FACULTY MEETING DECEMBER 9, 2003

ATTENDEES: C. Barfield, V. Blaeske, D. Boucias, M. Branham, E. Buss, J. Capinera, S. Choate, T. Fasulo, J. Foltz, J. Gillmore, G. Hall, A. Hodges, M. Hoy, B. Larson, N. Leppla, O. Liburd, H. McAuslane, F. Oi, J. Stimac, S. Webb, S. Yu, and M. Litchfield.

Meeting was called to order at 1:15.

Capinera introduced Jo Ann Davis from IFAS Personnel. Jo Ann presented information on "Your Role as an Effective Supervisor." She passed out some handouts on "Fifty Behavior Based Interview Questions," "How to Write Position Descriptions," and copies of her PowerPoint presentation.

Jo Ann talked about how important it was to know the Fair Employment Laws. You cannot discriminate or make hiring decisions based on age, religion, race, sex, marital status, disability, pregnancy, dependant/childcare arrangements, veteran status, national origin, arrest record (as opposed to ACTUAL convictions - you need to do background checks if this shows up on the application), and willingness to work on Saturdays or Sundays. She stated that it was important to keep in mind that the goal of hiring is to select the person most qualified to perform the job's essential functions and contribute to the organization's success. Focus the interview questions on skills and abilities required by the job and the applicant's qualifications for the job. When interviewing you need to avoid discriminatory questions, i.e. "How old are you?", "When were you born?", "Is English your native language?", "What is your national origin?", "Are you planning to have children?", "Do you have any serious health problems or restrictions?" Instead you should ask questions such as "Do you have the legal right to work in the United States?", "Are you willing to travel?", "What experience qualifies you for the job?", "Have you ever been in a situation where you have had to take on new tasks or roles?", "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" She stated that questions about being arrested are not legal and that there is a difference in being arrested for and being convicted of a crime. You need to avoid personal biases and not let your first impressions guide you in hiring. Be careful in your selection and make sure that the person you are hiring can do the job. You would not want to hire an introverted individual to be a receptionist or hire someone in a position that requires good computer skills if that person has no skills. In order to insure that the person is qualified you need to check more than one of their references. Be sure to identify standards by which to evaluate the candidates; for example, refer to position description regarding computer proficiency and special skills needed, etc. Consider additional "dimensions" to the job, such as importance of being a team player, good communicator, etc. When preparing for the interview you need to look for "red flags" such as a history of job-hopping, unexplained gaps in employment, no dates of employment and too many qualifiers. Prepare to ask open-ended questions and use behavioral interviewing techniques. Ask the same questions of each candidate and take detailed notes. In order to conduct a structured interview you need to establish a rapport, describe the position and essential functions, relate all inquiries to ability to do the job, allow questions, listen and evaluate, verify information on resume or application, and state your reason for taking notes. When taking the final steps in hiring, you need to identify the best candidate, check references, perform a background check (Permanent Alachua County resident is free, Florida life-time resident is $20.00), offer the job to the candidate of choice, and notify other applicants. When hiring, it is recommended that you put the new hire on a six-month contract so that they may be evaluated at the end of the six months. It is important that all paperwork for new employees is completed so that they will receive their paycheck in a timely manner. Also, all new employees are required to attend a new employee orientation. This is scheduled whenever a new employee is hired.

Jo Ann discussed the training of new employees. She suggested giving a Departmental Procedures Manual (if one is available) to the new employee. She also suggested that it would be beneficial to have scheduled meetings, a "buddy" system, and cross-training with co-workers. Also, she mentioned that the Division of Human Resources has training programs that are available, free of charge, to employees. These programs can be found at www.hr.ufl.edu/training/. SOAR (Show, Observe, Assess, Reinforce): remember to provide feedback and listen. You need to "sandwich" feedback (Positive - Negative - Positive).

The Fair Labor Standards Act defines and controls minimum wage, training wages and overtime hours and rates. It regulates child labor and equal pay for both sexes. There are two types of employees: Non exempt - hourly rate of pay, eligible for overtime compensation, and timecard; Exempt - bi-weekly rate of pay, NOT eligible for overtime compensation, and employee may complete time record (if required by the department). Non-Exempt TEAMS and USPS employees: If they work over 40 hours in the workweek (not payperiod) - overtime pay at 1½ times hourly rate (typically compensatory time but can request payment); 120 hour limit on compensatory time accrual. Exempt USPS Employees: If they work over 40 hours in the workweek - eligible for regular compensatory leave accrued on an hour-for-hour basis; 120 hour limit; no cash value. Exempt TEAMS: Formerly USPS Exempt (that joined TEAMS) or time slip employees and A&P - no compensatory time at all.

Rules for time-worked: There should be a stated starting/quitting time and supervisors are responsible for accuracy of records. If employee takes work home: Exempt - OK; Non-Exempt - you must compensate. Falsification of time records is a three-day suspension. Leave usage: be sure to attach the Application for Leave with the time card or time slip. A doctor's note should be attached (as required) for each 3 day absenteeism.

Jo Ann discussed the FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act). This is a Federal Law designed to protect an employee when leave is required due to serious medical situations/serious health conditions for parent/spouse/child/self, birth or adoption of a child, or Foster care. The FMLA guarantees employees 12-workweeks (or 480 hours) of protected leave if he/she has a qualifying event. This is known as "FMLA entitlement." Leave can be sick, annual, or leave without pay, as employee requests. Accurate record keeping is essential. OPS workers who have worked for 1280 hours are eligible for FMLA. FMLA does not provide additional types of leave or result in employee earning additional hours of leave. FMLA is important because it prevents employees from being disciplined for absences related to a serious medical condition of self/immediate family member. Departments are liable for informing employees of his/her FMLA rights. FMLA ensures an employee who has been on qualifying FMLA leave to return to his/her same or equivalent job. FMLA provides leave for birth or adoption of a child; to care for employee's spouse, child, stepchild, parent, or step-parent with a serious health condition; to care for foster child/children; and when an employee is unable to perform essential functions of his or her job due to a serious health condition. Conditions not covered by FMLA: Unless complications arise - common cold, flu, earaches, upset stomach, minor headaches; routine dental or orthodontic problems; other short-term voluntary treatments and immunizations unless they result in hospitalization. In order for an employee to be eligible for FMLA to care for a family member with a serious health condition, the employee must be providing care for assisting the family member with basic medical needs, hygiene, satisfying nutritional needs, safety or transportation; presence is beneficial or desirable for care of family member; and current Certification of Health Care Provider form is completed by health care provider and is on file with supervisor. Paperwork required: Up to 15 consecutive days of leave - Leave Slip (application for leave); over 15 days (extended leaves) - "Personnel Leave of Absence" form; Certification of Health Care Provider (be sure to attach a copy of the position description); and "Intermittent Use of Paid Leave Application," when appropriate. If an employee has an FMLA-qualifying event, the supervisor must be sure to designate time as FMLA and count towards the entitlement (check "yes" and remind leavekeeper to enter leave as FMLA-qualifying). The supervisor and employee may disagree, but the supervisor makes the final decision (supervisor should keep summary of both viewpoints). The health care provider makes decision when using "Certification of Health Care Provider" form. Human Resources, department leavekeepers, supervisors, etc., CANNOT directly contact the health care provider. You need to contact your Employee Relations office for assistance. Employees on FMLA leave may be required to "report in." Employees must call in to report on their status and intent to return to work. Departments should establish a uniformly applied policy regarding when an employee on leave for medical reasons must call in. You need to ask questions: "How are things going?", "What is the prognosis?" Fitness for duty certification: Departments may be able to require certification from employee's health care provider that employee is able to resume work. Always be sure to contact your Employee Relations office if there are questions. Intermittent leave or reduced work schedules are available when medically necessary (i.e., health care provider has certified as such). This counts toward FMLA entitlement; EXAMPLE - Full-time employee with 480 hours entitlement can reduce work to half-time and take 24 weeks to use up entitlement hours. Other important items to note: Cannot require employee to accept modified duties rather than take leave. Use of FMLA cannot be considered negatively when hiring, promoting, or pursuing disciplinary actions. Employee must be given same or equivalent job upon return. Cannot require employee to take more leave than is medically necessary or requested by employee. All absences due to Workers' Comp injury/illness are FMLA-qualifying. Confidentiality rules apply to all FMLA-related information. UF leave extensions: beyond FMLA. According to UF policy, up to six months leave (including FMLA leave) is granted for parental leave and extenuating circumstances (with proper documentation). Self and Immediate Family UF policy is more extensive than FMLA - includes the following: grandparents, brothers, sisters, grandchildren, step relations and anyone for whom is the legal guardian; great-grandparents, *spouse, *parents, *children. *FMLA covered - "Step" children and parent of the employee (may be covered under particular circumstances: call Employee Relations first).

Due to lack of time Jo Ann had to end her presentation. Dr. Capinera said that she would be invited back to present another portion of this series on supervision.

Capinera asked if everyone received the email from Nancy stating that we were not to use the Suncom system because it is now more expensive than dialing 9-1-#. Make sure employees are aware of this change.

The Union vote is scheduled. Currently the Union is dominated by Liberal Arts and Sciences, but the president considers the Med School and IFAS important participants in the vote. You may or may not be asked but it is important to be educated on the issues. If you are asked, please vote. What is the position of the new President? Probably the same as the old one, wanting the faculty to be more involved.

Faculty may have the option of 9-month appointments. Currently IFAS faculty have 11-month appointments (called a 12-month appointment). The President is willing to let us have 9-month appointments. Faculty who convert from 11 to 9 month appointments would earn a higher weekly salary but a lower yearly salary. However, under this plan you could supplement your salary with a grant that is willing to pay the extra salary during your time off, effectively raising your annual salary by about 11%. The expectation is that your duties will still be met but that you will have more flexibility and it will be beneficial to the individual as well as the institution. Benefits would accrue at the same rate regardless of the plan.

Capinera announced that Marjorie Hoy would be the recipient of the Charles A. Black Award from the Council of Agriculture and Science Technology in recognition of her role in making the public aware of important agricultural issues such as biological control, genetic engineering, and agricultural bioterrorism.

Capinera announced that Eileen and Marjorie came up with cork strips to be used instead of corkboards in the hallways. A 4-foot strip will cost $40.00, an 8-foot strip should cost about $60.00. Faculty voted to go with cork strips. Faculty should decide how many 4-foot and/or 8-foot strips and where they wanted them located.

Capinera announced the new system to be in place by June of 2004 called People Soft software. It is an integrated financial management and personnel system that replaces virtually all of our present software for student records, personnel, and financial accountability. This will mean a lot of changes in the way we do business.

There have been some issues with DPM Graduate students taking exams. Some students, upon failing exams, have asked for reconsideration of their grade. Faculty have the option of allowing retakes of exams after further preparation by the students, but should not compromise their standards because students are "scheduled" to graduate.

Advertising for the Physiology position has been placed in the ESA newsletter, and the online version of Science. The closing date is March 1. There is also a notice on the departmental web site. Help was requested in recruiting qualified candidates.

The screening committee will start interviewing candidates for the Toxicology position in January. Interviews and seminar dates have already been set up for the final applicants.

Meeting adjourned at 2:40.