Temporary/Periodic Employees

Departments may hire individuals in a temporary employment status to meet occasional short-term operational needs. Temporary/periodic employees are not eligible for benefits unless eligible for healthcare under the Affordable Care Act. These employees also do not have the policy rights enjoyed by continuous, regular employees of the university.

Details

A temporary/periodic employee classification is suitable in the following instances:

• A full-time individual is needed for a job lasting no more than six months; OR
• A person is needed for an on-going assignment that requires less than half-time work, no more than 20 hours per week; OR
• A person who works periodically on an as-needed basis but less than 1,040 hours in any given fiscal year in all temporary/periodic appointments.

• Specific HR Instructions

  All employee assignments comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act, as amended. Thus, temporary/periodic employees are usually nonexempt. In rare occasions, it may be possible for a temporary/periodic employee to be employed within an exempt assignment. Review of these positions will be coordinated by HR during the position request process. Exemption status is reviewed at least once a fiscal year.

   

  HR reviews job assignments based upon hours worked by temporary/periodic employees to determine continued work eligibility. A review of hours worked is completed on a quarterly basis by HR staff. Hours are compiled by reviewing payroll records of actual hours recorded in every temporary assignment held by the temporary/periodic employee. If a temporary/periodic employee exceeds the allowable number of hours worked, the HR Consultant will contact the unit to discuss appropriate action. An appropriate course of action may include the creation of a continuous position or immediate termination of the employee’s assignment.

   

  Please note the Affordable Care Act requires the university to offer health insurance to individuals who meet the Act’s definition of full-time. In most instances, this will be after a measurement period of 12 months elapses and a calculation of hours worked identifies the employee as working on average 30 hours per week. However, if an employee is hired into a position working 30 hours or more per week and will be employed for 90 days or more, he/she must be provided health insurance at the beginning of his/her employment.

• Temporary Employment Services

  University departments requiring temporary employment services on the campuses of the OSU Systems and A&M Colleges shall use one of the two employment services contracted as a result of a competitive solicitation by the OSU Office of Procurement for the HR department.

   

  The Department shall contact one of the temporary employment service suppliers with specific information regarding the type of work to be performed, the length of the assignment, the salary, the location of the assignment, and etc. Discuss any other specific requirements regarding the position. The supplier will provide the department with a quote for the rate based on the salary and type of position.

  The OSU Office of Procurement strongly encourages departments to obtain estimates from the two suppliers to ensure the university receives the best price.

   

  To place orders with the provider process a requisition prior to service. Include a quote from the supplier and contract number OS-122550-JAB. The quote should contain the estimated period time and associated costs.

   

  Questions about these contracts should be directed to the OSU Office of Procurement, 405.744.5984, purchase@okstate.edu or HR.