| Approved by: | President | |
| History: | Issued -- June 1, 1994 | |
| Revised -- October 11, 2022 | ||
| Last Reviewed -- October 11, 2022 | ||
| Related Policies: | ||
| Additional References: | ||
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Policy Owner: Contact Person: |
Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer & University Treasurer, tel. (202) 319-5606 Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, tel. (202) 319-5050 |
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I. Introduction
All employees at the Catholic University of America are committed to “[d]ischarge our duties in good faith and in a manner that will advance the University's values and mission” and “[t]ake individual responsibility and be accountable for our own actions.” Catholic University’s Code of Conduct for Staff and Faculty.
Employment with the University is, at all times, subject to the policies and practices that the University adopts in accordance with its identity and mission as a Catholic university. Employees are responsible for knowing and complying with the policies and procedures of the University.
II. Hours of Work
The business hours of most University offices are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. During these hours, offices are to be open and staffed for service. One hour is allowed for lunch. The lunch break may not be forfeited in order to shorten the work day. The lunch hour is to be coordinated in such a way that the office remains operative.
The nature of the work in some departments may necessitate time schedules that differ from or exceed the normal business hours. The duties of administrative and professional personnel require, at times, a work week beyond normal business hours. Employees within this classification are exempt from overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Arrangements to allow an individual employee's working hours to deviate from the normal working hours may be made by the supervisor with the approval of the cognizant vice president and only if the office is adequately staffed during the normal working hours. The Office of Human Resources will annually post a schedule of holidays and holy days to be observed during the upcoming year.
Employees in some departments may be/are required to work on University holidays. Regular part-time employees are paid for holidays at a rate consistent with their usual schedule of hours per week. Those on rotating schedules are paid for holidays which fall on days they would normally work. If the holiday falls on a day which they are not scheduled to work, they are not given holiday pay for that day.
Employees classified as non-exempt must be paid straight time for all hours worked up to forty (40) hours in a week and time and one-half for all hours worked in excess of forty (40) hours.
Overtime work for the non-exempt employee is not permitted on a voluntary basis, but must be authorized by the applicable department. Overtime cannot be accumulated by working lunch periods.
III. Attendance
Employees are expected to report for work as scheduled. Supervisors are responsible for approving time off. If an employee cannot report to work as scheduled he/she should contact the supervisor to seek approval for delayed arrival or for necessary leave. Attendance reports must be completed by each employee at the end of each pay period. Reports must be signed by the department head and submitted to the Payroll Office in accordance with the published schedule. Refer to the section on leave reporting.
IV. Promptness
Employees are expected to report for work on time in accordance with their work schedule. When an employee must be late he/she is expected to call the supervisor well in advance of the start of the work day. Failure to report or to communicate a need for tardiness as circumstances dictate may prompt disciplinary action.
V. Leave Reporting
Exempt status employees must report leave used in the prior month on the appropriate form which is to be signed by the supervisor. Leave reports are due in the Payroll Office on the date communicated by the Office of Human Resources.
Non-exempt employees must report hours worked at the end of each pay period on the appropriate form. These attendance reports are due in the Payroll Office on the date communicated by the Office of Human Resources unless earlier submission is requested.
Employees are expected to complete attendance or leave used reports when due, even if they did not use any leave during that reporting period to ensure proper accounting for each period. Failure to do so may result in delay of paychecks or other appropriate action detailed by the Office of Human Resources.
VI. Notification of Resignation
Employees are requested to give written notice of resignation to their supervisor as far in advance as possible to minimize the vacancy time of the position. The notice should state the reason for separation and the last working day. At least two weeks' notice is expected from non-exempt employees. For professional positions, a month's notice is appropriate. Refer to the section on voluntary termination/resignation. For faculty positions, please refer to the Faculty Handbook.
VII. Safety
The University is committed to sound programs of injury prevention and compliance with environmental, occupational health and safety regulations. Compliance is a responsibility shared by the entire University community: faculty, staff and students. Responsibility for good safety and health work practices begins with the employee and proceeds upward through the supervisor to all levels of management.
Employees and students are responsible for: adhering to University health and safety practices in workplaces, classrooms, and laboratories; participating in safety training programs provided by their supervisors, instructors, and others; keeping informed of work conditions affecting their health and safety; and, advising their supervisors or instructors of potential hazards in the workplace.
The University prohibits the use, possession or storage of any firearms, explosives, other weapons, fireworks, or unauthorized hazardous materials or chemicals. Firearms are defined as any gun, rifle, pistol, or handgun designed to fire bullets, BBs, pellets, or shots (including paintballs), regardless of the propellant used. Weapons include knives that are longer than 3 inches, or objects that could be construed as weapons or items that pose a potential hazard to the safety or health of others. Other weapons are defined as any instrument of combat, or any object not designed as an instrument of combat but carried or used for the purpose of inflicting or threatening bodily injury or damaging/destroying University property or the property of others. An exception to the possession of firearms on campus will be granted to Public Safety Officers who have been specifically commissioned by the Special Officers Management Branch to be armed in connection with their employment.
Each University supervisor is responsible for protecting the health and safety of employees and students under her/his supervision. Specific responsibilities of supervisors include: implementing University health, safety, and environmental practices and programs; ensuring that workplaces and appropriate safety equipment are provided and maintained in a safe condition and in compliance with University practices and programs; and, ensuring that employees and students under their supervision fully comply with applicable environmental and health and safety policies, practices, and programs.
VIII. Security
Responsibility for personal security and the security of property is primarily an individual and personal responsibility. The University assumes no responsibility for the loss of or damage to or theft of personal property.
The Associate Vice President for Emergency Management and Public Safety has the authority to develop reasonable policies, procedures, rules, and regulations which support the enhancement of personal and building security; which regulate vehicles, traffic, and parking on University property; and which control keys and locks. Employees are responsible for cooperating in the implementation of such policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
The Department of Public Safety is responsible for aiding public officials in the enforcement of laws. Department members who hold police commissions have the power of arrest, are under legal obligation to report any and all knowledge of violations of the law, and are authorized to make arrests when appropriate. Officers are also authorized to stop persons on University premises and request identification.
Questions regarding issues of security should be directed to the Department of Public Safety.
IX. Fitness for Duty
The University is committed to promoting a safe and healthy environment for its faculty, employees, students, and visitors. Critical to this commitment is each employee’s ability and willingness to discharge his or her duties in a safe and effective manner, with or without reasonable accommodations, during the entire time at work. Every employee of the Catholic University of America is therefore required to report to work in an emotional, mental, and physical state, with or without approved reasonable accommodation, able to perform the essential functions of the job.
“Fitness for duty” refers to the physical and/or mental readiness of an employee to perform the essential functions of his or her job as outlined in the employee’s job description. Employees not fit for duty are unable or unwilling to discharge their duties in good faith and in a manner that will advance the University's values and mission, and may present a safety risk to themselves and others. For all jobs at the University, regular attendance, ability to work without disruption to the workplace, and ability to comply with applicable conduct standards are essential job functions.
The University may reasonably suspect an employee is unfit for duty if he or she has observable difficulty in performing essential duties, causing co-workers, supervisors, or others to question the general fitness of the employee to perform his or her duties and responsibilities due to a mental or physical condition. For example, the employee may pose a “direct threat” to the health and safety of self or other members of the University community due to a medical condition. A direct threat to the safety of others is a significant risk of substantial harm that cannot be eliminated or reduced by a reasonable accommodation.
Any reasonable suspicion that an employee is unfit for duty must be based on specific, reliable observations concerning the employee's appearance, behavior, speech, or body odor. Consistent with applicable Office of Human Resources procedures or faculty policies, a supervisor or the Office of Human Resources may request a fitness for duty evaluation of the employee and implement disciplinary proceedings if appropriate. The employee shall not return to work in the absence of a certification from the employer's Occupational Health Provider that he or she is fit to perform his duties safely and cleared to return to work with or without restrictions.
In case of emergencies caused by an acute impairment or violent, abusive or threatening behavior, a co-worker or supervisor should call the Public Safety dispatcher in Leahy Hall, (202) 319-5111.
Application of this policy is not a substitute for discipline, including any discipline consistent with the University’s Drug and Alcohol Policy. In any situation involving misconduct, disciplinary action may occur notwithstanding a referral for a fitness for duty evaluation.