Policy and Procedure Manual Lamar State College Port Arthur Member Texas State University System™ March 2021 PREFACE The Policy and Procedure Manual applies to all full time and part-time employees of Lamar State College Port Arthur. This manual is not a contract, and the policies and procedures outlined in this document may be amended at any time. In the case of conflict between this handbook and The Texas State University System™ Rules and Regulations shall prevail. The Policy and Procedure Manual is available on the Lamar State College Port Arthur website. Lamar State College Port Arthur is an equal opportunity/affirmative action educational institution and employer. Students, faculty, and staff members are selected without regard to their race, color, creed, gender, age, disability or national origin, consistent with the Assurance of Compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Executive Order 11246 as issued and amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; Civil Rights Act of 1991; and Family Medical Leave Act of 1993. Page 2 of 249 CONTENTS SECTION 1:INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 7 POLICY: 1.0 POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL ................................................................... 7 POLICY: 1.1 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY ............................................................................ 8 POLICY: 1.2 MISSION STATEMENT ........................................................................................... 8 POLICY: 1.3 ACCREDITATION .................................................................................................... 9 POLICY: 1.4 ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS .............................................................................. 10 POLICY: 1.5 FACULTY GOVERNANCE .................................................................................... 12 POLICY: 1.6 OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES ...................................................................... 12 POLICY: 1.7 POLICY ON COMPLIANCE ................................................................................... 14 POLICY: 1.8 PUBLICATION POLICY ......................................................................................... 14 SECTION 2: HIRING PRACTICES ............................................................................................................ 16 POLICY: 2.0 NONDISCRIMINATION / EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND WORKFORCE DIVERSITY ................................................................................... 16 POLICY: 2.1 EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ............................................ 17 POLICY: 2.2 VETERANS PREFERENCE IN HIRING ................................................................ 19 POLICY: 2.3 NEPOTISM ............................................................................................................ 19 POLICY: 2.4 OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT/ACTIVITIES................................................................. 20 POLICY: 2.5 NOMINATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS ................................................................ 24 POLICY: 2.6 LIMITATION ON CONTRACTS WITH PREVIOUS EMPLOYEES ......................... 25 POLICY: 2.7 CREDENTIAL EVALUATION ................................................................................. 25 POLICY: 2.8 CLEAR ENGLISH REQUIREMENT ....................................................................... 25 POLICY: 2.9 CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS ................................................................... 26 POLICY: 2.10 SELECTIVE SERVICE REGISTRATION OR EXEMPTION .................................. 28 POLICY: 2.11 VOLUNTEERS ....................................................................................................... 29 POLICY: 2.12 TERMINATION ...................................................................................................... 29 POLICY: 2.13 TERMINATION OF ADMINISTRATOR .................................................................. 32 SECTION 3:CLASSIFICATION & SALARY ADMINISTRATION ....................................................... 34 POLICY: 3.0 COLLEGE EMPLOYEES ....................................................................................... 34 POLICY: 3.1 EMPLOYMENT ...................................................................................................... 35 POLICY: 3.2 SALARY ADMINISTRATION ................................................................................. 36 POLICY: 3.3 DIFFERENTIAL PAY ............................................................................................. 37 POLICY: 3.4 MINIMUM WAGE, OVERTIME, AND COMPENSATORY TIME ............................ 38 POLICY: 3.5 COMPENSATION .................................................................................................. 41 POLICY: 3.6 EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE PAY ...................................................................... 42 POLICY: 3.7 STUDENT SOCIAL SECURITY EXCLUSION ....................................................... 43 POLICY: 3.8 COMPENSATION DISASTER RECALL ................................................................ 44 SECTION 4:ATTENDANCE AND LEAVE ............................................................................................... 45 POLICY: 4.0 ATTENDANCE ....................................................................................................... 45 POLICY: 4.1 ANNUAL LEAVE .................................................................................................... 48 POLICY: 4.2 SICK LEAVE .......................................................................................................... 50 POLICY: 4.3 CATASTROPHIC SICK LEAVE POOL .................................................................. 53 POLICY: 4.4 LEAVE WITHOUT PAY (LWOP) ............................................................................ 55 POLICY: 4.5 EXTENDED LEAVE WITHOUT PAY ..................................................................... 56 POLICY: 4.6 FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (FMLA) ............................................................... 57 POLICY: 4.7 OTHER LEAVES AND ABSENCES ...................................................................... 61 POLICY: 4.8 WORKERS’ COMPENSATION .............................................................................. 65 POLICY: 4.9 RETURN TO WORK .............................................................................................. 68 POLICY: 4.10 COLLEGE CLOSING ............................................................................................. 74 POLICY: 4.11 CHILDREN IN THE WORKPLACE ........................................................................ 74 POLICY: 4.12 WORKPLACE LACTATION PROGRAM ............................................................... 75 SECTION 5:CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT ..................................................................................... 77 Page 3 of 249 POLICY: 5.0 ETHICS .................................................................................................................. 77 POLICY: 5.1 STANDARDS OF CONDUCT ................................................................................ 81 POLICY: 5.2 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST .................................................................................. 82 POLICY: 5.3 FRAUD .................................................................................................................. 86 POLICY: 5.4 PERFORMANCE RATING PROCEDURE ............................................................. 89 POLICY: 5.5 PERFORMANCE EVALUATION ........................................................................... 92 POLICY: 5.6 PERFORMANCE RATING PURPOSE .................................................................. 93 POLICY: 5.7 DISCIPLINE FOR STAFF ...................................................................................... 94 POLICY: 5.8 DISCIPLINE FOR FACULTY ................................................................................. 96 POLICY: 5.9 GRIEVANCE .......................................................................................................... 97 POLICY: 5.10 USE OF STATE PROPERTY ................................................................................ 97 POLICY: 5.11 SOCIAL EVENTS WITH ALCOHOL ...................................................................... 98 POLICY: 5.12 ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME .............................................. 100 POLICY: 5.13 WHISTLE BLOWER ............................................................................................ 101 POLICY: 5.14 RELEASE OF EMPLOYEE INFORMATION (OPEN RECORDS ACT) ............... 101 POLICY: 5.15 RECOGNITION OF SERVICE AND RETIREMENT ............................................ 104 POLICY: 5.16 SOCIAL MEDIA ................................................................................................... 104 SECTION 6: EMPLOYEE BENEFITS .................................................................................................... 108 POLICY: 6.0 INSURANCE ........................................................................................................ 108 POLICY: 6.1 RETIREMENT PROGRAMS ................................................................................ 109 POLICY: 6.2 EMPLOYEE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PLAN .............................................. 114