GUIDELINES

Off Campus Errands by Hourly (Non-Exempt) Staff

Date: August, 2011
Contact: Human Resources x4181

Purpose:
This policy is to guide supervisors on what is appropriate to ask hourly staff to do with regard to off campus errands which would include purchases for office supplies, food, and other assorted tasks. It also is intended to clarify how these tasks must be accounted and compensated for.

Definitions:

Hourly (Non-Exempt): This is a worker who is eligible to receive overtime pay. (The non-exempt refers to the fact that they are “not exempt” from overtime.)

Workweek: A workweek is defined as Sunday, 12:00 midnight through Saturday, 12:00 midnight.

Overtime pay: This pay equal to 1 ½ times the current hourly rate for the position for all hours worked over 40 in one workweek. A supervisor has the option of providing time off within the workweek in order to keep hours within the 40 regular hours. Example: If overtime is expected on Saturday of the workweek, time off must be provided prior to that Saturday to stay within the 40 regular hours. If overtime is expected on a Sunday, then time off can be scheduled during the same week.

Policy:
All on-campus options should be exhausted before asking an Hourly (non-exempt) staff member to run an errand off campus. Examples include:

1. Arranging for food for events should generally be done through on-campus catering. The university has a contract and they can provide the food and cleanup for any event.
   Contact: Catering Manager, x5421
2. Buying supplies should generally be done through suppliers with negotiated contracts for providing supplies at a lower cost.
   Contact: Business Services, x4020

However, there may be times when it is necessary to ask a staff member to run errands off campus. These tasks/errands must be:

1. Clearly identified as a critical part of the work product and support of the department/division (For example: student seminars, guest speakers, special emergency supplies).
2. Clearly identified in the job description as part of the work responsibilities for the staff member‟s job.

Examples of tasks/errands that are NOT appropriate for staff members to be asked to do:

1. personal errands for other department members
2. buying supplies/food which otherwise could be purchased through the university purchasing program unless it is agreed that the university provided solution is not appropriate either because of timing or cost.

Staff members should not be asked to do errands on their lunch hour or other personal time. All time spent on errands must be compensated in the same way by which all other hours are compensated (i.e., regular time or overtime, as defined above). In addition, if a personal car is used, mileage must be paid to the staff member at the rate established by the accounting office which is currently .42 per mile.