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Human Resources

06:46:00 Employment Classification and Designation

 

  1. Purpose
    1. The purpose of this policy is to establish the criteria and process regarding employment classification for employees at the College. 
  2. Definitions  
    1. Academic Personnel (Exempt) - All faculty members who hold academic rank, and who are directly engaged in instruction, departmental research or public service. Academic personnel may be employed either on a nine, ten, eleven or twelve-month service basis (academic year), compensated over a twelve-month period, hereinafter described as academic personnel, or on a twelve- month service basis (fiscal year), compensated over a twelve-month period, hereinafter referred to as twelve-month academic personnel.
    2. Executive & Administrative (Exempt) - All personnel other than personnel primarily employed in instruction, research or public service who primarily have executive and administrative responsibilities, and whose positions require recognized professional achievement acquired by formal training or equivalent experience. This classification includes non-academic personnel who are exempt from the provisions of the Federal Wage and Hour Law.
    3. Professional Non-Faculty (Exempt) - All personnel other than personnel primarily employed in instruction, research or public service who primarily have professional responsibilities, and whose positions require recognized professional achievement acquired by formal training or equivalent experience. This classification includes non-academic personnel who are exempt from the provisions of the Federal Wage and Hour Law.
    4. Adjunct faculty - All faculty whose temporary appointments are based on demand each semester.
    5. Clerical, Support, Technical, Maintenance, and Operations Personnel (Nonexempt) - All personnel other than executive, professional, academic, administrative, or student workers.
    6. Student Workers - All personnel whose primary purpose for being at the College is to be enrolled in an academic program of the College. Student workers are temporary.
    7. Graduate Assistants/Graduate Instructors - Appointments subject to TBR policy 5.02.05.00 where the specific terms may be academic year semesters, fiscal year or based on a percentage. They may be part-time or full-time temporary appointments.
    8. The Academic Work Scholarship - Awards deserving students tuition and book allowances in exchange for work. A student is usually required to work five hours per week.
    9. Volunteer Employees - All volunteer employees must be registered with the State of Tennessee pursuant to T. C. A. 8-42-101 prior to beginning work at Chattanooga State. The use of volunteer employees must have the prior approval of the requesting employee’s immediate supervisor, the Office of Organizational Culture and Engagement (OCE), the Vice-President for Business and Finance, and the President.
      1. The department/division requesting volunteer(s) must ensure that the work assigned to the volunteer(s) does not negatively impact another employee’s duties; i.e., reduction of hours, reassignment, reclassification, etc. The volunteer must complete the Statement of Understanding Agreement Form which can be obtained from OCE. Since the volunteer(s) are not employees, OCE will not maintain any records of the volunteer(s) other than the Statement of Understanding Agreement Form and will also register the volunteer(s) with the Tennessee Board of Claims.
      2. If the department requires the volunteer to fill out additional application materials, the department must ensure that no discriminatory questions are asked.
      3. Support employees (nonexempt) cannot hold a paid position and then perform the same type of duties on a volunteer basis. Support employees may volunteer at the College as long as they perform different services. Questions regarding volunteer employees may be directed to OCE.
  3. Employment Designations
    1. Each employee is assigned one of the following designations:
      1. Regular Full-Time Employees - All personnel (executive, administrative and professional, academic, and clerical, support, technical, maintenance and operations) who are employed on a continuing basis, expected to exceed one year, and who have a regular work week of 37.5 hours or who are scheduled to carry a full teaching load or its equivalent. Regular full-time employees include full-time MODFY (modified fiscal year) employees. Regular full-time employees are eligible for benefits.
      2. Regular Part-Time Employees - All personnel (executive, administrative and professional, academic, and clerical, support, technical, maintenance and operations) who are employed on a continuing basis, expected to exceed one year and who have a regular work week of less than 37.5 hours or who are scheduled to carry less than a full teaching load or its equivalent. Regular part-time employees include part-time MODFY (modified fiscal year) employees. Regular part-time employees are eligible for prorated benefits.
      3. Temporary Employees - All personnel whose initial period of appointment or expected service is less than one year. This definition should not be confused with employees who are designated as probationary employees, who may be regular full-time or part-time employees, and who are entitled to all leave benefits of such employees.  If temporary assignments are recurring, then the campus must make a decision to create and fund a regular position.
        1. “Temporary employees” are ineligible for benefits. (Refer to College Policy 02:19:07 for the temporary appointment type for faculty - this type may be eligible for benefits).
        2. However, limited term appointments may be designated as positions eligible for benefits when budgeted.
        3. As a temporary employee, you are not eligible for employment benefits (retirement, state insurance, annual and sick leave, and holiday pay or longevity credit).
      4. MODFY (modified fiscal year) Employees - All regular, full and part-time personnel whose service period is at least nine months, but less than twelve months. The actual length and work schedule can vary at the discretion of the College president.
  4. Breaks in Service
    1. An employee who has worked as a temporary for the maximum time of one calendar year must be completely separated and off the payroll for fourteen calendar days before becoming eligible for re-employment in a temporary position.
      1. After one year of employment as a temporary employee, the College should consider adding a position with benefits if the assignment is needed on a regular basis.
      2. The process for filling the position will follow TBR Guideline P-010, Personnel Transactions and Recommended Forms.
  5. Staffing Agency
    1. Temporary employees contracted through a temporary staffing agency are not College employees.  

 

Source for information: Tennessee Board of Regents Policy No. 5:01:01:00.

 

Reviewed and revised by Organizational Culture and Engagement on April 29, 2026

Previous Versions:

Approved: Executive Staff, 05/20/09
Approved: President’s Cabinet, 05/20/09
Approved by President, 05/20/09
Reviewed and Revised: Human Resources, November, 2000