2.1 Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

Middlebury College complies with applicable provisions of state and federal law which prohibit discrimination in employment, or in admission or access to its educational or extracurricular programs, activities, or facilities, on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, marital status, place of birth, service in the armed forces of the United States, or against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability. Retaliation against any employee for filing or supporting a complaint of discrimination or harassment in violation of this policy is prohibited. Employees are encouraged to report suspected violations of this policy to their managers or Human Resources for prompt investigation and response.

2.2 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Middlebury College recognizes and supports the standards set forth in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and similar state laws, which are designed to eliminate discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities. The College does not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in any aspect of the employment relationship, and does provide reasonable accommodations as required by law to otherwise qualified employees or applicants with disabilities. Employment opportunities or privileges will not be denied to an otherwise qualified employee or applicant because of the need for reasonable accommodation of the individual's disability. Discrimination based on an employee's or applicant's association with a disabled individual is also forbidden. Employees with ADA-related concerns should contact Human Resources.

2.3 Basic Information about Employment at Middlebury College

Hiring

Human Resources confirms by letter all appointments as well as all promotions, job transfers, and changes in employee status. Before being placed on the payroll, new employees must complete the necessary federal tax forms at the Human Resources office.

Form I-9

The College, in accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, is committed to employing only those applicants authorized to work in the United States. As a condition of employment, all new and rehired employees must properly complete, sign, and date the first section of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Form I-9 within the first three days of employment. A newly rehired employee must complete the form within three days of starting work if the employee's previous I-9 is more than three years old, or his/her previous I-9 is no longer valid. An employee who does not properly complete the I-9 form within the legally required timeframe will not be permitted to continue to work until the form is completed.

Personnel Records and Changes in Personal Status

Employees are responsible for keeping their records current and accurate. Notification to the department head and Human Resources of any changes in personal status is critical. Such information is necessary to ensure correct coverage and, if appropriate, deductions for taxes, medical insurance, life insurance, etc. Incorrect or outdated information may affect employee benefits and the ability of the College to make the appropriate contacts in an emergency. The accuracy of an employee's entry in the College directory depends on the accuracy of that employee's files. Some changes that should be reported promptly include:

Name
Address
Telephone number
Marital status
Names and social security numbers of dependents
Birth dates of dependents
Changes in dependent(s) status
Beneficiary designations for benefit plans, such as retirement plan, life insurance, etc.

Employees may review the personal information in their personnel files by setting up an appointment with a representative of Human Resources. One business day's notice is required.

Failure to notify Human Resources of changes or falsification of records may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Categories of Employment

The College developed a series of employment categories to identify the type of position held by each staff and faculty member. The employee's position type should be included in the letter notifying him or her of employment.

If at any time, an employee is unclear about the type of appointment s/he holds, the employee should seek clarification from either the department head or Human Resources. See section 3, Employee Benefits for benefit eligibility information.

Faculty members teach students. Faculty titles include: full professor, associate professor, assistant professor, visiting professor, instructor, lecturer, and assistant in instruction.

Staff members are hired to perform non-teaching duties in support of the College's academic mission.

Middlebury College classifies faculty and staff members according to the chart below. The primary basis for classification is committed hours for staff and instructional units for faculty. Committed hours are regularly scheduled and budgeted hours assigned to a specific position. Regardless of the number of hours actually worked, on-call positions have no committed hours. Human Resources will work collaboratively with managers to determine the classification of each position.

Employee Group Classifications - FACULTY

Classification	Duration	Full Time Equivalency	Instructional Units Per Year	Benefit Category
Full Time	Renewable Contracts (1-5 yrs)	.83 or 1	5 or 6	Eligible
Part-time Benefit Eligible	Renewable Contracts (1-5 yrs)	.50 or .67	3 or 4	Eligible
Part-time Not Benefit Eligible	Renewable Contracts (1-5 yrs)	< .50	< 3	Ineligible

Employee Group Classifications - STAFF

Classification	Duration	Full Time Equivalency (2080 hr/yr base)	HRS/YR (com- mitted hours)	Benefit Category	CTO Category
Full Time	on going	.80 to 1	1,664- 2,080	Eligible	Eligible
Part-time Benefit Eligible	on going	.48 to .79	1,000- 1,663	Eligible	Eligible
Part-time Not Benefit Eligible	on going	< .48	<1,000	Ineligible	Ineligible
On-Call	varies	0	0	Ineligible	Ineligible
Time Limited	9+ months with end date	varies	varies	Dependent on committed hours	Dependent on committed hours
Temporary /Seasonal	<9 months	varies	varies	Ineligible	Ineligible

2.4 Release of Information and Employment Confidentiality

Authorized staff members have access to confidential information about the College, its employees, and students. All employees must handle such information responsibly.

Since it can be difficult to distinguish legitimate inquiries from invasions of others' privacy, no information is to be divulged without proper authorization. Refer verification of employment inquiries to Human Resources. Human Resources will verify employment, job title(s), and dates of employment. An employee who wishes the College to provide further information regarding employment must complete an Information Release and Waiver Agreement. Waiver agreements are available from the Human Resources office and on the Web (Release and Waiver Agreement Form). Return completed copies to Human Resources. Specific references will not be provided without a completed Information Release and Waiver Agreement. Managers must verify that an Information Release Waiver is on file with HR before providing a reference to an external employer.

Direct all other requests for information (i.e. those involving private attorneys or state or federal agency representatives) to Human Resources.

2.5 Employment of Family Members

The College has no prohibition against hiring relatives of existing employees but understands that employment of relatives in the same area of the College may impact departmental functioning. To minimize any potential issues with regard to relatives working together, it is strongly recommended that an immediate family member does not have supervisory responsibilities for another family member. Immediate family is defined as spouse, domestic partner, civil union partner, grandparent, sibling, or child.

2.6 New Employee Orientation

New Employee Orientation (NEO) takes place biweekly on the first Monday of each pay period. The College's goal is to coordinate employment start dates with scheduled orientation dates whenever possible in order to provide a smooth transition to employment at Middlebury College. NEO sessions are offered for full-time and part-time employees as well as certain time-limited positions.

Orientation sessions are hosted by Human Resources and are designed to introduce new staff members to the history, culture, and mission of Middlebury College, as well as allow them to complete required employment paperwork. The orientation program provides employees with the opportunity to meet different members of the community, tour the campus, review College policies, and enroll in eligible benefit programs for which they are eligible.

2.7 Starting Work

When employees first report to work, their supervisors will show them the workplace, explain the responsibilities and procedures of the position, and answer any questions they might have.

Additionally, new employees will receive information from their supervisors about paychecks, College policies regarding overtime, CTO, sick leave reserve, attendance, performance evaluation, and wage reviews; keeping records current; automobile registration and parking; arrangements for necessary keys; lunch schedules and facilities; any required training associated with the position; and campus orientation.

Supervisors should access the Supervisor Check List for new employee orientation suggestions.

2.8 Provisional Period

All new, rehired, and newly promoted employees work on a provisional basis for the first three months. Employees are encouraged to take advantage of this period to determine whether the position meets their expectations and to get clarification concerning responsibilities. The College will use this period to evaluate an employee's capabilities and work habits. Either the College or the employee may end the employment relationship at will, with or without cause. Certain departments or positions may have longer provisional periods.

If an employee is absent from work for any significant period of time as defined by the supervisor during the first three months, the provisional period will be extended by the length of the absence automatically. If the College determines that it has not had sufficient time for a thorough evaluation of the employee's performance, it may choose to extend the provisional period for a specified length of time. The employee's supervisor will notify the employee of any extension, its length and reason.

Provisional employment status does not affect eligibility for employer-provided benefits. The terms and conditions of each determine eligibility for such programs.

If newly hired, transferred or promoted, an employee will receive a performance appraisal after one month and at the completion of the provisional period. Subsequent reviews occur annually between January and March, with an informal performance discussion every six months.

The provisional period may be waived at the discretion of the department or Human Resources.

2.9 Scheduling and Hours of Operation

The College has many functional units with diverse objectives and operational needs. Employees should work with their supervisor and department head to understand the scheduling needs of the department and individual procedures related to hours and scheduling.

It is expected that administrative offices are open from 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. During standard office hours, it is expected that coverage of the office or department will be in place during that period of operation. A minimum of 30 minutes of unpaid time is included. The schedules of non-administrative departments are determined by work needs. Departments may provide one 15-minute break each day, scheduled by the supervisor.

Work schedules are subject to change, given seasonal and weekend demands. Any variation in the standard schedule for a given position must receive advance approval from the supervisor, who will advise all employees of their working hours.

Scheduling Alternatives

In order to provide a supportive and flexible workplace scheduling alternatives are available. The department head will be responsible for the operation of the department and will give final approval of all schedule changes in consultation with the employee's direct supervisor. Department heads should discuss the service levels with their supervisors before approving the use of scheduling alternatives in the department. Due to the changing needs of the College, schedules may be changed at any time.

Flexible work schedules: Employees may request a change in the start and end of their workday provided they are able to complete their position responsibilities. Schedules are approved on a quarterly basis using standard calendar quarters. At the end of each quarter before approval is given for a subsequent quarter, a department is asked to review the impact on service and the orderly work of the department. It is important to perform an analysis of the impact on service levels of changing schedules.

Four-day workweek: It is possible that four 10-hour days or four 9.75-hour days could be worked in a week, thus giving the employee three days away. Generally in a four-day workweek, the days revolve so the employee has a four on/three off schedule, with the days worked and days off changing each week including weekends. The College will entertain those requests, particularly in Facilities Services and Dining Services. Employees on a four-day workweek may need to alter their schedule for important departmental meetings or College presentations.

Buying down the workday: Subject to the scheduling alternatives approval, non-exempt employees may reduce the length of their workday by taking Combined Time Off (CTO).
Example: If an employee wanted to leave at 4:00 p.m. during January and February in order to drive home before it became too dark on potentially icy roads, the employee's supervisor could approve the request, provided there was sufficient staff coverage in the department until 5:00 p.m. The employee could use an hour of CTO time each day to reduce the workday.
People need breaks and lunchtime in the middle of the day; therefore, employees cannot reduce the workday by permanently eliminating lunch periods and breaks from their schedules.

2.10 Safety & Security

Report all accidents or injuries occurring at Middlebury College, or while traveling on College business, as soon as possible. Report accidents occurring in the course of employment to Human Resources; Public Safety should be notified of accidents involving students, guests, and visitors.

Please remember, it is important that employees report immediately any hazardous or unsafe conditions on campus so that we may take prompt action to remedy them.

Environmental Health and Safety Office

The establishment and maintenance of a safe work environment is the shared responsibility of the College and all its employees. The College attempts to protect employees against hardship and suffering from injuries and illnesses resulting from accidents or work conditions and to protect the College from potential losses, damages, and costs caused by such accidents and conditions. Therefore, the College strives to comply fully with the intent of all federal, state, and local laws governing the safety of the College community.

The Environmental Health and Safety Office is a resource for the entire College community. The Environmental Health and Safety Officer is a safety professional who assists employees in addressing their safety concerns, and may be reached through the Business Services Office.

All employees of the College are expected to follow all government safety regulations and College safety policies, to take an active part in protecting themselves and their coworkers from accident and injury, and to report promptly to their supervisors any hazardous conditions and practices. Both supervisors and employees at all levels of the College are expected to report and try to correct unsafe conditions as promptly as possible.

Blood-Borne Pathogens

OSHA's standard pertaining to employee exposure to blood-borne pathogens, such as HIV and Hepatitis B (HBV) viruses, is designed to educate and protect all employees in jobs in which exposure to blood or other potentially infected bodily fluids can be "reasonably anticipated."

Employees in covered positions are required to attend blood-borne pathogen training at the beginning of employment, as well as retraining, provided annually. Middlebury College maintains an exposure control plan that is available through the Environmental Health and Safety Office. If employees believe their position is one in which such exposure might occur and they have not received a copy of the plan or notice of the potential of such exposure, they should contact the Environmental Health and Safety Office immediately.

Ergonomics

Further information concerning the ergonomics program can be accessed at:
http://www.middlebury.edu/administration/hr/Safety/ergo.

Workers' Compensation

In compliance with Vermont state law the College provides a comprehensive workers' compensation insurance program at no cost to employees. This program covers any injury or illness sustained in the course of employment that requires medical, surgical, or hospital treatment that is accepted as a workers' compensation claim.

Return to Work Transitional Duty Program

Middlebury College supports the implementation of a Return to Work Transitional Duty Program (RTWTDP) to assist employees after the onset of both work-related and non-work-related injuries or illnesses. The RTWTDP is designed to provide a temporary work assignment allowing the employee to transition back into the position held prior to the onset of the injury or illness. The transitional position will be carefully designed to be appropriate for the skills, knowledge, and capabilities of the recovering employee so that the work can be accomplished safely. The RTWTDP is limited to employees with temporary illnesses or injuries. Transitional duty positions, when available, are always temporary and are assigned for a period of time usually not to exceed 12 weeks. In addition, employees participating in the program must have appropriate documentation from a medical care professional that evaluates their capability to work. It is the College’s responsibility to identify transitional work for the employee. Middlebury College has the sole discretion to determine whether or not there are transitional duty positions available considering the workload needs of the company.

Controlled Substance/Alcohol Testing for Employees with a Work-required CDL

All employees who hold a commercial driver’s license as part of their position responsibilities for travel within the state are required to participate in controlled substance/alcohol testing. This includes testing for pre-employment, random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, and return to duty testing.
see: Controlled Substance/Alcohol Testing Procedure

2.11 Unlawful Harassment

As an educational institution, Middlebury College is committed to maintaining a campus environment where discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, marital status, place of birth, service in the armed forces of the United States, or against individuals with disabilities is unacceptable. The College complies with state and federal laws that address discrimination in the workplace.
see: Harassment/Sexual Harassment Policy

2.12 MiddPoints

MiddPoints is a newsletter published approximately twice per month by Human Resources for the faculty and staff of Middlebury College. The issue schedule and deadlines are listed on the Human Resources Web site. MiddPoints is mailed without charge to benefits-eligible employees. Other employees will receive an email notification of MiddPoints on-line. Each issue is also posted on the Human Resources Web site. MiddPoints is a primary communication vehicle on policy changes, upcoming events, news, and other items of interest to employees. Entities outside the campus may not advertise in MiddPoints. Classified ads and articles may be submitted by employees, students, and alumni only via e-mail to MiddPoints Editor or via campus mail to MiddPoints Editor, Human Resources, Service Building.

2.13 Internal Career Opportunities

Filling a position: The Staff Resources Committee (SRC) authorizes the creation of new positions and the filling of current vacancies. Upon request of the SRC, Human Resources, in coordination with the hiring department, facilitates recruitment.

Faculty recruitment: The dean of the faculty, in conjunction with department chairs, handles faculty recruitment. Persons interested in receiving notice of faculty openings should contact the Office of Academic Affairs at ext. 5391.

Staff recruitment: For most job vacancies, Human Resources and the appropriate senior administrator determine if there is a candidate for whom the vacancy is a natural career progression. In such cases, posting of the position may not occur. If broader recruitment is necessary, the position will appear on the Employment Opportunities Web listing for a minimum of five business days and staff members may apply online. Temporary positions of one year or less are not necessarily posted. At the discretion of the president, certain jobs may not be posted.

Employment opportunities list: The Employment Opportunities listing of all available non-faculty positions is posted on the Human Resources Web page. Applicant requirements appear with the description of each job opening.

Applying for a posted position: Interested employees should submit a resume online via the Employment Opportunities page once they have identified a position of interest. Employees must have been their current position for a minimum of three months before they are eligible to apply for positions in other departments.

If an employee is selected to interview for a position and is a final candidate, it is expected that the employee will inform his or her current supervisor at that point. If an employee is offered and accepts a position external to the employee’s current department, coordination between both departments and Human Resources is required to ensure that the timing of such a transfer does not result in a hardship to the College.

Filling a position: The supervisor of the department or search committee selects the best-suited candidate to fill the job vacancy. The supervisor contacts Human Resources to determine an appropriate hiring wage and to coordinate issuing the job offer.

Career decisions: Employees should give careful consideration to all career moves. Having accepted a promotion or requested or accepted an internal transfer, an employee is unlikely to have the option of returning to the old position should the new one not work out.

2.14 Rehire

Consideration for re-employment is based on qualifications and demonstrated ability, as well as prior job performance. In the event of re-employment at Middlebury College, prior service will be recognized in determining benefit eligibility to the maximum extent allowed by the Benefit Plan Descriptions or other relevant policies. Employees returning within three months of their termination date will have their CTO accrual date reinstated.

2.15 Staff E-mail and Computer Use Policy

Middlebury College recognizes that e-mail is one of the primary venues through which important information about the College and its operations is communicated. This information ranges from updates on the strategic direction of the College and matters of interest to the community, to notification of road closings and building maintenance, to information about employee benefits. As part of the Middlebury College community, staff members are responsible to be aware of this information. All employees are issued a standardized college e-mail account through their employment at Middlebury College. The work of some employees requires regular use of a computer, often in an office situation. Public access computers have been installed at many locations across campus to allow access and a desired level of privacy for those employees whose work does not require regular use of a computer. For departments or work groups in which computer use is secondary to the core function, internal procedures will be developed to allow staff reasonable access to e-mail while ensuring proper work coverage. Given the volume and frequency of campus communications, it is expected that up to 10 minutes out of each workday will be allotted for e-mail usage. The employees and supervisors are to work out details of how e-mail access time is implemented, depending on intensity of workload (periodic in certain areas like facilities services and dining). As departments utilize computers for work-related purposes beyond e-mail, these time estimates may be adjusted. Training is available through LIS for those unfamiliar with e-mail use. Anyone using College e-mail resources is responsible for abiding by the guidelines for appropriate e-mail use as outlined in the College Handbook.

Employment