Orientation
Questions and Answers for New Employees
Welcome
to Tri-County Technical College.
Hopefully by now you have met with the Personnel staff for your Benefits
Orientation, but there may have been questions you forgot to ask or have
thought of since that time. Below are
the basic questions of many new employees.
Please note that all personnel policies and procedures are subject to
change, so please contact the Personnel Office, extension 1794, to verify any
particular policy.
How is my job classified?
Tri-County Technical College is a state
agency and as such is subject to the classification and compensation system
of the state. Positions are classified
based on the responsibility of the job and by education, training and skills
required. All positions have an assigned
pay band that determines the salary range.
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How will
I know if I am doing a good job in my new position?
Your performance will be evaluated using
either the Employee Performance Management System (EPMS) or the Faculty Performance
Management System (FPMS). Soon after
you begin your job, you and your supervisor will develop a plan that is specifically
designed for your job. At the end of your probationary period your supervisor will evaluate
your performance. After this initial
review, you will be based at least annually on the universal review date.
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What is
my probationary period?
Classified Staff and Institutional Officers
have a one-year probationary period, unless they have transferred from another
state agency. Transfers have a six-month
trial period. Faculty have a two-year
probationary period (consisting of two full academic years or 24 consecutive
months).
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When is
the Universal Review date?
Classified staff and Institutional Officers
are evaluated by April 1st of each year. Faculty, including Department Heads, Division
Chairs and Librarians are evaluated in August of each year.
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When do
I get paid?
The College pays once a month on the last
workday of the month. The December
paycheck is normally paid prior to the Holidays, the exact date will be announced
by November of each year.
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What period
of time does my check cover?
Employees in an FTE position are paid
current; therefore the paycheck received on the last workday is for all the
days of that month.
Temporary employees are paid only for
hours worked. The paycheck received on
the last workday of the month is for time worked from the 16th of
the previous month to the 15th of the month.
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How do I
get my paycheck?
Employees may pick their check up from
the Cashier’s window in the Ruby Hicks Building, room 100. Any checks not picked up by 2:00 p.m. on payday
will be mailed to the address on file in the Personnel Office. Temporary employees may pick their check up
one day prior to payday. Employees
in an FTE position may pick their check up on payday, unless they will be
off on that day in which they may pick it up one-day prior. An approved leave request must be submitted to Personnel prior to
getting their paycheck.
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How do I
get a raise?
The SC legislature may appropriate money
for state employee salary increases each fiscal year. If money is allocated, employees are given
a cost of living increase. A cost
of living increase is an across-the-board increase given to all employees
in covered positions. All other raises
are based on performance, assuming new responsibilities or attaining new skills/knowledge.
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How can
I get a promotion?
Normally, employees get promotions by
applying for and being hired in a position that is in a higher pay band. You can find out about higher paying positions
in the same way you found out about your current job. All vacancies are posted on the College’s website
at www.tctc.edu/jobopenings.
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How do
I apply for a transfer?
You apply for a transfer the same way
you applied for your current position, complete an employment application
and submit through the Personnel Office for consideration for the vacant position.
While a new application is not required, it may be to your advantage
to complete a new one to insure that the hiring committee is aware of your
current responsibilities.
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If I transfer
to a better job, how much will I make?
If you transfer into a position from the
one you currently hold, you may receive a 0% to 15% increase not to exceed
the maximum of the pay band.
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Will I
be paid when I am sick?
As an employee in a covered FTE position,
you will accrue 1-1/4 days of sick leave each month that you are in pay status
for at least half of the workdays of the month. You may use sick leave for qualified reasons
as soon as it has been accrued. Sick
leave may be used for your personal illness or medical appointments. You may also use up to ten days of your sick
leave balance for the illness of an immediate family member. Immediate family member, for these purposes,
is defined as a spouse, parent, guardian, child, or grandchild of the employee
or spouse.
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What if
I use all of my sick leave and am still unable to work?
When certified by your doctor, you may
be on disability leave for up to 180 days.
If you exhaust your sick leave during a period of disability, the personnel
office will automatically begin to use your annual leave or faculty non-work
days unless you notify in writing otherwise. If you choose not to use your annual or faculty non-work days, or
if you exhaust all of your leave, the disability period will be in a leave
without pay status. This disability
leave will qualify as Family Medical Leave (FMLA).
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What is
Family Medical Leave?
The Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 requires
employers to grant up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to employees for the care
or placement of a child (birth, adoption or foster placement); the care of
an employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent who has a serious health condition;
or for a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform
his or her job. To be eligible, you
must have been employed for at least one year and have worked for 1250 hours
over the past 12 months. You may elect
to use your available annual leave, sick leave or faculty non-work days during
a period of FMLA leave, subject to Tri-County Technical College’s leave policies.
During periods of FMLA the College will continue its normal contributions
toward your benefits, provided you continue your share. At the end of the FMLA leave, you have the
right to be restored to your original position or a position of equal employment
terms, pay and benefits.
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Does Tri-County
Technical College grant maternity/paternity leave?
Maternity is considered the same as other
disabilities. An employee is eligible
to use available sick leave for periods of disability certified by a physician.
Beyond the period of physician certified disability, the employee may
request to use available annual leave, faculty non-work days or go on leave
without pay. Under the FMLA, eligible employees are entitled
up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for childbirth.
As to paternity leave, male employees
may request up to ten days of available sick leave as family sick leave for the
birth of a child; or up to 12 weeks of available sick leave for the adoption of
a child, if the father will be the primary care giver. Additional time may be requested under the
FMLA and taken as annual leave, faculty
non-work days or leave without pay, up to the maximum total of 12 weeks.
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When will
I get a vacation?
Personal time off, including vacations
is reported either as annual leave or faculty non-work days.
Classified staff and Unclassified Institutional
Officers will earn 1-1/4 days of annual leave for each month that you are
in pay status for at least half the workdays of the month. After 10 years of combined service with a SC
State agency, you will earn an additional 1-1/4 days of annual leave each
year up to a maximum accrual of 30 days a year. You may use annual leave as soon as it is earned,
subject to your supervisor’s approval. When
possible, annual leave requests should be submitted in writing in advance.
Faculty, including department heads,
division chairs and librarians, are granted a base 22 days per academic year
(39-week period). Bonus days are
granted based on length of service, up to a maximum of 3 additional days for a
total of 25 days. You may use faculty
non-work days at any time, subject to your supervisor’s approval. Normally, you will not be allowed to take
your leave while classes are in session.
Faculty who work in the summer will receive additional nonwork days at a
rate of .38 per full week worked to a maximum of five days. Faculty who do not work the entire academic
year or full-time in the summer will have their nonwork days prorated. All faculty non-work days must be taken in
full day increments.
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Can I be
off whenever I want as long as I have annual leave or faculty non-work days
to cover my absence?
The use of annual leave or faculty non-work
days is subject to your supervisor’s approval. Your request can be denied, or you may be asked
to schedule annual leave at a different time if the time you have requested
would create a hardship for your department.
You may not use more than 30 days of
annual leave in a calendar year, unless the leave is used during a period of
disability when you have used all available sick leave.
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Will I
lose my annual leave, faculty non-work days and/or sick leave if I don’t use
it?
Up to five faculty non-work days not taken
during the academic year may be banked, provided the bank does not exceed
45 days. Once banked these days may
only be used with the President’s approval.
The bank balance will be paid out to the faculty member at the time
of separation. Any days not used and
not banked will be lost at the end of the academic year.
Up to 45 days of annual leave and 180
days of sick leave can be carried forward into the new calendar year. Any leave in excess of this is deleted at
the end of the calendar year.
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Will I
be paid for my unused annual leave, faculty non-work day or sick leave when
I leave employment with Tri-County Technical College?
At separation from employment you will
be paid for unused annual leave or faculty non-work days. The amount of leave paid out may not exceed
45 days.
Sick leave is forfeited at separation
from employment. However, you will
receive retirement service credit for up to 90 days of unused sick leave at
retirement.
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What happens
to my annual leave and sick leave if I transfer to another state agency?
If you transfer from one state agency
to another with less than a 15-day break, both your sick leave and annual
leave will be transferred, unless you are transferring to an academic position
where you are not eligible to accrue annual leave.
In that case you will be paid for annual leave subject to the annual
leave policy and your sick leave will be transferred. If there is more than a 15-day break, or if are paid for your annual
leave for any reason other than transfer to a position where you are eligible
to earn annual leave, it will be considered a break in service and your sick
leave will be forfeited.
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Will I
be paid for holidays?
Employees in an FTE position are eligible
for holiday pay. There are 12 paid
holidays in a year. As state employees
we receive the same number of holidays as other state agencies, but we are
open on some of the holidays to accommodate the academic calendar. Employees who work on a state holiday will
earn compensatory holiday time to use at a later date. Compensatory holiday time must be taken within
one year from the day accrued and must have supervisor’s permission.
These provisions apply to Faculty as well, but their holidays and personal
leave are called faculty non-work days.
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Will I
be paid if I am called for jury duty or if there is a death in my family?
Situations such as this are termed “other
leave with pay”. Other leave is not counted against your sick, annual or faculty
non-work day balances. You may be
paid for other leave with pay for up to three consecutive workdays for the
death of an immediate family member (defined as the spouse or parent, grandparent,
great grandparent, brother, sister, child, grandchild or great grandchild
of either the employee or spouse). Other leave with pay is if you are summoned to serve on a jury or
as a witness in a case not involving personal litigation; up to 40 hours for
bone marrow donations or up to 15 work days for short term military training.
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What should
I do if I am injured on the job?
You should immediately report it to your
supervisor and call the Personnel Office.
If your injury occurs after hours or is serious enough to warrant emergency
care, go to the nearest clinic or emergency room to seek necessary treatment.
At the earliest possible time, report the injury to the Personnel Office
so a First Report of Injury may be submitted.
Provide all doctors’ statements concerning your return to work status
to the Personnel Office. It is your responsibility to notify the College
of your status.
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Will I
be required to use my leave time if I miss work because of a work related
injury?
The State Workers’ Compensation laws require
that a person must choose between using paid leave or receiving Workers’ Compensation
benefits. You must make this election
in writing and once you begin using leave or receiving workers’ compensation
your election may not be changed. All
absences from work, including work related injuries, must be covered by some
type of leave (sick, annual, faculty non-work days, compensatory holiday,
holiday or leave without pay).
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If I have
two-week duty in the National Guard, do I have to use my annual leave or faculty
non-work days?
No. Time
off for annual field training with the National Guard or Armed Forces Reserve
is provided for under other leave with pay. You will receive your regular pay for up to
15 days. Military orders need to be
presented to your supervisor in advance and submitted to the Personnel Office
attached to your leave request.
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