Policy
The State Officials and Employees Ethics Act (SOEEA) (Public Act 93-0617) requires Illinois Public universities to demonstrate that they have enacted personnel policies that include (1) documentation of work time requirements, (2) documentation of time worked by all employees, and (3) documentation for reimbursement for travel on official State business, compensation, and the earning or accrual of State benefits for all State employees who may be eligible to receive those benefits.
The following personnel policies are in effect at Illinois State University, which ensure appropriate compliance with the SOEEA, and other applicable state laws.
Designation of Contact Persons
The Director of The Office of Internal Auditing is the Ethics Officer for Illinois State University, and is responsible for responding to inquiries about the SOEEA.
The Associate Vice President, Human Resources, (438-8311) is responsible for providing information and responses to inquiries about Illinois State University personnel policies.
Personnel Policies
Work Time Requirements and Reporting
Illinois State University’s normal university department office hours are 8:00 am through 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, with a one-hour lunch period (or as otherwise designated by individual departments). Therefore, work schedules applicable to full-time faculty and staff assumes a minimum schedule of 37.5 hours of work per week. (Part-time schedules are assigned accordingly.) Some employees (i.e. faculty, professional, administrative) are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and are required to work beyond the minimum 37.5 hour standard work week in order to fulfill their duties and to maintain operations of the University.
Civil Service, Non-Exempt Employees
All Civil Service, Non-Exempt employees are required to submit time cards bi-monthly (the 15th or the last standard work day prior to the 15th and the last standard work day of the month). These time cards document time spent on official university business, as well as any leave time. Pursuant to the Act, this time must be reported on at least a quarter-hour basis.
Academic/Professional and Civil Service, Exempt Employees
All Academic/Professional and Civil Service, Exempt employees are required to report leave time, which may include sick leave, vacation leave, or any other appropriately approved leave on a monthly basis on the Employee Benefit Usage card. Pursuant to the Act, this time must be reported on at least a quarter-hour basis.
Student Employees
Students who are employed by the University are required to submit time cards bi-weekly (normally on the second working day after the previous pay day). These time cards document time spent on official university business. Pursuant to the Act, this time must be reported on at least a quarter-hour basis.
Faculty
Faculty (including all tenured, tenure-track, part-time, and temporary faculty, as well as instructors and graduate assistants) appointed for time frames corresponding with the academic calendar are required to report leave time, which may include sick leave, or any other appropriately approved leave on a monthly basis on the Employee Benefit Usage card. Pursuant to the Act, this time must be reported on at least a quarter-hour basis.
Board of Trustees Member
Board of Trustees members will complete a Trustee Time Report at each Board meeting. This time must be reported on at least a quarter-hour basis.
All time reports and benefit usage reports will be maintained by the University for a period of at least two (2) years, or longer if required by other state laws.
It shall be the responsibility of all Illinois State University employees and Board of Trustees members to comply with the provisions of the Ethics Act. The University will maintain compliance with this Act, and all employees will be held fully accountable for any violations of the Act.
Documentation for Reimbursement for Travel on Official State Business, Earning of Compensation and Accrual of State Benefits
All Illinois State University employees and Board of Trustees members are required to follow the rules established by the Illinois Travel Regulation Council, as well as applicable University policies and procedures, when requesting reimbursement for official university travel expenses. Requests for reimbursement of official university travel expenses should be requested by using the university’s travel voucher.
Documentation of earnings of compensation and accrual of State benefits (such as vacation, sick leave, bereavement leave, leaves of absence, holidays, unpaid leave, disability and retirement) is accomplished through existing University policies and procedures.
Ethics Training
The SOEEA requires that every state employee must complete, at least annually, an ethics training program conducted by the Ethics Officer of the employing agency. Any new hire must complete his/her initial training within 30 days after commencement of his/her employment.