continued. Departments may request a time-limited position change to permanent status prior to the planned end date or the three-year period if circumstances permit (i.e. permanent monies become available). In order to change the status of a position, the department will initiate an Add/Update Position ePAR in ConnectCarolina.
Contact your Compensation and Classification Consultant for questions regarding status changes. Contact your Employment Consultant if there is an employee in the position at the time of the change to ensure an updated Conditions of Employment is provided to the employee. If the position is to be ended, then the employee must be notified in writing and the position must be abolished.
"Time-limited" appointments differ from temporary appointments in that employees in time-limited positions are eligible to participate in all benefit and employee programs in which "regular" permanent employees may participate. Employees with a time-limited appointment receive leave, total state service credit, retirement and health benefits. However, upon separation, time-limited employees are not eligible for severance pay, priority re-employment, or health insurance continuation.
Time-limited positions may be created in one-, two-, or three-year intervals with a minimum of at least one year, and may be extended in intervals of years and months, not to exceed the three-year maximum. For example, if a department creates a time-limited position for a three-year period and the incumbent leaves one and one half years into the appointment, the department may recruit another candidate for the remaining one and one half years.
Trainee Appointment
A trainee appointment may be made to a position when:
- recruitment efforts fail to attract qualified candidates,
- operating need warrants a trainee, or
- the recommended applicant fails to meet minimum State education and experience requirements.
The trainee appointment also allows for effective employee adjustment. An employee in a trainee appointment is probationary for the duration of the trainee appointment. A trainee appointment is arranged by the Employment and Staing Department and must be approved by the Oice of State Personnel.
Acting Appointments
Temporary promotions may occur when an employee is placed in an "acting" appointment for a limited period of time. The Employment and Staing Consultants can advise departments on how to establish an "acting" appointment.