Employment
Employment jgastley3Access to Medical Records
Access to Medical RecordsThe official personnel files are housed in the Office of Human Resources Records Department. Access to any medical records contained in personnel files is extremely limited. Medical information may be reviewed by 1) the employee, 2) Human Resources' staff members in the course of carrying out their job responsibilities, and 3) other individuals only if legally authorized to do so.
Georgia Open Records Act
An employee's medical records are removed prior to review of an employee's personnel file by his/her supervisor. The Georgia Open Records Act specifically excludes medical records from disclosure under the Act, as release of such information would constitute an invasion of personal privacy.
Approval of Resident Student Rates for Nonresident Employees
Approval of Resident Student Rates for Nonresident Employees jgastley3Georgia Tech follows BOR Policy 7.3.4 Out-of-State Tuition Waivers and Waiver of Mandatory Fees in approving resident student rates for non-resident employees.
Business Casual Dress Policy for Summer and Fridays
Business Casual Dress Policy for Summer and FridaysIt is the policy of the Georgia Institute of Technology that each employee's dress and grooming be appropriate for our work environment.
The normal dress code will be relaxed during the summer to provide a more practical and comfortable clothing standard. This policy will be in effect at the beginning of the summer semester and ending after the Labor Day holiday. Fridays throughout the year will be designated as Business Casual Dress Day. It is the intent that each employee may choose to wear less formal attire as long as clothing is in good taste and will not negatively affect the Institute's image.
Acceptable personal appearance is an ongoing responsibility of each employee. Specifically, "common sense" should be the basic guideline and employees should not wear suggestive attire, athletic clothing, shorts, T-shirts, novelty buttons, baseball hats, and similar items of casual attire that do not present a businesslike image.
As always, supervisors are responsible for determining appropriate dress for each specific work situation or environment. Radical departures from conventional dress or personal grooming standards will not be permitted. When dealing with customers and the public, your attire should be consistent with a positive business image.
Exception
Employees whose jobs require them to wear uniforms and/or whose attire must meet prescribed safety standards are not covered by this policy.
Business Ethics
Business EthicsGeorgia Tech policy is that the practice of accepting gifts or gratuities is unnecessary, undesirable, and contrary to the interest of the Institute.
The purpose of this policy is to recognize the Institute's responsibility to maintain good relations with its suppliers and others with whom Georgia Tech may have business dealings, and to prevent gift-bearing businesses from interfering with and/or influencing employees.
Exactly what constitutes a conflict of interest or an unethical business practice is both a moral and a legal question. Georgia Tech recognizes and respects the individual employee's right to engage in activities outside of his or her employment which are private in nature and do not in any way conflict with or reflect poorly on the Institute. Management reserves the right, however, to determine when an employee's activities represent a conflict with the Institute's interests and to take whatever action is necessary to resolve the situation - including termination of employment.
It isn't possible in a general policy statement of this sort to define all the various circumstances and relationships that would be considered "unethical." The list below suggests some of the types of activity that would reflect in a negative way on the employee's personal integrity or that would limit his or her ability to discharge job duties and responsibilities in an ethical manner:
- Simultaneous employment by another business/organization, particularly if the other is a competitor.
- Carrying on Institute business with a firm in which the employee, or a close relative of the employee, has a substantial ownership or interest.
- Holding a substantial interest in, or participating in the management of, a firm to which the Institute does business with or makes purchases.
- Borrowing money from customers or firms, other than recognized loan institutions, from which our Institute buys services, materials, equipment, or supplies.
- Accepting substantial gifts or excessive entertainment from an outside organization or agency.
- Speculating or dealing in materials, equipment, supplies, services, or property purchased by the Institute.
- Participating in civic or professional organization activities in a manner whereby confidential Institute information is divulged.
- Misusing privileged information or revealing confidential data to outsiders.
- Using one's position in the Institute or knowledge of its affairs for outside personal gains.
- Engaging in practices or procedures that violate Board of Regents, Institute, or other state and federal laws regulating the conduct of the Institute.
REMEMBER: Employment by the Institute carries with it a responsibility to be constantly aware of the importance of ethical conduct. Employees must refrain from taking part in, or exerting influence in, any transaction in which their own interests may conflict with the best interests of the Institute.
Campus Disability Compliance
Campus Disability ComplianceThe Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is the first comprehensive civil rights law to prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities on the basis of disability. Georgia Tech supports and complies with the provisions of the ADA. If you believe you have a disability and need an accommodation, please contact Georgia Tech's Compliance Advisor at 404-218-9624.
You may also reference the HR Web site for additional information: Disability Services
Conflict of Interest
Conflict of Interest jgastley3Conflict of Interest
Conflict of InterestThe purpose of this policy is:
- To set forth acceptable parameters relating to possible conflicts of interest which may arise from the outside professional activities of an Institute employee;
- To define and establish a mechanism to reduce, eliminate, or manage a situation that may pose a real or potential Conflict of Interest;
- To ensure the integrity of research, education or business transactions of the Institute and to identify real or potential Conflicts of Interest;
- To ensure that sponsored research at the Institute is conducted in compliance with regulations promulgated by the sponsor thereof including but not limited to the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health as appropriate [Ref. NSF - Investigator Financial Disclosure Policy: October 7, 1996 http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/stis1996/iin117/iin117.txt, and NIH Guide – Objectivity in Research http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-08-25/pdf/2011-21633.pdf]; and
- To articulate activities that would be prohibited.
State laws governing ethics and conflicts of interest are based on the premise that public employees are acting on behalf of government for the benefit of the public. As public employees of an institute serving the educational and public purposes of teaching, research, and professional service, there is an obligation to conduct research and official duties on behalf of the Institute in such a manner consistent with statutes and regulations. The avoidance of conflict of interest is vital to ensuring the integrity and objectivity in conducting and reporting research.
Overview
Based on State and federal law and regulations, the following two rules will be followed as a matter of Institute policy:
- Activities which constitute a Conflict of Interest where there is Significant Financial Interest are prohibited unless a plan to reduce, eliminate or manage the Conflict of Interest has been expressly approved in accordance with the provisions of this policy; and
- Activities which constitute a Conflict of Interest where there is a Substantial Interest are unlawful.
If you are a faculty member, you are governed by Policy 5.6 Conflict of Interest and Outside Professional Activity as defined in the Faculty Handbook.
If you are an employee conducting research, you are governed by Policy 5.6.4 Disclosure of Real or Potential Conflicts of Interest as defined in the Faculty Handbook.
Only faculty who do not accrue annual leave may report consulting days for time spent consulting, as described in Section 5.6.5 of the Faculty Handbook.
All staff at the Georgia Institute of Technology should be aware of this policy.
- Agency
any agency, authority, department, board, bureau, commission, committee, office or instrumentality of the State of Georgia. - Business
any corporation, partnership, proprietorship, firm, enterprise, franchise, association, organization, self-employed individual, trust or other legal entity. - Conflict of Commitment
occurs when an Employee undertakes external commitments which burden or interfere with the Employee’s primary obligations to the Institute. Conflicts of Commitment may arise out of consulting arrangements or with an entrepreneurial interest when a faculty member is involved in a startup company. - Conflict of interest Illustrative examples of such situations include, without limitation, the following situations:
- It reasonably appears that a significant financial interest could affect the design, conduct, or reporting of activities funded or proposed for funding by a sponsor; or
- The personal interest of an Employee or his or her Family may prevent or appear to prevent the Employee from making an unbiased decision with respect to the Employee’s employment with the Institute.
- The Employee, or a member of his or her Family, has a significant financial interest in a business which transacts business with the Institute.
- The Employee, or a member of his or her Family, has a significant financial interest in an entity that competes or may compete with the Institute for sponsored activities.
- Conflict of Interest Review Committee
shall mean an advisory committee to the Executive Vice-President for Research that shall be composed of the Chief Legal Counsel, the Vice-President for Research, a representative for the student body, and a member of the general faculty appointed by the Executive Board of the Institute. In absence of a standing Committee the Executive Vice-President for Research shall appoint an ad hoc committee as dictated by the circumstance. - Conflict of Interest Management Office
(COI Office) shall mean the central office designated by the Institute to review all disclosures that present actual or perceived conflicts of interest. The COI Office works with the COI Review Committee and the Responsible Unit Official to ensure that any conflicts of interest are reduced, managed, or eliminated in conjunction with federal, state, and local regulations and Institute policy. - Consulting
any professional activity related to the person's field or discipline (e.g. consulting, speaking, scientific advisory boards, paid attendance at company meetings, expert witness services, etc), where a fee-for-service or equivalent relationship with a third party exists. Consulting includes organizing or operating any educational program outside Georgia Institute of Technology. - Employee
all Institute personnel who receive salary or wages from the Institute. Students and trainees are included if they receive pay from the Institute. Also included, by way of example without limitation, are Visiting Faculty and Scientists, Professors of the Practice, Adjunct Faculty, Emeritus Faculty (if they are engaged in part time work for pay), and Tech Temps. - Family
spouse or partner and dependent children [Georgia Official Code 45-10-20] and anyone who could reasonably be assumed to be family in the context of situations in which there may be the appearance of a Conflict of Interest stemming from an action of an Employee in combination with such persons. - Full-time
30 hours or more of work for the state per week for more than 26 weeks per calendar year. - Individual Conflicts
a Conflict of Interest that arises when an Employee has the opportunity to influence research, academic or Institute decisions in ways that could lead to personal financial gain. The financial gain may be derived from owning stock in a company that is sponsoring research, from ownership interest or employment in a company that may benefit as a licensee of an invention, or from the existence or expectation of entering into a consulting arrangement with a company sponsoring research. - Institute/Institution
the Georgia Institute of Technology. - Institutional Conflicts
occur when the Institute, or one of its affiliated entities such as the Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation, Georgia Tech Foundation or Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures, has a financial stake in the outcome of its research programs or licensed technology. The conflict may arise out of an equity interest in a start-up that licenses technology from the Institute or in the nature of royalties to be earned from licensing such technology. - Institutional Responsibilities/Institutional Obligations
Investigator’s professional responsibilities on behalf of the Institution, including for example, activities such as research, research consultation, teaching, professional practice, Institutional committee memberships, and service on panels such as Institutional Review Boards or Data and Safety Monitoring Boards. - Investigator
the project director or principal investigator and any other person, regardless of title or position, who is responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of research, which may include, for example, collaborators or consultants. If the research involves human subjects, it includes all personnel named in the protocol submitted to the Institutional Review Board. [NIH Guide - Financial Conflicts of Interest and Research Objectivity: Issues for Investigators and Institutional Review Boards, June 5, 2000 http://www.grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/coi/index.htm FDA "Guidance: Financial Disclosure by Clinical Investigators" (March 20, 2001) http://www.fda.gov/downloads/RegulatoryInformation/Guidances/UCM341008.pdf ]. - Part-time
any amount of work other than full-time work. - Public Official
any person elected to state office or any person appointed to a state office where, in the conduct of such office, the person so appointed has administrative and discretionary authority to receive and expend public funds and to perform certain functions concerning the public which are assigned to him or her by law. - Responsible Representative of the Institution
the person designated by the Institute to oversee the solicitation and review of financial reporting statements from any Investigators who will be participating in Research. For purposes of this Policy, the Responsible Representative of the Institution is the Vice-President for Research or his/her designee(s). - Responsible Unit Official
the supervisor of the school, laboratory, or department of the person making a disclosure. For such supervisors, the Responsible Unit Official will be the person he or she reports to at the next supervisory level. For any other cases, it will be an individual designated by the Executive Vice-President for Research. - Significant Financial Interest
as defined in current Federal Regulations, means:- A financial interest consisting of one or more of the following interests of the Investigator (and those of the Investigator’s spouse and dependent children) that reasonably appears to be related to the Investigator’s institutional responsibilities:
- With regard to any publicly traded entity, a significant financial interest exists if the value of any remuneration received from the entity in the twelve months preceding the disclosure and the value of any equity interest in the entity as of the date of disclosure, when aggregated, exceeds $5,000. For purposes of this definition, remuneration includes salary and any payment for services not otherwise identified as salary (e.g., consulting fees, honoraria, paid authorship); equity interest includes any stock, stock option, or other ownership interest, as determined through reference to public prices or other reasonable measures of fair market value;
- With regard to any non-publicly traded entity, a significant financial interest exists if the value of any remuneration received from the entity in the twelve months preceding the disclosure, when aggregated, exceeds $5,000, or when the Investigator (or the Investigator’s spouse and dependent children) holds any equity interest (e.g., stock, stock option, or other ownership interest); or
- Intellectual property rights and interests (e.g., patents, copyrights), upon receipt of income related to such rights and interests.
- The term significant financial interest does NOT include the following types of financial interests:
- salary, royalties, or other remuneration paid by the Institution to the Investigator if the Investigator is currently employed or otherwise appointed by the Institution;
- intellectual property rights assigned to the Institution and agreements to share in royalties related to such rights
- income from investment vehicles, such as mutual funds and retirement accounts, as long as the Investigator does not directly control the investment decisions made in these vehicles;
- income from seminars, lectures, or teaching engagements sponsored by a federal, state, or local government agency, an Institution of higher education as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1001(a), an academic teaching hospital, a medical center, or a research institute that is affiliated with an institution of higher education;
- income from service on advisory committees or review panels for a federal, state, or local government agency, or an Institution of higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001(a), an academic teaching hospital, a medical center, or a research institute that is affiliated with an institution of higher education.
- Investigators who receive US Public Health Service funding (e.g. NIH) or a subcontract from another entity that receives funds from a US Public Health Service funding agency, also must disclose the occurrence of any reimbursed or sponsored travel, related to their institutional responsibilities; provided, however, that this disclosure requirement does not apply to travel that is reimbursed or sponsored by a federal, state, or local government agency, an Institution of higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001(a), an academic teaching hospital, a medical center, or a research institute that is affiliated with an Institution of higher education. The disclosure must include the purpose of the trip, the identity of the sponsor/organizer, the destination, and the duration. Please refer to http://coi.research.gatech.edu/ for answers to frequently asked questions.
- A financial interest consisting of one or more of the following interests of the Investigator (and those of the Investigator’s spouse and dependent children) that reasonably appears to be related to the Investigator’s institutional responsibilities:
- Sponsored travel
travel expenses that are paid on behalf of the Investigator and not reimbursed to the Investigator so that the exact monetary value may not be readily available. - Substantial Interest
is “the direct or indirect ownership of more than 25 percent of the assets or stock of any business.” [Official Code of Georgia 45-10-20]. An Employee, alone or in combination with Family, may not have an ownership interest of more than 25% of the assets or stock in any business which Transacts Business with the State of Georgia including the Institute. Therefore caps of 24.9% are placed on the percentage of ownership an Employee, alone or in combination with Family, may have in any business which Transacts Business with the Institute. Ownership interests below this cap may be managed as provided in this policy. - Transact Business or Transact any Business
to sell or lease any personal property, real property, or services on behalf of oneself or on behalf of any third party as an agent, broker, dealer, or representative and means to purchase surplus real or personal property on behalf of oneself or on behalf of any third party as an agent, broker, dealer, or representative.
Activities Not Considered "Consulting"
- Publication
Scholarly communications in the form of books, movies, television productions, art works, etc. though frequently earning financial profit for a non-faculty member and for another party (e.g., publisher), are not viewed as consultation. - Professional Service
Service on national commissions, advisory bodies for governmental agencies and boards, granting agency peer review panels, visiting committees or advisory groups to other universities, and on analogous bodies is not considered to be Consulting. The fundamental distinction between these activities and consulting is that they are public or Institute service. Although participants may receive an honorarium or equivalent, these professional service activities are not undertaken for personal financial gain. - "Moonlighting"
Employee may pursue a variety of endeavors for financial profit that are not directly related to the person’s field or discipline. These efforts are part of the non-faculty member's private life and do not come under Institute regulation for this consulting policy. Such endeavors may be pursued only after the primary commitment to the Institute has been fulfilled and upon prior approval from a Responsible Unit Official of the Institute.
Use of Georgia Institute of Technology Facilities
In competing for consulting, employees are not to take advantage of their access to Institute facilities. State law precludes Institute employees from using State facilities or property for personal gain or benefit. The facilities and services of the Institute may not be used in connection with compensated outside work, except in a purely incidental way. This is not envisioned to exclude contracts with the Institute for the use of facilities or services such as the Computer Center or the Library or other facilities for which cost centers have been established.
Consulting Services for Other State Offices
As a general rule employees of the Institute may not receive compensation for services performed for other state offices. [Official Code of Georgia 45-10-20]
Employees of one State agency may teach or work as consultants for another state agency provided the work falls within one of the following classifications and provided the conditions stated below are met.
Employees of one state agency may teach or work as consultants for another state agency if the transaction involves part-time employment by the state agency seeking consulting services of a chaplain, fireman, any person holding a doctorate or master's degree from an accredited college or university, a licensed physician, dentist, psychologist, registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse, or veterinarian.
The chief executive officer of the department or agency desiring to obtain the services of a person falling within the class of exceptions shall certify in writing the need for the services and shall set forth why the best interest of the state will be served by obtaining the part-time services of such a person in lieu of obtaining such services from a person not presently employed by the State.
The chief executive officer of the department or agency employing the person in the class of exceptions shall certify in writing that the person whose services are desired is available to perform such services, that the performances of such services will not detract nor have a detrimental effect on the performance of the person's employment, and, where appropriate, that the part-time employment of this person will be in the best interest of the State.
The two departments or agencies involved will then agree on the procedures under which the employee shall perform the additional services. The agreement shall specify the means of employment, whether as a part-time employee or as a consultant, the compensation, and other pertinent details and conditions of the employment relationship. The agreement may be terminated at any time by either of the parties to the agreement.
Prohibited Activities
No employee shall undertake any activity which constitutes a conflict of interest except as may be expressly approved and/or managed pursuant to the provisions of this policy.
It shall be unlawful for any full-time employee, for himself or herself, or on behalf of any business, or for any business in which such employee or member of his or her family has a substantial interest to transact any business with the agency by which such employee is employed; provided, however, that neither this section nor any other provision of law shall prevent full-time employees of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia from serving as members of governing boards of private, nonprofit, educational, athletic, or research related foundations and associations which are organized for the purpose of supporting institutions of higher education in this state and which in furtherance of this purpose may transact business with such institutions or with the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
Except as expressly permitted by law, it shall be unlawful for any part-time employee, for himself or herself, or on behalf of any business, or for any business in which such employee or member of his or her family has a substantial interest to transact any business with the agency by which such employee is employed. See Official Code of Georgia Annotated Section 45-10-20 et seq.
Disclosure to the State of Georgia
Except as provided in subsection (b) of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated Section 45-10-26, any Public Official or Employee whether for himself or herself, or on behalf of any Business, or any Business in which such Public Official or Employee or any member of his Family has a Substantial Interest who transacts business with the state or any agency thereof, shall disclose such transactions. Such disclosure shall be submitted prior to January 31 each year to the Secretary of State on such forms as he or she shall prescribe and shall include an itemized list of the previous year's transactions with the dollar amount of each transaction reported and totaled. Such disclosure statements shall be public records. [Official Code of Georgia 45-10-26]
Disclosure to the Institute
Every employee of the Institute, including all who participate in outside professional activities and/or sponsored research must complete an annual disclosure using the online Conflict of Interest system. In answering the questions, if an employee has indicated an actual or potential conflict, the system will notify the COI Office for review. Employees must update their disclosures on an ongoing basis when circumstances change.
Disclosure to Sponsors
Any person involved in the design, conduct, or reporting of research (technical and financial) or educational activities proposed for funding by a sponsor must complete the Investigator Financial Interest In Research Report via the online Conflict of Interest System disclosing any potential or actual Significant or Substantial Financial interests of the employee (including those of the Employee’s Family). (See http://coi.research.gatech.edu/ for this system.) Disclosures should include, but is not limited to:
- Performance or business transactions related to the sponsored activity;
- Equity interests in or fees from either the sponsor of the research or a subcontractor;
- Intellectual property rights.
Each such Disclosure needs to be updated via the online system by the employee during the life of any award, as new Significant or Substantial Financial Interests are recognized.
In completing a disclosure on the Conflict of Interest Online System, the employee is certifying to the following:
"In submitting this form I affirm that the above information is true to the best of my knowledge and I certify that I have read and understood the Conflict of Interest and Outside Professional Activity Policy as set forth in the Georgia Institute of Technology Faculty Handbook, that I have made all required disclosures, and that I will comply with any conditions or restrictions imposed by the Institute to manage, reduce or eliminate conflicts of interest."
In any proposal submitted to a potential sponsor, the Office of Sponsored Programs is responsible for certifying that the Institute has implemented a written and enforced conflict of interest policy that is consistent with the provisions of Grant Policy Manual Section 510 of the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health Guide for Objectivity in Research and other applicable sponsor regulations. In submitting the proposal, the Office of Sponsored Programs certifies that to the best of their knowledge all financial disclosures required by such conflict of interest policy have been made and that all identified conflicts of interest will have been satisfactorily managed, reduced or eliminated prior to the Institute’s expenditure of any funds under the award, in accordance with the Institute’s Conflict of Interest and Outside Professional Activity Policy.
Disclosure to the Institutional Review Board
Investigators submitting protocols to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the use of human subjects in research or other activities shall disclose any and all Significant Financial Interests that may appear to affect the design, conduct or reporting of such research. It is imperative that Investigators fully disclose to the IRB an ownership interest in any Business proposing to test any drug, device or other technology with human subjects or any potential financial interest in such technology that the Investigators, or the Investigators Family might have. The IRB, in collaboration with the COI Office, shall conduct an independent review and may or may not impose restrictions, including denial of approval for the protocol, as it deems is in the best interest of the subjects and the Institute.
Disclosure to Students
Special care needs to be taken when dealing with students involved in research so that a potential or actual Conflict of Interest does not adversely affect their education, i.e. their ability to graduate or publish. Prior to retaining students on research projects that may involve a potential or actual Conflict of Interest, the Investigator and senior personnel will disclose to the student as well as to the COI Office and Responsible Unit Official, any interests in outside companies that may be perceived to benefit from the student’s research. Should a conflict of interest exist, the COI Office, the Responsible Unit Official, the conflicted Investigator, and the Conflict of Interest Review Committee, will design a conflict management plan to manage, reduce or eliminate the conflict prior to the student’s involvement in the project pursuant to the procedure provided for in Section 5.6.4.
Review of Financial Disclosures and Resolution of Conflicts of Interest
When a financial disclosure or report of a conflict of interest is made via the online Conflict of Interest module and forwarded to the COI Office, the COI Office reviews the disclosure per the COI Office Procedures.
Should an actual or apparent conflict of interest exist, the COI Office and the Conflict of Interest Review Committee will design a conflict management plan to manage, reduce or eliminate the conflict prior to the Institute's expenditure of any such funds.
In developing a management plan, the COI Office and the Conflict of Interest Review Committee will work with the conflicted employee and with the Responsible Unit Official and will consider the relationships between the employee and the Institute to ensure adequate conditions or restrictions are in place to manage, reduce or eliminate the conflict(s).
Such conditions may include, without limitation:
- Public disclosure of significant financial interests;
- Monitoring of research by independent reviewers;
- Modification of the research plan;
- Disqualification from participation in the portion of the sponsor funded research that would be affected by the Significant or Substantial Financial Interests;
- Divestiture of Significant or Substantial Financial Interests; and/or
- Severance of relationships that create actual or potential conflicts.
Conflict management plans and/or restrictions must be in writing and forwarded to the conflicted employee and the Responsible Unit Official(s). The COI Office and the Responsible Unit Officials will monitor compliance with the plan. A copy of the plan and relevant documentation will be maintained in the COI Office.
Upon recommendation by a Responsible Unit Official, the Conflict of Interest Review Committee may determine a) that imposing conditions or restrictions would be ineffective or b) that any potential negative impacts which may arise from a Significant or Substantial Financial Interest is outweighed by interests of scientific progress, technology transfer, or the public health and welfare. In such cases, the Responsible Unit Official and the Conflict of Interest Review Committee may recommend to the Provost that the Institute allow research to go forward provided that any conflict management plan includes ongoing monthly review by the Responsible Unit Official and the Conflict of Interest Review Committee.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall permit the Institute to authorize an activity that is contrary to the laws of the State of Georgia, federal regulations, or other restrictions imposed by regulation or contract by research sponsors. Furthermore, no activity involving human subjects may be authorized that has not been approved by the Institutional Review Board which in compliance with 45CFR46 may, in its sole discretion, deny such approval.
Should the Responsible Representative of the Institution find that the Institute is unable to satisfactorily manage a conflict of interest prior to the Institute's expenditure of any such funds, the Responsible Representative of the Institution shall immediately notify the COI Office and the Office of Sponsored Programs.
All determinations made or actions taken by the COI Office, and/or the Conflict of Interest Review Committee shall be in writing and together with all financial disclosures made hereunder, be maintained until at least three years after the later of the termination or completion of the award to which they relate, or the resolution of any government action involving those records. If the Investigator is engaged in any research or other sponsored activity supported by the Department of Health and Human Services including but not limited to the National Institutes of Health, the Responsible Representative of the Institution shall forward this information to the sponsor in compliance with regulation.
Written management plans must be reviewed annually or upon a change in circumstances affecting the plan and appropriate disclosures should continue during the ongoing management of any conflict.
Conflict of Interest Training Requirements
Conflict of interest training is required for all Investigators before engaging in funded research and every four years thereafter.
Penalties
Any employee who violates this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
There are also sanctions under State law [Official Code of Georgia Section 45-10-28] as described in the following paragraphs.
Any appointed public official or employee who violates Official Code of Georgia Annotated Section 45-10-23 ("Full-time employees prohibited from transacting business with own state agency; exception to prohibition for Board of Regents employees"), Section 45-10-24 ("Part-time public officials with state-wide powers prohibited from transacting business with any state agency; part-time employees prohibited from transacting business with own state agency; exceptions to prohibitions"), or Section 45-10-26 ("Public officials and employees to file yearly disclosure statements concerning business transactions with state; statements to be public records") shall be subject to:
- Removal from office or employment;
- A civil fine not to exceed $10,000.00; and
- Restitution to the state of any pecuniary benefit received as a result of such violation.
Any business which violates Code Section 45-10-23, 45-10-24, or 45-10-26 shall be subject to:
- A civil fine not to exceed $10,000.00; and
- Restitution to the state of any pecuniary benefit received as a result of such violation.
| Party | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Conflict of Interest Management Office | Ensure compliance with policy. |
| Office of Legal Affairs | Offer assistance with policy interpretation. |
Consultant Services within the University System
Consultant Services within the University System| Revision Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 12-2012 | Legal Affairs and Risk Management | Update to policy |
Nepotism (Employment of Relatives)
Nepotism (Employment of Relatives)The basic criteria for hiring and promotion of faculty and staff at Georgia Tech shall be appropriate qualifications and performance as set forth in the policies of the Board of Regents, and incorporating certain requirements of the Institute. Relationship by family or marriage shall constitute neither an advantage nor a disadvantage, provided the individual meets and fulfills the appropriate University System/GIT hiring and promotion standards.
Regents' Policy 8.2.3--No individual shall be employed in a department or unit which will result in the existence of a subordinate-superior relationship between such individual and any relative of such individual through any line of authority. As used herein, "line of authority" shall mean authority extending vertically through one or more organizational levels of supervision or management.
Note: This policy does not apply to children working temporary or part-time under age 25; nor any individual as of February 14, 1990, then holding a superior position at least one level of supervision removed.
Relatives are defined as husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers, sisters, and any in-law of any of the foregoing.
Exceptions
Exceptions must be approved by the Board of Regents upon recommendation of the Chancellor as being clearly in the best interest of the Institute and the University System.
Political and Occupational Outside Activities
Political and Occupational Outside ActivitiesGeorgia Tech employees shall follow Board of Regents’ policies on Personnel Conduct, including BOR Policy 8.2.18.2 Conflicts of Interest and Conflicts of Commitment and BOR Policy 8.2.18.3 Political Activities.
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| Revision Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 12-2012 | Legal Affairs and Risk Management | Update to policy |
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)To establish Institute policies and procedures that comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938, which establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting full time and part-time workers in the private sector and in federal, state, and local governments.
The FLSA establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector and in federal, state, and local governments. Georgia Tech will provide compensation for the established workweek for employees covered by the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Georgia Tech also reserves the right to institute any processes and procedures necessary for complying with relevant state law(s).
The policy applies to all departments, all faculty, staff, and student employees.
Exempt/Non-Exempt Status
Federal and state laws require that overtime must be paid for certain, but not all, jobs. The federal law is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
The term “exempt” refers to jobs that are excluded from these overtime requirements. This means that employees are not entitled to (or exempt from) overtime pay, regardless of how many hours are worked.
The term “non-exempt” refers to jobs that are not exempt from legal overtime requirements. This means that employees in non-exempt jobs are entitled to overtime pay for all time worked beyond forty (40) hours in a work week.
In accordance with the FLSA, whether a job is classified as exempt or non-exempt depends on the content of the job. It does not depend on how the employee (or the manager) wants the job classified. Human Resources, with advice from the Office of Legal Affairs, makes the final determination as to whether a job is exempt or non-exempt, based on an evaluation of the job as compared to federal regulations.
Overtime Compensation
The overtime rate of compensation is 1.5 times the regular hourly rate for each hour worked over forty (40) hours in a “work week” or Regular Rate (RR) X 1.5 X Overtime hours (OT) = Overtime pay due. (Example: a non-exempt employee’s regular rate of pay is $10.00 per hour. He or she worked 10 hours of overtime in a regular work week. Thus, $10.00 x 1.5 x 10 = $150.00 (overtime pay due).) Georgia Tech defines the “work week” as beginning on Thursday at 12:01 a.m. and ending at midnight on the following Wednesday.
Departments at the Institute may grant compensatory time in lieu of payment for overtime, if the employee agrees to accept compensatory time. See the section below titled “Compensatory Time” for additional procedures in using this payment option.
Based on the needs of the department, some overtime may be a condition of employment or continued employment. It is to be expected that some departments may engage in temporary periods of mandatory overtime as a result of workload and in order to meet expected outcomes. In other situations, a job's work schedule may be different from the typical Institution workweek so that evening and weekend coverage can be provided without the Institution having to incur the expense of overtime pay. Managers are responsible for informing employees about the needs of the unit and each employee's expected schedule in a timely fashion.
Breaks and Meal Times
Both exempt and non-exempt employees are encouraged to take occasional breaks or a meal period as reasonable. Managers and supervisors will generally designate any authorized breaks and meal times for each employee’s position and schedule. Non-exempt employees are encouraged to take a daily meal period of thirty (30) minutes or more and are encouraged to use this time as personal time where work for the Institute is not expected.
Time spent working should be recorded as such even if worked during a designated meal time. Time spent not working for a period of approximately twenty (20) minutes or more, i.e., a “break” period, should not be recorded as time worked.
Note that state law varies as to meal and break time requirements and to the extent it is in conflict with the above, the Institute complies with state law.
Calculating Overtime
For purposes of calculating overtime, only hours actually worked will be considered. Vacation, holiday, sick, compensatory time and other leave times granted by the Institute will not factor into the overtime calculation.
Timekeeping
Employees in non-exempt jobs are required to submit daily time records. Any employee or supervisor who falsifies any time record, application for leave, and the like, is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Travel Time
When a non-exempt employee is traveling, managers should meet with them to review and approve the travel itinerary (including, but not limited to, meeting schedule, route, and mode of transportation) and confirm what are considered working hours in accordance with University System of Georgia (USG) and Institute policies and Department of Labor (DOL) regulations. All compensable hours worked during the travel period must be recorded and reported to ensure an accurate calculation for payroll purposes.
For additional guidance, please see Compensation for Travel Time Guide for Overtime-Eligible Employees [Include Link].
Approvals
Supervisors and managers are expected to monitor the use and impact of overtime on their department to ensure employees are consistently completing work in a reasonable amount of time, as well as ensure that employees are not working unauthorized overtime.
Overtime-eligible employees must obtain approval from their direct supervisor for overtime before it is actually worked. Non-exempt employees must be compensated for all overtime hours worked regardless of whether such time was requested in advance. Employees who work overtime without supervisor authorization or fail to report accurately all hours of work are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
Compensatory Time
Compensatory time, or “comp time,” is an alternate way of paying for overtime worked. Instead of paying an employee overtime for work done over the time allotted in the normal work week, an employee’s department can allow one hour and a half of time off for each hour of overtime worked. This time may be used in emergencies, or scheduled and approved for personal use.
Comp time should not be confused with flexible working arrangements (including “flextime”) that allow employees to work a schedule with variable arrival, departure and/or lunch times (see Flexwork Arrangements, Policy 8.65). Flexible working arrangements (or “flexwork arrangements”), if approved, allow the Institute to enable employees to serve customers, meet Institute and departmental goals, and balance personal and professional responsibilities. Comp time strictly refers to compensation for overtime worked.
Supervisors, with departmental approval, may grant comp time instead of overtime pay to non-exempt employees. The choice of comp time must be made in advance and documented by an agreement between the supervisor and employee. (LINK to FORM.) Approved comp time is subject to a two hundred and forty (240)-hour maximum accumulation. Employees are required to use accrued comp time prior to using other earned/accrued leave.
Employees who have reached the comp time maximum must receive a cash payment for any additional overtime. Additionally, all comp time balances on record as of the last full pay period of the fiscal year must be paid out as well. Such payment shall be at the employee’s regular earnings rate at the time the payment is made.
Employees terminating from the Institution or transferring to a new department or other USG institution will receive a comp time payoff from the department in which they earned the compensatory time. The payoff will be calculated based on the employee's current rate of pay.
An employee’s request to use their comp time earned is approved utilizing the same process used for vacation.
Pay for All Time Worked
Institute policy and practice is to accurately compensate employees in compliance with state and federal laws. If an overtime eligible employee works more than forty (40) hours in a workweek, he or she will receive additional pay (or comp time as previously agreed upon with his or her supervisor). To ensure that employees are paid properly for all time worked, an overtime eligible employee must record correctly all work time and review his or her pay records to promptly identify and report errors. Employees also must not engage in off-the-clock or unrecorded work.
To Report Violations of This Policy, Communicate Concerns, or Obtain More Information
It is a violation of Institute policy for any employee, including management, to falsify a time record. It is also a serious violation of Institute policy for any employee or manager to instruct another employee to incorrectly or falsely report hours worked or alter another employee’s time record to under- or over-report hours worked.
Employees are prohibited from committing the following actions: (1) incorrectly or falsely under- or over-reporting hours worked, (2) altering another employee’s time record(s) to inaccurately or falsely reporting that employee’s hours worked, or (3) concealing any falsification of time records. If any employee is instructed or encouraged to violate this policy, he or she should report it immediately to the Sr. Director, HRBPs and Employee Relations or may submit his or her concern on an anonymous (or otherwise) basis through the Ethicspoint system at http://www.ethicspoint.com or call 1.866.294.5565.
Non-exempt employees should not work any hours outside of their scheduled work day unless their supervisor has authorized the unscheduled work in advance. Employees should not start work early, finish work late, work during a meal break or perform any other extra or overtime work unless authorized to do so and that time is recorded. Employees are prohibited from performing any “off-the-clock” work. “Off-the-clock” work means work performed but not recorded as time worked. Any employee who fails to report or inaccurately reports any hours worked will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.
An employee with questions about pay deductions or the accuracy of his or her pay record should contact his or her supervisor immediately. If the employee’s supervisor is not available or the employee believes it would be inappropriate to contact that person (or if the employee has not received a prompt and fully acceptable reply within three business days), the employee should contact the Sr. Director, HRBPs and Employee Relations or may submit his or her concern on an anonymous (or otherwise) basis through the Ethicspoint system at http://www.ethicspoint.com or call 1.866.294.5565.
Every report will be fully investigated and corrective action will be taken, up to and including discharge of any employee(s) who violates this policy.
In addition, the Institute will not allow any form of retaliation against individuals who report alleged violations of this policy or who cooperate in the Institute’s investigation of such reports. Any form of retaliation in violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.
Minimum Wage
Effective July 24, 2009, the FLSA requires a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour to be paid to all employees covered under the Act.
Child Labor
The FLSA prohibits the employment of children of certain ages and in certain hazardous occupations. It also establishes certain hours during which children may or may not work.
Exceptions to Policy
The policy outlined above applies to all units of the Institute. Any exceptions to policy must be approved by the AVP of Human Resources. Questions about the policy's administration can be directed to your Human Resources Representative/Contact.
| Revision Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|
| October 2016 | Human Resources | Revisions to procedures |
| March 2017 | Human Resources | New Policy |
General Work Rules
General Work RulesIt is important that each employee's conduct and performance support and promote Institute and department goals. Review the following rules to serve as a guide in achieving these goals:
Major Rule Violations
Major offenses include any willful, deliberate violation of Institute or safety rules of such a degree that continued employment of the individual may not be desirable. The following are examples of some offenses that may subject an employee to immediate discharge without warning:
- Any negligent act that might endanger the safety or lives of others or that might result in damage to or destruction of Institute property.
- Insubordination or refusal to perform work assignments properly.
- Willful, deliberate, or repeated violations of safety rules.
- Willfully falsifying any Institution records.
- Leaving Georgia Tech premises during working hours without permission of a supervisor.
- Deliberately abusing, destroying, damaging, or defacing Institute property or the property of others on Georgia Tech premises.
- Gambling, possession or use of liquor or narcotics, or the unlawful possession of firearms or other dangerous weapons on Institute premises.
- Fighting on Georgia Tech premises.
- Failure to return to work on expiration of vacation or leave of absence.
- Disclosure of confidential Institute information to unauthorized persons.
- Taking Institute or other employee's property for one's own use.
- Repeated failure to meet financial obligations.
- Sexual misconduct.
- Failure to cooperate fully in an authorized internal investigation.
- Failure to meet the qualifications for the job or terms and conditions of employment (i.e. failure to complete I-9 compliance, or other criteria set for in USG General Criteria for Employment Policy).
- Failure to report being charged with a crime (other than a minor traffic offense) to GTHR within 72 hours of becoming aware of such a charge.
- Failure to report being convicted of a crime (other than a minor traffic offense) to GTHR within 24 hours of becoming aware of the conviction.
Minor Rule
Rule violations of a minor nature include violations that may affect the continuity, efficiency of safety or work and will not be tolerated if repeated. Minor rule violations may result in either verbal or written warnings to the employee; however, repeated violations could lead to suspension and possibly termination. The following are examples of minor rule violations that may result in either verbal or written warnings to the employee:
- Excessive tardiness or absenteeism.
- Failure to notify the supervisor within the first two hours after start of shift on first day of absence.
- Failure to observe department working-hour schedules.
- Unsatisfactory work performance.
- Loafing or other abuse of time during assigned working hours.
- Interfering with another employee's performance of duties.
- Leaving regularly assigned work location without notifying the immediate supervisor (personal needs excepted).
- Performing unauthorized personal work on Georgia Tech time.
- Defacing bulletin boards or notices posted thereon.
- Minor violations of safety rules.
- Using Institute resources for personal work.
- Using any tobacco product anywhere on the Institute’s property as prohibited by the Board of Regents’ Tobacco and Smoke-Free Campus Policy.
- Failure to complete mandatory and required Institutional training.
The above lists are not intended to be all inclusive.
Georgia is an employment at will state. Cause is not necessary to terminate employment.
| Revision | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|
| October 2023 | GTHR | Updated to conform with USG HRAP updates. |
| July 2015 | Office of Human Resources | Policy update. |
| June 2026 | Office of Human Resources | New Policy. |
Hiring
Hiring jgastley3Background Investigations and Screening
Background Investigations and Screening jgastley3The Institute follows the University System of Georgia’s Human Resource Administrative Practice Manual (HRAP) for Background Investigations.
You can access the HRAP here: https://www.usg.edu/hr/assets/hr/hrap_manual/HRAP_Background_Investigation_Employment.pdf
Intrasystem Recruitment
Intrasystem RecruitmentQuoted below is the Regents' policy on inter-institutional employment:
Faculty Members
“It is recognized as a good practice for USG institutions to employ principal administrators and faculty members from other USG institutions. When a president wishes to consider for employment a principal administrator or faculty member of another USG institution, he/she shall notify the president of the employing institution before an offer is made to the principal administrator or faculty member. When a formal offer is made, the letter shall include a statement to the effect that acceptance can be made only after all contractual obligations have been fulfilled.”
Transfer for Classified Personnel
The Office of Human Resources should be contacted in cases of transfer for classified personnel.
Georgia Tech follows the University System of Georgia (USG) procedures USG HRAP General Criteria for Employment, USG HRAP Employee Recruitment and USG 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom
Immigration
Immigration jgastley3Employment of Foreign Nationals
Employment of Foreign NationalsThis policy informs units of the requirements for hiring foreign nationals (excluding student employees), nonimmigrant petitions for temporary employment of foreign nationals, and permanent residency requests for permanent employees.
Georgia Tech Human Resources is responsible for compliance with federal laws and regulations affecting the employment of foreign nationals. Global HR is authorized to file nonimmigrant petitions for the temporary employment of foreign nationals and immigrant petitions for the permanent employment of foreign nationals.
- Private attorneys are prohibited from filing petitions on behalf of Georgia Tech. Only the Global HR Manager may sign a G-28 (Notice of Appearance) allowing an attorney to represent Georgia Tech.
- A list of the categories of nonimmigrant petitions and immigrant petitions that Georgia Tech will file and additional information regarding those petitions can be found at https://hr.gatech.edu/global-human-resources.
- This policy applies to all foreign national employees (excluding students) and the units seeking to employ them. This policy does not apply to employees in J-1 status.
- Individuals in some nonimmigrant categories are not eligible for Georgia Tech appointment, employment, or payment under any circumstances. Georgia Tech appointment, employment, or payment is not permitted unless and until the individual obtains an immigration status permitting appointment, employment, or payment. Additional information regarding US visas can be found at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas.html.
- If a nonimmigrant or immigrant request requires expertise or resources not available in Global Human Resources, Global Human Resources may request that the designated Special Assistant Attorney General to the University System of Georgia file a nonimmigrant or immigrant petition at the expense of the employing unit.
- Foreign nationals who are awaiting the necessary employment authorization or whose work authorization has expired are not allowed to serve as volunteers. Note: Foreign nationals who are financially supported by a source other than the Institute are not considered volunteers.
- All requests to hire foreign nationals, and requests to file nonimmigrant or immigrant petitions must be submitted in iStart. Additional information regarding iStart and procedures can be found at https://gatech.service-now.com/asc.
This policy applies to all employees at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Foreign National
A person without U.S. citizenship or nationality (may include a stateless person). See the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Glossary for additional definitions: htts://www.uscis.gov/tools/glossary
Immigrant
Refers to a petition processed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or a visa issued by the Department of State to stay in the United States permanently.
Nonimmigrant
Refers to a petition processed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or a visa issued by the Department of State for a temporary stay in the United States.
Office of International Education (International Student and Scholar Services)
Offers assistance with policy interpretation and administers policy pertaining to the J-1 Bridge USA Program.
Georgia Tech Human Resources – Global HR
Global HR is responsible for assisting with policy interpretation and administering policy pertaining to all foreign national employees and potential employees (excluding J-1s).
Units
Units are responsible for timely submission of requests to, or requesting assistance from, Global HR.
Hiring Managers
Hiring managers are responsible for ensuring employees meet all requirements before beginning work.
Employees
Employees are responsible for complying with all terms and conditions of their visa status.
Failure to comply with federal regulations may lead to termination of employment, institutional ban on filing immigrant and nonimmigrant petitions, and/or possible consequences imposed by the federal government.
| Revision Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 6/26/2023 | Georgia Tech Human Resources | Updated policy to allow Global HR to file nonimmigrant petitions for eligible staff, remove procedures, and update outdated information. |
Payments to Non-U.S. Citizen Employees
Payments to Non-U.S. Citizen EmployeesThis policy provides guidance to those seeking information about payments made to Non-U.S. Citizen employees.
Georgia Tech will comply with all federal, state, and local tax laws and regulations regarding payments made to non-U.S. Citizens. As allowed by those laws and regulations, Georgia Tech will honor requests by foreign national employees for applicable tax treaty exemptions. For more information regarding tax compliance procedures see https://hr.gatech.edu/foreign-national-tax-compliance.
All faculty and staff within the Georgia Institute of Technology are affected by, and should be aware of this policy.
Tax status and appropriate tax withholdings, including tax treaty determinations and implementations, will be determined and implemented by Georgia Tech Human Resources.
The responsibilities each party has in connection with Payments to Non-U.S. Citizen Employees are:
| Party | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Human Resources (Global HR) | Offer assistance with policy interpretation and administer policy |
.
| Change made | Date |
|---|---|
| Policy statement, purpose, process/procedure, etc. | 10/6/2010 |
Joint Staffing
Joint StaffingThe following guidelines, issued by the University System's Board of Regents, pertain to recording personal services for personnel used by two or more units of the University System.
General Guidelines
- The faculty member, or other personnel, should receive full contract pay from the base institution. The employee thus should continue in "fully employed" status at the base institution.
- Each institution sharing the employee's time should budget its share of the employee's time (EFT) and dollars. Care should be taken to see that the EFT and dollars do not exceed the employee's contract.
- Upon making distributions of salary and wage costs from routine payroll records, the base institution would enter the personal service expenditures on its records in accordance with established procedures.
- Settlement of accounts may be effected by arrangements of several fiscal officers of the institutions involved. The timing and method shall be at the discretion of said officers.
- Staff Benefits related to the Personnel Service dollars involved may be transferred if the amount is deemed material by the fiscal officers involved.
- In instances where Sponsored Operations are involved, the overhead allowance in any given contract shall remain at the institution where the Sponsored Project is located. Exceptions to this rule may be made if the amount is material. An amount shall be considered material if it exceeds 50% of the total overhead allowance for that project.
This statement shall not apply to situations where Sponsored Projects are awarded jointly to two or more institutions. The arrangement as stipulated in the contract shall prevail in such instances.
Non-Retaliation Policy
Non-Retaliation PolicyGeorgia Tech has a responsibility to protect its employees from unlawful retaliation, and retaliation will not be tolerated at Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech has a strong interest in encouraging the reporting of misconduct and employees must be free from fear of retaliation to support that interest.
Retaliation against any employee, who, in good faith, files a complaint or grievance; seeks the aid of Human Resources; testifies or participates in investigations, compliance reviews, proceedings or hearings; or opposes actual or perceived violations of policy or unlawful acts is strictly forbidden. This policy does not protect an employee who provides information that she or he knows is false, files a bad faith retaliation claim, or participates in any illegal conduct. Georgia Tech will take timely and appropriate action, up to and including dismissal, against any employee who violates this non-retaliation policy.
This policy applies to all Georgia Tech employees, including student employees.
Definitions
| Retaliation | Retaliation is any materially adverse action taken or threatened against an employee because the employee has, in good faith, filed a complaint or grievance; sought the aid of Human Resources; testified or participated in investigations, compliance reviews, proceedings or hearings; or opposed actual or perceived violations of policy or unlawful acts. |
| Good Faith Reporting | A reasonable and sincere belief that the information provided is true. |
| Bad Faith Reporting |
|
Reporting
If an employee believes that she or he has been retaliated against, the employee should contact one of the following resources to make a retaliation claim:
| Georgia Tech Office of Human Resources (Staff Complaints) | employee-relations@ohr.gatech.edu or 404-894-4847 |
| Georgia Tech Office of the Provost (Faculty Complaints) | vpgefd@gatech.edu or 404-385-5726 |
| Georgia Tech Ethics Hotline (Faculty or Staff Complaints) | https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/media/en/gui/7508/index.html or 1-866-294-5565 The Georgia Tech Ethics Hotline is managed by a third-party vendor, available 24/7, that allows for confidential or anonymous reporting. |
Georgia Tech takes retaliation very seriously. Reports of retaliation made to the Office of Human Resources, Office of the Provost, or the Georgia Tech Ethics Hotline will be investigated in a thorough and timely manner. Any employee who is found to have retaliated against another employee at Georgia Tech will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from Georgia Tech. Enforcement of any underlying policy violations by Georgia Tech employees will be referred to and handled through applicable individual policies.
| Revision Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 03-01-2018 | Human Resources | New Policy |
Performance Management Policy
Performance Management PolicyThe purpose of an effective performance management system is for employees to have a clear understanding of the work expected from them, to receive ongoing feedback regarding how they are performing relative to expectations, to distribute rewards accordingly, to identify development opportunities, and to address performance that does not meet expectations. A comprehensive performance management system empowers employees to have greater input to their personal career progression and will enable managers to better identify, recognize, and reward individuals based upon an agreed set of criteria.
Georgia Tech strives to provide an environment where all employees understand the impact their contributions have on the achievement of Institute goals and are provided the opportunity for ongoing personal growth. One way we can accomplish this goal is through a strong performance based management program that culminates in an annual performance review. The performance management process is continuous as we plan, manage, review, and reward performance.
This policy applies to all classified staff at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Performance Goals
Help to define what is expected of you in your current position in relation to the department and/or unit's overall goals.
Career Development Goals
Outline opportunities for professional development and/or career growth
Competencies
Competencies are the key capabilities, characteristics, and behaviors that all Georgia Tech employees need to develop and demonstrate in order to drive superior work performance.
The Georgia Tech Performance Management Process consists of a four-phase cycle: planning, managing, reviewing, and rewarding performance.
The planning phase is the foundation of the entire Performance Management process. In this phase, individual goals and objectives are set for the performance period. Goals that are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time based) increase employee motivation and commitment to goal attainment, leading to greater performance and productivity.
Regular communication between the manager and employee is critical during the managing phase of the performance management cycle. Through formal and informal conversations, both parties are kept abreast of progress towards the successful completion of goals and expectations. These discussions also enable the manager to provide timely feedback and coaching as the year unfolds. Because the performance cycle spans several months, it is important for managers and employees to keep track of key performance highlights and challenges that occur during the year. These notes will help immensely when it's time to prepare the annual review.
At the conclusion of the evaluation cycle, the manager meets with the employee to conduct the annual performance review. If SMART goals have been set (planning phase) and ongoing communication/feedback has taken place (managing phase), the overall outcome of the annual review should come as no surprise to the employee.
When merit increases are available, employees may receive an increase to their annual base pay as a reward for meritorious performance. It is important to remember that performance increases should be differentiated between employees based upon their overall performance ratings and, in general, top performers should receive higher pay increases.
Additional resources are available on the Human Resources website at https://hr.gatech.edu/performance-management.
The University System of Georgia prohibits employees grieving performance reviews (refer to the University System of Georgia’s Grievance Policy for more details).
Goal Setting
At least two performance goals are required for all employees with the recommended average being two to four goals.
Competencies
All Georgia Tech employees who are considered classified staff will be rated on competencies that have been identified by GTHR and Executive Leadership, in compliance with USG Policies. For more information on GT competencies please visit: https://hr.gatech.edu/performance/faqs. Information related to these competencies can be found under the Competencies tab.
All classified staff managers/supervisors will also be rated on Leadership Competencies. For more information on leadership competencies, please visit: https://hr.gatech.edu/leader-competencies.
Additionally, employees will be provided feedback in the areas of Attendance & Punctuality and Honestly & Integrity.
Ratings
The competencies and goals employees establish in the system will be rated on a new five point scale (Exceptional, Strong, Satisfactory, Needs Development, and Unsatisfactory).
Online System
Supervisors/Managers and employees will establish performance goals and enter them into the Performance Management @ Tech system. The Performance Management @ Tech system will allow both employees and their managers to update and track progress on the goals throughout the year. An employee's overall rating will be based both on progress on reaching established goals and performance in aforementioned competency areas.
Career Development Plan
Georgia Tech's culture promotes individuals owning their careers. Career planning and professional development activities are designed to further develop and maintain a high-performance workforce by providing targeted opportunities for learning and growth. Career planning allows employees to align their annual development goals with long-term career goals and organizational needs. Typically, the career development goals are drafted and revised during the first phase of the performance management cycle. These goals can be entered into the online performance management system.
Human Resources Representatives
Human Resources Representatives are responsible for offering assistance with policy interpretation and administering the policy.
GTHR
GTHR is responsible for interpreting the policy, administering the policy, and ensuring compliance.
| Revision Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|
| March 2008 | Office of Human Resources | New policy. |
| November 2010 | Office of Human Resources | Policy update. |
| October 2023 | GTHR | Updated to conform with USG HRAP changes. |
Performance Review Following Probationary Period
Performance Review Following Probationary PeriodThe Performance Review is an opportunity for the supervisor to review the employee's performance from that period and advise the employee of his/her progress in meeting assigned job duties and responsibilities. Additionally, it provides the opportunity for the supervisor to review the employee's developmental needs and formulate and communicate a development plan designed to improve performance.
Board of Regents and Institute policy requires that all classified employees serve the first six months of employment on a provisional basis, which is designated as the employee's probationary period. If the employee completes this period, the supervisor should review the employee's performance from that period and advise the employee of his/her progress in meeting assigned job duties and responsibilities.
Entities Affected By This Policy
All classified employees of the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Who Should Read This Policy
All employees of the Georgia Institute of Technology should be aware of this policy.
With the exception of certain public safety personnel, all classified employees are required to serve the first six months of employment with the Institute on a provisional basis. During this period, the new employee should receive an on-the-job orientation relative to the work environment and job expectations so that he or she can begin fulfilling job duties on a regular basis. The supervisor should monitor the new employee's performance in the job and take appropriate action as necessary to make sure that expectations are being met, such as providing on-going feedback to the new employee regarding his or her performance relative to job expectations.
Immediately following the completion of the probationary period, and if the services of the employee are still needed, then the employee's performance should be formally reviewed and documented. Should performance problems occur during the first six months of employment, the supervisor should contact the Performance and Talent Management unit of the Office of Human Resources.
Public safety employees are subject to the same provisional employment requirements as other classified employees, except that the six month provisional period will not begin until any training mandated by the State of Georgia for certification as a police officer has been completed (if such training occurs after employment with the Institute begins).
The probationary review process involves assessing the employee's work performance during the first six months of employment relative to specific indicators and an overall rating. The following rating categories are employed:
- Meeting Expectations
- Needs Improvement
The University System of Georgia prohibits employees grieving performance reviews (refer to the University System of Georgia's Grievance Policy for more details).
Completing the Performance Review Form
The Performance Review Form should be completed by the employee's immediate supervisor within two weeks following completion of the first six months of employment.
The supervisor should first complete the identifying information required in the heading (name, job title, unit, dates, etc.).
Next, the supervisor should assign a rating for each indicator by checking the appropriate block and entering comments as appropriate in the space provided at the end of the form. For any indicators rated as "Needs Improvement", the supervisor must enter in the Comments section specifically what causes justify the rating. Entries in the Comments section for "Meeting Expectations" are optional.
Following the rating of each indicator, the supervisor should formulate an overall rating reflective of those individual ratings and enter that information on the 3rd page of the form.
The Comments on Ratings section has been provided for noting clarifications or explanations regarding any aspects of the review. This section is intended to provide an opportunity for the supervisor to support the individual and overall ratings with narrative comments related to actual performance during the probationary period. Explanations should include references to actual incidences that support a given rating. Additional pages may be added to the form if needed.
Communicating Results of the Probationary Period Performance Review
Supervisors must inform employees through face-to-face communication as well as documentation of how their performance has been rated.
Prior to this meeting the supervisor should have:
- Completed and signed the Performance Review form.
- Reviewed the results with his or her immediate supervisor and obtained approval.
- Developed a discussion outline to follow during the interview.
- Reserved a location where the interview can be conducted in private without interruption.
The meeting should be structured as a two-way means of communication between the supervisor and employee. The employee should be encouraged throughout the meeting to participate in the discussion.
During the meeting, each performance indicator should be covered by reviewing the indicator and the rating that was assigned. Actual occurrences that influenced the rating should be offered.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the employee should sign the form in the space provided. The employee's signature verifies only that the employee and supervisor have participated in a formal review of performance. It should not be construed as either agreement with or objection to the results of the review. Should the employee refuse to sign, the supervisor should make a note on the Performance Review Form and notify the Performance and Talent Management unit of the Office of Human Resources.
The employee should be provided with a copy of the completed and signed Performance Review Form at the end of the meeting. The supervisor is encouraged to keep a copy of the form for his or her records. The reviewer should sign the form in the space provided and obtain the signatures of the next level supervisor. The completed form should be routed to the Office of Human Resources- 0685 for further processing and filing.
Probationary Period Review Notification
Each month the Performance and Talent Management unit of the Office of Human Resources will compile a list of classified employees by unit who are about to complete their first six months of employment. The list will be sorted on an organizational basis and notifications sent to the appropriate Human Resources Representative. The Human Resources Representative will then be accountable for coordinating the probationary review process within his or her organization including review and return of completed forms to OHR.
The responsibilities each party has in connection with Performance Review Following Probationary Period are:
| Party | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Office of Human Resources, Performance & Talent Management | Offer assistance with policy interpretation and administer policy. |
Personnel Records
Personnel RecordsDue to the confidential nature of certain information contained in the personnel files, access to these records is restricted to authorized personnel and to other individuals only in accordance with Institute policy and federal/state laws. Removing documents from a personnel file is prohibited and is a major rule violation.
The Human Resources Records Office maintains the official personnel record for all faculty, staff and student employees who are paid through the Institute’s Payroll Office. The personnel records consist of paper, digital, and microfiche and are stored in a restricted area within the Human Resources Office. These records are the property of The Georgia Institute of Technology.
Entities Affected By This Policy
All faculty, staff, and student employees at the Georgia Institute of Technology should be aware of this policy.
Who Should Read This Policy
All faculty, staff, and student employees at the Georgia Institute of Technology should be aware of this policy.
Overview
The personnel file may contain documents including, but not limited to, the following:
- Personal Services Form to hire, change status, retire, or terminate employment
- Personal Data Form listing personal, educational, and other information related to the employee
- Board of Regents Security Questionnaire/Loyalty Oath
- Employment Agreement
- Payroll Authorization Agreement for Automatic Deposits, pay increases
- Federal W-4 and State G-4 Withholding Forms
- Garnishments, Tax Levy, Subpoenas, court ordered documentation
- Benefits elections, retirement information, beneficiary information
- Recognition letters from the Institute’s President
- Award letters
- Letters of Offer, acceptance, commendation, resignation
- Performance Reviews, written reprimands
- Separation notices
- Certificate of Degree
- Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs)
- Flexwork agreements
- Employment application, resume/curriculum vitae
Placing Information into the Personnel File
Materials may be placed into the personnel files only in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Institute. Correspondence relating to job performance or other such matters between a supervisor and an employee may be placed into the employee’s file under the following conditions:
- Evidence that a copy has been provided to the supervisor and the employee.
- A signature or stamp from the Performance and Talent Management Unit of Human Resources confirming their review and approval for the document to be placed into the personnel file.
- The document clearly shows that a copy has been sent to the Performance and Talent Management Unit of Human Resources and to the employee’s personnel file in Human Resources.
This procedure ensures that all parties involved are appropriately informed of such matters, thereby fostering an open and constructive relationship between management and employees at Georgia Tech.
Note: Employees are not authorized to place information into their own personnel files.
Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
A Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Form must be completed by all employees’ citizens and noncitizens hired after November 6, 1986. The United States Department of Homeland Security requires employers to document each new employee hired after November 6, 1986, is authorized to work in the United States.
The Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification is maintained in the Office of Human Resources Records Department and is stored securely in a separate filing system. The Form I-9 is retained for three years after an employee is hired or for one year after an employee terminates his/her employment, whichever is longer.
File Review
File reviews are by appointment only and require a 24-hour advance notice. You may email your request to any staff member in the Records Department. File reviews can be initiated by an employee reviewing his/her personnel file. Department managers/supervisors are allowed to review the performance reviews of their direct reports. Department managers, supervisors and HR Representatives/Contacts are allowed to review the performance reviews of job applicants external to their department upon consideration of being hired. HR Representatives and Contacts are permitted to review files of the employees within their unit that they represent. In all cases, photo identification must be presented at the time of the review and a Records Office Staff member will monitor the review process to ensure the integrity of the file.
An employee may obtain copies of documents from his/her personnel file. There is no charge for the first ten pages, but there is a fee of $.25 per additional page, payable by check only made to the order of Georgia Tech.
Updating Personal Information
It is important to keep personal information up to date and employees are encouraged to use the Employee Self Service tool that is available to all Georgia Tech employees and which allows an employee to access and update their personal information such as name, home address, home telephone number, emergency contacts, etc. The Employee Self Service tool can be accessed by logging onto Techworks at:http://techworks.gatech.edu.
Employment Verification
The Records Office responds only to inquiries made in writing through fax or US mail. Standard information such as employment dates, job title, and work department are provided. Salary information requires a signed consent form from the employee and can be found online at: http://www.ohr.gatech.edu/records. Requests to verify employment should be faxed to: (404) 385-0765 or mailed to: Georgia Tech-Office of Human Resources Records Office, 500 Tech Parkway, Atlanta Georgia 30332-0435.
Legal Requests
All legal requests are coordinated through Georgia Tech’s Office of Legal Affairs; these requests include subpoenas, attorney requests, or Open Records Act requests. The Records Office complies with such requests as advised by the Office of Legal Affairs. The entire personnel file or limited information within the personnel file may be requested or subpoenaed through the courts and on the advisement of the Office of Legal Affairs, the relevant records are retrieved, assembled and forwarded to the Office of Legal Affairs for final handling.
Requests for legal assistance should be sent to: asklegal@gatech.edu. The Office of Legal Affairs is located at: 760 Spring Street, N.W., Suite 324; Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0495.
Georgia Open Records Act (ORA)
As a state university, Georgia Tech is subject to the provisions of The Georgia Open Records Act. The Open Records Act provides that all citizens are entitled to review the records of state agencies on request and to make copies for a fee. The Open Records Act requires that Georgia Tech produce public documents within three business days.
Georgia Tech’s Office of Legal Affairs has been designated by the President of the Institute to respond to ORA requests. Once the Records Office receives an ORA request, the Office of Legal Affairs is immediately notified. The Records Custodian coordinates with the appointed attorney and determines what information may or may not be released under the ORA and to ensure a response to the request within three business days as required by law.
The information listed below is excluded from the Act and will not be released:
- Social Security Numbers
- Birthdates
- Medical information
- Insurance information
- Bank account information
- Credit card and debit card account information
- Financial information
- Mother's birth name
- Home addresses
- Telephone numbers
Georgia Tech charges twenty-five cents ($0.10) per page for any copies in addition to the costs of search, retrieval, redaction, and re-filing.
Regulatory Agencies/Law Enforcement
Georgia Tech allows federal and state regulatory agencies to review employee personnel records. A few of the agencies that request services from the Human Records Office are:
- The Federal Bureau of Investigations
- The Georgia Bureau of Investigations
- The Office of Personnel Management
- The Department of Defense
- The Department of State
- The Georgia Department of Human Resources
- The Georgia Department of Corrections
- The Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles
- The Georgia Department of Labor
- Law Enforcement Officers from various Georgia counties
Typically an agent will arrive in person and request to review a record on a current or past employee. The employee may be a candidate for employment through a state or government agency or the individual’s employment may be contingent upon securing a security clearance. Inquiries may also be a result due to criminal investigations. Each agent is required by their agency to inform us each time they review a record of the Privacy Act of 1974 as mandated by the federal government. An agent may call or fax a request prior to arriving in person.
When a review is requested, the agent must:
Present ID upon arrival in the Customer Service Center (CSC) and inform the staff of the reason for the visit.
- The CSC staff reviews the ID and notifies the Records Office of the request and allows the agent access to proceed to the file room.
- The agent must present their ID and a signed release from the individual(s) whose file has been requested for review.
- The agent is required to complete an Employee File Review Log. The log lists the agent’s name, the employee’s name, and the reason for the review.
- The file is pulled for the agent’s review. The agent has full access to all information contained in the personnel file pertaining to the employee, the employee’s spouse, children, birthdates, social security numbers, addresses, beneficiary information, statements of health, garnishments, etc.
The Employee File Review Log and a copy of the signed release are maintained on file in the Records Office.
The responsibilities each party has in connection with Personnel Records are:
| Party | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Office of Human Resources, Records | Offer assistance with policy interpretation, administer policy, and ensure compliance. |
Progressive Discipline
Progressive DisciplineTo improve performance, attendance, and/or behavior by coaching employees and encouraging ownership of their job and career
Progressive Discipline is a constructive and corrective approach to solving work related performance, attendance, and/or behavior concerns. Through this process, employees are provided with the information needed to understand what aspect of their work performance, attendance, and/or behavior is unacceptable and what improvements are needed to demonstrate success.
Entities Affected By This Policy
All staff at the Georgia Institute of Technology should be aware of this policy.
Who Should Read This Policy
All staff at the Georgia Institute of Technology should be aware of this policy.
Overview
It is the responsibility of all employees to adhere to the expectations outlined by their supervisor and to the standard of conduct at Georgia Tech. When employees fail to uphold these standards, the progressive disciplinary process may be utilized. However, there is no required number or sequence of warnings or reprimands that must take place before an employee is terminated. Further, some circumstances may warrant immediate termination.
If the progressive discipline process is used, managers must document the steps of the process as they occur. The steps involved in the process may include: verbal warning, written warning, final written warning, suspension, and termination. Performance and Talent Management (PTM) will review all supervisory recommendations involving disciplinary suspension, investigative suspension, demotion, or discharge and approve or deny such recommendations prior to actions being taken. As part of that process, PTM will review all disciplinary actions that have occurred to ensure they have been fairly administered and are consistent with policy and past practice.
Process/Procedures
For less severe infractions, the initial disciplinary action may be a verbal warning. The discussion between the employee and manager should be serious and professional in manner to ensure that the employee clearly understands the established standards and expectations with regard to his/her unacceptable performance or behavior. A written record of the date and content of the discussion should be maintained in the appropriate file.
A written warning may be issued if the unacceptable behavior is more severe or frequent in nature and/or a verbal warning has already been issued. The written warning should outline the undesirable behavior, state expectations, and indicate the consequences that will occur if there is no improvement in performance. Written warnings should be forwarded to the Office of Human Resources for placement in the employee’s official personnel file.
Suspension without pay may follow a verbal or written warning or may be the first disciplinary action taken if warranted by the circumstances. Prior to suspending an employee, managers must obtain approval from PTM in the Office of Human Resources and supply appropriate supporting documentation. The length of the suspension will depend on the facts of each case such as type and severity of the behavior, previous work performance of the employee, and prior disciplinary actions. The suspension letter should outline the undesirable behavior, state expectations, and indicate the consequences that will occur if there is not any improvement. A copy of the letter should be forwarded to the Office of Human Resources for placement in the employee’s official personnel file.
An employee may be suspended without pay for serious infractions of workplace conduct rules, including, but not limited to, rules prohibiting sexual harassment, workplace violence or drug or alcohol use, or for violations of state or federal laws. Exempt employees may be suspended without pay for serious misconduct, but may not be suspended for performance or attendance issues. Deductions from the pay of an exempt employee may be made for suspensions of one or more full days imposed for disciplinary reasons for infractions of workplace conduct rules, and such disciplinary deductions may only be made in full day increments.
An employee may be placed on an investigative suspension because of alleged serious misconduct. In these cases, the employee is removed from the workplace while the Office of Human Resources investigates the matter. Normally investigative suspension is leave with pay. The Office of Human Resources must approve any investigative suspension.
Termination may be advised when an employee has engaged in serious misconduct or has not corrected performance and/or behavior. Prior to dismissing an employee, managers must obtain approval from PTM in the Office of Human Resources and supply appropriate supporting documentation. If approved, the written letter of termination includes the reason for termination, effective date, and information regarding the appeal process.
Please refer to Progressive Discipline Procedures for additional information on documentation, counseling, and responsibilities for managers.
| Party | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Performance and Talent Management | Offer assistance with policy interpretation. |
| Change made | Date |
|---|---|
| Policy streamlined, separated procedures; added and revised language regarding suspension of exempt employees | 07/05/2012 |
Promotion Guidelines for Professional Research Personnel
Promotion Guidelines for Professional Research Personnel jgastley3Please see the Faculty Handbook: 3.2.1 Research Faculty: Hiring and Promotion Guidelines
Provisional Employment (Probationary Period)
Provisional Employment (Probationary Period)Georgia Tech adheres to the University System of Georgia's policy on Provisional Employment.
Visit https://www.usg.edu/hr/assets/hr/hrap_manual/HRAP_Provisional_Appointments_Employment.pdf to view the USG policy.
Purchase of Gifts for Employees/Students
Purchase of Gifts for Employees/StudentsThis policy provides guidance regarding items purchased with Institute resources and given as gifts to employees or students. This includes items given to employees and their families as expressions of sympathy. This policy pertains to purchases made with any Institute funding source, including state, GTF, GTRC, and sponsored funds. The policy establishes consistent, equitable treatment and prudent judgment for gift purchases. The policy also ensures compliance with university funding restrictions, state purchasing guidelines, IRS tax implications, and other applicable regulations. The policy also provides parameters for what constitutes a reasonable amount and type of gift.
Georgia Tech policy generally prohibits giving gifts to individual employees or students from Institute funding sources except for the following cases:
- length of service recognition gifts,
- retiring or separating employees,
- formal and announced employee recognition awards,
- sympathy gifts recognizing the loss of a close family member,
- gifts of support following significant illness of employee
- gifts given to groups of employees to recognize team performance
- gifts and prizes for participation in university events or activities.
Even in the cases above, which are allowable instances for gifts, Georgia Tech policy prohibits the use of most funding sources for gifts to employees except for GTF funds. No gift should ever be given to an employee under the premise that it is related to a specific performance event. It is not appropriate to use Institute funds for door prizes unless de minimis in nature, not to exceed $75, as determined by the USG. Gifts of technology and alcohol are generally not appropriate for purchase with Institute resources (of any type).
Gifts should generally be personal memorabilia. In most cases, gifts to employees or students of technology or alcohol are not appropriate for purchase with Institute resources (of any type).
Gifts and Events for Personal Events
The recognition of faculty, staff, or students for milestones not related to work or education, such as weddings, birthdays, and baby showers, should be paid for from personal funds. Non- work related events and gifts should not involve Georgia Tech business procedures for payment processing, even when personal contributions are collected for such an event or gift.
Length of Service Recognition
Gifts can be given to employees to recognize length of service if they are given to the employee as part of a meaningful ceremony. An awarding unit may develop programs to recognize employees for length of service. Appropriate awards denoting lengths of service are determined by the awarding unit. Length of service awards and awards recognizing employee safety milestones/goals, are not subject to tax withholding as long as it is tangible property.
Retirement or Separation Gifts
Gifts given to a retiring or separating employee should be given as part of a meaningful ceremony/reception and the value of the gift(s) should correspond to the length of service, but generally should not exceed $400. Gifts in excess of $400 should be approved through a Foundation Expenditure Exception Request Form, for GTF funds, or by e-mail to the GTRC Controller with an explanation, for GTRC Funds.
Employee Recognition Awards
Gifts may also be given to employees as part of an approved and established employee award program and based on announced objective criteria. Such awards should be presented to employees on a basis that does not discriminate and amounts of the awards should correspond to the rigor of receiving the award. Please see the “Awards and Recognition” site noted in the Related Information section of this policy for examples and amounts. Awards of cash that are given to recognize outstanding service, contributions to the Institute, or other criteria are taxable and should be processed through Georgia Tech Payroll Services. A gift of tangible property is generally not taxable.
Sympathy Gifts
Sympathy gifts are appropriate in cases of serious illness or death of an employee or immediate family member. Such sympathy acknowledgements are allowable because Georgia Tech recognizes the value of employees to the Institute and the working relationships developed during employment enrich the lives of all Institute employees. Gifts of sympathy generally should be tangible property such as flowers, fruit baskets, and meals generally under $100. Monetary contributions to charitable organizations in lieu of personal property may be given if consistent with the value of a traditional commemoration. These gifts are not taxable due to their nature and nominal value.
Recognition of Team Performance
Gifts may be given to groups of employees to show appreciation for their participation as part of a team, department, or Institute event. Gifts of this nature are typically one of a number of identical items (t-shirts, scarves, Georgia Tech spirit memorabilia, etc.). Gifts in this category should be de minimis, not occur frequently, and should not exceed $75, as determined by the USG.
Gifts and Prizes
Gifts and Prizes (non-cash) may be awarded to individuals for participation in games of chance or contests. Games of chance include raffles and door prize events. Raffles and games of chance should be approved in advance by the office of the EVPA&F. The amount of a prize should be limited to $100 in value. The department or unit sponsoring prizes must maintain detailed records of all receipts and expenditures associated with the event, including the names of winners and the value of the prize awarded. These gifts typically do not have tax consequences due to their nominal value and infrequent nature.
This policy applies to all Georgia Tech staff, faculty, researchers, and students. This policy does not preclude individuals from giving personal gifts to colleagues, students, and other individuals purchased with personal funds (i.e., no GT, GTRC, GTRI, GTF, or other Institute funding source is used). While this policy applies to GIT, any benefits provided to a GIT employee by an affiliated organization is subject to this policy and the same tax evaluation as if the benefit were provided by GIT. This policy does not apply to incentive gifts for survey participation or research participation, or to awards in student competitions paid as stipends to the recipients.
Definitions
| de minimis | In general, a de minimis benefit is one for which considering its value and frequency with which it is provided, is so small as to make accounting for it unreasonable or impractical. De minimis benefits are excluded under the Internal Revenue Code section 132(a) (4) and include items which are not specifically excluded under other sections of the Code. |
Office of Human Resources – Director, Payroll– Guidance and interpretation
To report suspected instances of noncompliance with this policy, please contact the Office of Human Resources or visit Georgia Tech’s EthicsPoint, a secure and confidential reporting system, at: https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/en/report_custom.asp?clientid=7508
| Revision Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|
| August 2024 | Human Resources | Editorial Update |
| June 2017 | Human Resources | New Policy |
Relocation
Relocation jgastley3Relocation Expenses (Intrastate)
Relocation Expenses (Intrastate)The Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) 45-7-22 through 45-7-24 authorize the reimbursement of relocation expenses to State employees and State of Georgia, Office of Planning and Budget. Policy Memorandum, No. 2 Revision 6 sets forth the rules, regulations and policies for the reimbursement program. The regulations limit reimbursement of expenses incurred which are related to moves made within the State of Georgia at the request of a state agency. The move must be in the best interest of the State of Georgia. The regulations as revised, went into effect December 1, 1989. They are summarized below:
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement, the state employee must satisfy the following criteria:
- He or she must have been employed by the department ordering the transfer for at least six months prior to the date of transfer and must generally remain at his or her new duty station for at least one year following the effective date of move.
- The transfer must be the result of an action by a state department requiring the relocation and must be in the department's best interest.
- The relocation must be within the State of Georgia.
- The distance between old and new duty stations must exceed 50 miles and, the transfer must result in the employee having to drive at least 35 miles farther from his or her old residence to his or her new duty station than was driven from the old residence to the old duty station.
- The department must have sufficient operating expense funds within its budget to pay the reimbursement cost.
- No other member of the employee's family may be reimbursed for the same move.
- The move must be made within one calendar year of the employee's transfer.
- The costs to be reimbursed are reasonable and proper as determined by Accounts Payable. The employee shall have no right to any review or further appeal from the determination made by Accounts Payable.
Approval of Relocation Reimbursement
The employee being transferred must complete and submit to his or her school or laboratory director an Employee Application for Intrastate Relocation Expense Reimbursement. Cost estimates from three different firms must be submitted along with the application form. (The employee selects a firm which will provide a quality move within a reasonable time frame for a reasonable cost. The lowest bid does not have to be selected, but written justification must be given.)
The application must be reviewed and approved by the employee's supervisor. The employee's department head must sign the application, certifying that the transfer is in the best interest of the Institute. The department's fiscal officer must sign the application, certifying that sufficient funds are available within the department's budget to cover the relocation expenses estimated.
Expenses Authorized for Reimbursement
"Reasonable and proper" costs "incurred for transportation of household goods" or "incident to change of residence" are reimbursable, as follows:
- Looking for a New Residence - If the move to the new residence is greater than 100 miles, the statutory mileage rate for up to three trips to the new location, plus food and lodging for up to a total of three days and nights may be reimbursable (sum of all three trips cannot exceed three days and nights). Travel regulations are applicable with the exception that double occupancy rate for one room may be paid. If the move to a new residence is less than 100 miles, only mileage for up to three days spent at the location looking for a new residence may be reimbursed. No reimbursement of food or lodging expenses will be paid since a visit to the new location should not require any overnight trips.
- Transporting Household Goods - The cost of moving household furnishings, equipment and appliances, furniture, clothing, books and similar property may be reimbursable. Actual costs associated with moving up to 11,000 lbs. of the afore-noted types of household goods by (i) commercial moving van, (ii) employee-owned or rented vehicle, and (iii) within an employee-owned mobile home will be reimbursed. The regulations include a breakdown of limitations on reimbursable amounts relating to insurance costs, fuel and labor. (The parameters of what constitutes reasonable includable and excludable expenses are listed in the regulations for each method of moving employed.)
- Transporting Family to a New Location - Actual food and lodging expenses may be paid up to two days and nights for one room at the multiple occupancy rate, applying the maximum daily amounts established in the statewide travel regulations. Meals for children under 12 are reimbursable up to one half the adult maximum.
- Utility Reconnection - Reimbursement is limited to the costs associated with establishing utility accounts and initiating basic service.
Employee Liability
The transferred employee must sign an agreement that he or she will remain at the new location for at least one year from date of move except for reasons beyond the control of the employee and acceptable to the department, or be liable to the state for the amount of expenses reimbursed.
Payment of Reimbursement
Payment will be made on the basis of the Employee Intrastate Relocation Expense Vouchers which have been approved by the Manager of Accounts Payable, Georgia Institute of Technology. All relevant receipts, invoices and bills of lading must be presented with the relocation expense voucher. Payments may be made either following each trip or in one lump sum upon the completion of the move at the discretion of the Institute.
Internal Revenue Service Reporting
Reimbursements that are not deductible are reported to the IRS as "wages, tips and other compensation". However, there is no withholding made on these amounts. (See Regs. Sections 2.10 for details.)
Inter-departmental Transfers
Employee transfers between state departments are not reimbursable under the subject regulations, and if made within one year from a reimbursed relocation, will result in employee liability for paying back any amounts received under these regulations.
Contact Person
It should be noted that specific questions relating to allowability of expenses or particular procedures in processing relocation applications, should be directed to the Manager of Accounts Payable at (404) 894-0348. Prior to filling out any relocation expense application, specific limitations set forth in Policy Memorandum No. 2, Revision 6 should be reviewed. Copies are available from Accounts Payable.
Responding to Allegations of Scientific or Other Scholarly Misconduct
Responding to Allegations of Scientific or Other Scholarly Misconduct jgastley3Please see the Faculty Handbook: 5.7 Policy for Responding to Allegations of Scientific or Other Scholarly Misconduct
Student Employment
Student Employment jgastley3Eligibility for Student Employment
Eligibility for Student EmploymentIn support of the Institute’s strategic value Students are our Top Priority, this policy provides campus departments with employment guidance by detailing the eligibility parameters for students to be hired as student employees of the Institute.
Degree seeking students currently enrolled at Georgia Tech, and previously enrolled students taking only a one or two semester break from classes, are eligible for student employment at the Institute. In specific instances, a student enrolled at another University System of Georgia (USG) school may be eligible to be employed in a student position at Georgia Tech (see Student Assistant section below). The eligibility rules for specific student employee positions depend on the type of position and the student’s status as a graduate, undergraduate, Federal Work Study (“FWS”) student, Resident Assistant (“RA”), or President’s Undergraduate Research Award (“PURA”) recipient. Student employee positions are considered temporary and non-benefits eligible. Georgia Tech will comply with all federal, state, and local laws regarding the employment of USG students.
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students are eligible for several types of student positions. Click here to view undergraduate job codes and associated pay groups.
Student Assistant
Students actively enrolled at Georgia Tech, or another University System of Georgia (USG) school, are eligible to be employed at Georgia Tech in a Student Assistant position. Previously enrolled Georgia Tech and USG students taking only a one or two semester break from classes are also eligible for Student Assistant positions.
Most Student Assistants are in a student pay group and employment is limited to a maximum of 20 hours per week. In certain situations, a student may be eligible to be hired as a Student Assistant in a temporary pay group for a maximum of 40 hours per week. Note: Student Assistant in temporary pay group 03C is the only student job-code/pay-group combination where a student may be employed more than 20 hours per week. For eligibility details see Registration, Courseload and Allowable Employment Hours section below.
Resident Assistant
Students in Resident Assistant (RA) positions must be full-time degree-seeking Georgia Tech students selected by the Department of Housing and Residence Life. Learn more here.
Student Assistant - PURA
Only Georgia Tech student recipients of President’s Undergraduate Research Award (PURA) salary awards are eligible to be employed in Student Assistant- PURA positions. Learn more about PURA here.
Federal Work-Study (FWS)
Only Georgia Tech student recipients of a Federal Work-Study Award administered by the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid are eligible to be employed in FWS positions. Learn more here.
Graduate Students
Graduate students are eligible for several types of student positions. Click here to view a list of graduate student job codes and associated pay groups.
Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) and Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)
Only Georgia Tech graduate students registered for full-time coursework (12+ credit hours) are eligible for GRA and GTA positions. Eligible students must be hired in these roles for a 33-50% FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) workload. Refer to the Graduate Student Enrollment and Employment policy to learn more.
Graduate Assistant – Monthly
Only Georgia Tech graduate students concurrently employed as either a GRA or GTA are eligible for Graduate Assistant- Monthly positions. These positions are only used to facilitate additional Graduate Assistant workload on top of a GRA or GTA position (e.g., a second campus job with a different department).
Graduate Assistant – Hourly
Only enrolled Georgia Tech graduate students satisfying minimum enrollment requirements, and not concurrently employed in a monthly-paid position, are eligible to hold Graduate Assistant-Hourly positions.
International Students
International students with valid F-1 or J-1 student status issued by Georgia Tech are eligible to work on campus as student employees. F-1s must have a Georgia Tech I-20; J-1s must have a Georgia Tech DS-2019.
International Students in lawful F-1 and J-1 status may work more than 20 hours per week during school holidays and breaks. See Holidays and Short School Breaks section below.
New Students
New Georgia Tech students cannot begin working in a student job until the start of the pay period that includes the first day of classes during their first enrolled semester. Pay periods are monthly or biweekly depending on position. See GT Payroll for pay period dates.
Registration, Courseload and Allowable Employment Hours
Students who are registered for half-time or greater courseload are eligible to be employed for a maximum of 20 hours per week (all GT jobs combined) and must be employed in a student job code and in a student pay group. (This excludes students registered for only Co-Op/Internship credit hours with GT as the employer – see Co-Ops/Internships at Georgia Tech section.) A half-time courseload is considered 6 credit hours for undergraduates and 3 credit hours for graduate students.
Student who are registered for less than half-time credit load (or registered for only Co-Op or Internship credit hours) may be hired for up to 40 hours per week (all GT jobs combined). A less than half-time credit load is less than 6 credit hours for undergraduates and less than 3 credit hours for graduate students.
Previously enrolled students, who are temporarily not registered for any credit hours for only one or two semesters, may also be hired for up to 40 hours per week. However, any student employment exceeding 20 hours per week (up to a maximum of 40 hours per week) must be in a Student Assistant position and cannot be in a student pay group.
Co-Ops/Internships at Georgia Tech
An enrolled USG student in the designated work semester of a Co-Op or Internship program with Georgia Tech as the employer, and registered for only Co-op or Internship credit hours, is eligible to be employed for up to 40 hours per week. (The 40-hour per week employment cannot be in a student pay group; therefore, a Co-Op or Internship student working more than 20 hours per week should be employed as a Student Assistant in temporary pay group 03C.)
Holidays and Short School Breaks
Most student employees are eligible to be employed and continue working in their existing positions, with their supervisor’s approval, during school breaks of less than five weeks (e.g., winter break, spring break, campus holidays). Notable exceptions include Student Assistant-PURA and FWS employees. PURA recipients are only allowed to work during the semester of their award (not between semesters). FWS employees are only allowed to work when classes are in session (not during holidays or official school breaks).
While classes are not in session, during a school break less than 5 weeks, eligible hourly student employees (hired for 20 hours or less) are, with supervisor approval, allowed to work and report hours in excess of 20 hours per week (up to 40 hours per week) without the need to change their pay group or official employment hours. This applies to both US and International students.
Graduation Considerations
A student who has graduated and is not continuing enrollment toward another USG degree, is not eligible to continue working in a student position.
United States Citizen and Permanent Resident graduating students can work in student positions only until the last day of the pay period that includes their graduation (i.e., the last day of the month or the last day of the bi-weekly pay period depending on position pay frequency).
Graduating F-1 and J-1 student visa holders can work in a student position only until their SEVIS program end date. The end date is printed on the I-20 or DS-2019.
A student who is graduating and continuing toward another USG degree may be eligible to be hired as a Student Assistant in temporary pay group 03C during a semester break between degree programs. Contact the Student Employment team in GT Human Resources to determine eligibility (email student-employment@gatech.edu).
Employment Status
Student employees are considered "at-will" employees. Their employment is temporary and incidental to the pursuit of a degree. Student employees may be terminated at any time without the right to appeal.
Non-USG Students
Individuals enrolled at non-USG schools are not eligible to be hired into GT student employee positions.
This policy applies to all student employees and the GT departments that hire them.
Enrolled
Currently registered for one or more credit hours at Georgia Tech (or another USG school).
GT Human Resources – Student Employment
Student Employment is responsible for the overall administration of this policy, and for providing general student employment eligibility guidance. https://hr.gatech.edu/student-employment
Office of Graduate Education
Graduate Education is responsible for providing guidance specific to the employment eligibility of graduate students, including credit hours and FTE requirements. https://grad.gatech.edu/hiring-supervision
Office of International Education (OIE)
The International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) unit in OIE is responsible for the issuance of F and J student status to international students attending Georgia Tech. https://isss.oie.gatech.edu/
Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid
The Federal Work Study unit within Scholarships and Financial Aid is responsible for administering Federal Work Study awards and determining student and job eligibility for Work Study positions. https://finaid.gatech.edu/undergraduate-types-aid/federal-work-study
The Office of Undergraduate Education - Undergraduate Research
Undergraduate Research is responsible for student eligibility, rules and application procedures for the President’s Undergraduate Research Award (PURA) recipients. https://undergradresearch.gatech.edu/pura-salary
Department of Housing and Residence Life
Housing is responsible for determining the qualifications and application process to select students to be employed as Resident Assistants (RAs). https://housing.gatech.edu/reslife/employment
Individuals who are not eligible to be employed in student positions will be denied student employment – but may potentially be hired in other (non-student) positions. Any student employee who loses eligibility for their position, or who was hired in error (without eligibility), will have their employment terminated.
Temporary Staff (Tech Temp)
Temporary Staff (Tech Temp) jgastley3For more information on Temporary Staff (Tech Temp) go to the Administrative Services Center knowledge base article found here.
Terminations, Reorganizations, and Reassignments
Terminations, Reorganizations, and Reassignments jgastley3Exit Interview
Exit InterviewTo view the Board of Regents Policy on Exit Questionnaires, please visit: https://www.usg.edu/hr/assets/hr/hrap_manual/HRAP_Exit_Questionnaires_Employment.pdf
To access the Georgia Tech Office of Human Resources exit survey, please visit: https://gatech.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0Cj0GKBla09iqcC
For Georgia Tech Office of Human Resources Termination Procedures, please visit: https://hr.gatech.edu/boarding
Termination Procedures
Termination ProceduresTo view the Board of Regents Policy on Resignations addressing voluntary terminations, please visit: https://www.usg.edu/hr/assets/hr/hrap_manual/HRAP_Resignations_Employment.pdf
To view the Board of Regents Policy on Dismissals, Demotions or Suspensions addressing involuntary terminations, please visit: https://www.usg.edu/hr/assets/hr/hrap_manual/HRAP_Dismissal%2C_Demotions%2C_or_Suspensions_Employment.pdf
To view the Board of Regents Policy on Exit Questionnaires, please visit: https://www.usg.edu/hr/assets/hr/hrap_manual/HRAP_Exit_Questionnaires_Employment.pdf
For Georgia Tech Office of Human Resources Termination Procedures, please visit: https://hr.gatech.edu/boarding
Unemployment Compensation
Unemployment Compensation jgastley3Upon termination from the Institute, Georgia Tech will issue the required Department of Labor Separation Notice. For more information about Georgia Unemployment Insurance visit https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/1696 .