4.0 PAY AND BENEFITS

4.1 RETIREMENT - This section contains a general summary of retirement provisions. Employees who meet the eligibility requirements for university retirement receive a benefits package provided by the university. Those benefits include health and dental insurance, parking permit, discount athletic tickets, free use of university-operated recreational facilities, retiree ID card and other miscellaneous benefits. Lifetime passes for their personal use to the university golf course issued for weekday play to professors emeriti and other faculty and staff retirees who retired prior to January 1, 1994, will be honored. For more complete details, please read the retirement plan. Human Resources for the respective campus will provide complete copies of the retirement plan upon request.

4.1.1 PROGRAMS AVAILABLE -The university participates directly or indirectly in several programs that provide retirement benefits to faculty and staff members who are enrolled in them. These include Social Security, Teachers' Retirement System of Oklahoma and the University of Oklahoma's Defined Contribution Plan. Participation in and benefits of each are discussed in the following paragraphs.

4.1.2 SOCIAL SECURITY (FICA)- This is a federal program that provides for retirement, disability, survivor and medicare benefits. The university deducts contributions and matches these with the employer's contributions for each faculty and staff member at the time the payrolls are prepared. Student employees enrolled in a full-time course of study and certain non-resident aliens are exempt from paying FICA tax. The contribution rate is a percentage of salary or wages up to a maximum base on a calendar-year basis. Both the percentage and the base are expected to rise in the future. Likewise, benefits are expected to increase with the cost of living. Assistance in estimating the social security benefit can be obtained from Human Resources. However, the final amount must come from Social Security. Detailed assistance on Social Security matters should be sought at a local office.

4.1.3 TEACHERS' RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF OKLAHOMA - Membership in the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) is mandatory for faculty (other than visiting faculty, adjunct faculty and student assistants), executive officers, administrative officers, administrative staff, professional staff and managerial staff who are appointed half-time or more. Other staff, excluding students, who are appointed half-time or more may join on an optional basis. Staff who begin employment at age 55 or older may choose to opt out of TRS. For more information contact the office of Human Resources. Member contributions are made through payroll deduction. These are computed based on a percentage of total compensation up to a fixed base on a fiscal-year basis. Members may elect to tax defer their contributions. See Supplemental Retirement Option 4.4. Benefits upon retirement are computed according to a formula that considers compensation upon which contributions were made and years of creditable service. Options under which a survivor is protected are available. Details concerning membership, contribution, and retirement requirements and benefits are available in Human Resources.

4.1.4 DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN - The university contributes a percentage of salary toward the purchase of a retirement annuity from investment options provided through selected retirement investment firms. The employee makes no contribution. At the time of retirement, benefits are based on the amount in the individual's annuity account, the member's age and the option selected. While the retirement benefits can be payable at any time, they will be significantly lower when paid at an early age because of actuarial and accumulation factors.

4.1.5 PHASED RETIREMENT - Individuals who are at least 55 years of age and have 10 or more years of service may request to be allowed to reduce their workloads and phase into another career or full retirement. The phased retirement program offers an attractive level of benefits during the phasing. (The University of Oklahoma Retirement Plan of May 18, 1984)

4.1.6 RETIREES RETURNING TO WORK - State law prohibits rehire of retirees as consultants for two years following retirement. Teachers' Retirement System regulations require a minimum of 60 calendar days between a retiree's last day of pre-retirement public education employment and any such post-retirement employment. Retirees may return to work as temporary employees in accordance with Teachers' Retirement rules. Copies of the regulations and further information are available in Human Resources.

4.2 INSURANCE BENEFITS - The university makes insurance available for employees under a flexible benefits plan, Sooner Options. Health, dental, term life, accidental death and dismemberment, long-term disability, and long-term care insurance are offered under Sooner Options. Dependent life, dependent accidental death and dismemberment, and spouse long-term care insurance are also available. To be eligible to participate in Sooner Options, an employee must have at least a 50 percent FTE benefits-eligible appointment lasting a semester or more. These individuals are eligible for coverage on the first day of the month following the first day of employment (example: An individual hired on August 15th will be covered on September 1st.). Eligible employees are provided Sooner Credits in proportion to their FTE. Sooner Credits represent the money the university pays for each employee's health, dental, term life, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance. Under Sooner Options, employees use Sooner Credits to purchase coverage fitting their needs.

Premiums for dependent health, dental, life, accidental death and dismemberment and long-term care insurance must be paid by the employee. Also available for employees on an optional basis, with the employee paying the premium, are additional life, additional accidental death and dismemberment, long-term disability and long-term care insurance. Workers' compensation insurance is provided for all employees irrespective of employment status. Unemployment compensation is provided for all employees except students. Additional information concerning Sooner Options benefits can be found in the Sooner Options Enrollment Guide. Copies are available in Human Resources.

4.2.1 LIABILITY INSURANCE- The State of Oklahoma provides professional and automobile liability insurance under the State Tort Claims Act for all employees who are acting within the scope of their duties. The liability coverage also extends to authorized volunteers for their operation of university-owned vehicles while acting within the scope of their authority, only after the authorized volunteer has completed and filed the Volunteer Acknowledgment and Release Form with the authorizing department. Copies of the State of Oklahoma Certificate of Self-Insurance are located in the glove compartment of all university vehicles. Further information is available from the Office of Risk Management.

4.2.2 PERSONAL VEHICLE USE - If university employees or authorized volunteers are authorized to use their personal vehicles for university business, the liability coverage outlined above extends to their personal vehicle (just as if it were a university-owned vehicle). However, the State of Oklahoma also requires such persons to have personal automobile liability insurance in force at the time of use. No physical damage insurance is provided by the university or state for an employee's/volunteer's personal vehicle while that vehicle is being used on university business. Further information is available from the Office of Risk Management.

4.2.3 LEASED/RENTED VEHICLES - The university's liability coverage extends to vehicles leased or rented by individuals or departments of the university while the vehicles are being used on university business. No physical damage insurance is provided by the university or state; physical damage coverage for the leased/rental vehicle must be purchased by the individual or department. Example: If using a rented vehicle while traveling on university business, employees/departments must purchase the Collision Damage Waiver unless a personal automobile insurance policy will extend physical damage insurance to the rented vehicle or the university contract with the auto rental company exempts liability for collision damage. Further information is available from the Office of Risk Management.

4.3 PAY - Personnel employed on an hourly basis are paid biweekly on the Norman campus. Hourly employees at the HSC are normally paid on the last working day of each month. Payroll warrants for Norman campus hourly employees are issued every other Friday. Payroll warrants for other personnel are issued monthly and are normally ready for distribution on the last workday of the month. Warrants in payment for special services (special payments) are paid biweekly on the Norman campus and are distributed in the same manner as regular payroll warrants. At the HSC, special payment requests are handled on the supplemental payroll, which is paid on the 15th of each month. On the Norman campus, a faculty or staff member may receive a payroll warrant in one of the following ways:

1. Have the check deposited to an account at a bank of personal choice. The bursar's office direct-deposits payroll warrants to the banks in time for deposit on the regular payday. A form, available in the bursar's office, should be used to indicate the bank and account number to which a payroll warrant should be deposited.

2. Pick up the check at the bursar's office. Personnel are required to show proper identification when picking up payroll warrants.

3. Receive pay through departmental pick-up. Arrangements can be made in the bursar's office to have the representative for the department pick up the warrant and deliver it to the employee. An earnings summary, providing a permanent record of pay on both a current and year-to-date basis, is forwarded to all employees a few days before payday. At the Health Sciences Center and Tulsa campus, checks are picked up at the payroll office by a departmental representative and delivered to the individual, or employees may have the check deposited to an account at a bank of personal choice. The payroll office direct-deposits payroll warrants to the banks in time for deposit on the regular payday. A form to indicate the bank and account number to which the payroll warrant is to be deposited is available in the payroll office.

4.3.1 OVERTIME - Overtime payments are made in accordance with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Persons covered by the FLSA are not to work overtime and are not to be paid for overtime unless the overtime work is approved in advance by their supervisor.

1. Monthly salaried employees are not normally eligible for overtime pay. Monthly salaried employees who accept work in a secondary department may receive compensation provided the work is not incident to their regularly assigned duties and responsibilities. Approval by the department head and the appropriate provost/vice president is required prior to any commitments to provide any compensation.

2. Hourly employees are eligible for overtime pay at the rate of time-and-one-half for the time worked in excess of 40 hours per work week. For the purpose of computing overtime pay, scheduled paid leave and holidays will be treated as hours worked.

3. Hourly employees accepting work in a budget unit other than their primary one are responsible for notifying the secondary budget unit of their employment status with the university. Whenever the combined hours of work of hourly employees exceed 40 hours in a work week, time-and-one-half overtime pay must be paid for the excess hours. In each such instance, the budget unit exceeding the appointed FTE will have the responsibility for paying the time-and-one-half rate.

4. The normal work week shall begin at 12:01 a.m., Saturday, and terminate the following Friday at midnight. A full-time employee is expected to work 40 hours during the work week. An hourly rate of pay is the basis of earnings computation for persons paid on the hourly payroll.

5. A monthly salary is the basis of earnings computation for persons paid on the monthly payroll. Excluded from overtime compensation are unscheduled paid leave, short-term disability leave, and services that are occasional and sporadic in nature performed solely at the employee's option and that are unrelated to the type of work normally performed by the employee (e.g., taking tickets, ushering, parking cars, keeping athletic scores).

4.3.2 COMPENSATORY TIME - Compensatory time is an alternative method for compensating employees who work overtime. No overtime is to be worked, however, unless it is approved in advance by the employee's supervisor. Monthly salaried employees are not normally eligible for compensatory time. Exceptions to this policy must be approved in advance by the appropriate provost/vice president. No employee shall be required to receive compensatory time off in lieu of overtime pay unless an agreement or understanding was arrived at between the employer and employee before the performance of the work. Should a regular hourly employee be required by a supervisor to work overtime, the employee may be given the choice of receiving monetary compensation or of taking compensatory time-and-one-half off at a mutually agreeable time. Compensatory time off is to be taken within one year of the date of accumulation or be compensated monetarily. No more than 90 hours of compensatory time (60 hours of overtime worked) can be accumulated. Terminating employees are to use or be paid for compensatory time hours prior to the effective date of their termination. Transferring employees will be required to use compensatory hours prior to transfer or be paid by the department in which compensatory time accrued.

For employees appointed to work at an FTE less than 1.00, the policy will not be applicable unless hours worked in a work week exceed 40 hours. Such an individual may accumulate those hours worked over 40 hours in a work week as compensatory time subject to the provisions of the compensatory time policy. Questions regarding the compensatory time policy should be directed to Human Resources.

4.4 SUPPLEMENTAL RETIREMENT OPTION - Upon request, the university will arrange to purchase an annuity for an employee and to exclude the cost from gross income. Employees interested in this means of tax deferral can make the necessary arrangements with Human Resources. There are legal limitations governing amounts. The employee should contact his/her financial consultant to obtain comparative costs, break-even points, withdrawal penalties and other pertinent information in order to have the data upon which to make the individual decision about which insurer best satisfies the individual's personal objectives.

4.5 INCOME TAX WITHHOLDING - Each employee, upon being hired, must complete an Employee's Withholding Certificate, Form W-4, in the payroll office. The form, which the employee uses to identify for tax purposes the number of eligible exemptions, is also the means by which eligible employees can claim tax exemption or withhold specified amounts.

4.6 ENROLLMENT OF FACULTY AND STAFF IN UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA COURSES - -The university places no limitations on the number of hours of course work in which faculty and staff may enroll outside of the individual's normal working hours. However, such course work cannot interfere with the individual's duties as determined by the individual's supervisor and budget unit head. Full-time, regular faculty and staff may enroll in a maximum course load not to exceed five contact hours per week each semester and summer session during their regular working hours. Permission to enroll in a course during the employee's normal working hours must be obtained from the chair of the faculty member's department or the staff member's supervisor and the budget unit head. Under very rare circumstances, exceptions to the one-course limitation may be made by the appropriate provost/vice president through proper administrative channels.

Staff personnel will be required to make up time spent in class through arrangements approved by their supervisor unless course enrollment does not increase staff requirements or does not place extra demands on other employees. A decision should be reached by the budget unit head, the supervisor and the employee at the time of enrollment as to whether the time spent in class must be made up. Any time spent in class, even though occurring during the employee's regular schedule of working hours, shall not be considered as time worked for the purpose of calculating overtime pay unless attendance was required by the supervisor. Time spent in class during working hours must be indicated as such on an hourly employee's time record and noted on a monthly employee's payroll certification.

As authorized by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, a full-time and permanent faculty or staff member enrolling in regular course work will be charged one-half the general fee for such work up to six hours per semester or three hours per summer session except as noted below. Faculty or staff enrolling under the reduced fee will not be required to pay the student facilities fee and the student health fee, nor will they be eligible for the services covered by those fees. Student ID cards of persons not paying fees will be coded to show they are not entitled to the services for which the fees are charged.

The reduced fee does not apply to special fees or to special academic programs, such as those in Continuing Education and Public Service or Liberal Studies, which have special regulations regarding fee waivers. Persons who are employed less than full-time are not eligible for the fee reductions; all fees will be charged for their enrollment. A faculty or staff member who is on a full-time, nine-month appointment is considered to be full-time for purposes of any enrollment made during a following summer session. In such cases those not on summer appointment may receive a one-half fee waiver on six semester hours of work. Those on a full-time summer appointment may receive the fee waiver only on three credit hours as stated above. For those on a part-time appointment during the summer, a three-hour limitation will apply on the fee waiver. Under no circumstances will the reduced enrollment fee apply to more than six semester hours of course work in a single semester or summer session. Enrollment fees for hours taken over this maximum will be charged at the full rate. At the time of fee payment, the employee must present a Faculty/Staff Fee Waiver Application signed by the head of the budget unit. This form may be secured from the office of the budget unit head.

4.7 IDENTIFICATION CARD - The university provides an identification card to each employee appointed on a continuous basis at 50 percent FTE or greater and to each retiree. It is to be presented for securing the privileges of using various facilities and activities available to university employees. The card is good only during the period of employment or retirement and does not authorize the holder to obligate the university in any manner. Department heads are responsible for the return of an employee's staff identification card upon termination from university employment. At the Health Sciences Center and Tulsa campus, all cards are issued through Human Resources. On the Norman campus, cards are issued through the bursar's office.

4.8 BREAKS - Employees may be granted a 20-minute break during each four-hour work period. The break will be scheduled by supervisors within the four-hour period.

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