Workplace Procedures

All staff positions are classified as exempt (salaried) or non-exempt (hourly), based on the nature of the work performed, the authority vested with the position, Washington state and Federal FLSA regulations and as noted on the employee's letter of appointment. 

The Whitworth work week is defined as the seven consecutive days beginning with 12 a.m. on Saturday and ending with 11:59 p.m. on the following Friday.

1. Non-exempt positions: A non-exempt employee will be paid hourly; they may not receive "compensatory time"; they must receive overtime pay for any hours worked beyond 40 in a work week. The employee signs and submits their timecard through Self-Service based on hours worked during the week and pay period. Timecards are due by noon on the 1st and 16th of each month. It is up to the employee and supervisor to ensure timecards are signed by the deadline. Missing timecard deadlines consistently may lead to disciplinary action.

For non-exempt employees that may be asked to travel for university business, Washington State Labor & Industries has defined what constitutes work hours during that time.  

Note: All hours worked by a non-exempt employee must be reported on the day hours are worked. Falsification of a timecard, by an employee or supervisor, may be cause for discipline, up to and including immediate termination of employment.

2. Exempt (salaried) positions: An exempt employee is paid a monthly salary that does not fluctuate in response to the number of hours actually worked. If an exempt employee works any amount of time during a day that they also report sick leave or vacation, the employee’s pay cannot be reduced for hours of the day that they did not work. An exempt employee does not accumulate compensatory time for hours worked in excess of 40 and does not receive overtime pay for such hours. All exempt employees should request any necessary leave time through Self-Service. 

1. Overtime
Overtime is defined as hours worked by a non-exempt employee in excess of 40 in a work week, not including hours of paid leave. Emergency work hours are exempt from overtime calculations, as are hours worked on a paid holiday, since this would otherwise result in further compounded pay for hours already considered at a premium rate.

The work week is defined as the seven consecutive days beginning with 12 a.m. on Saturday and ending with 11:59 p.m. on the following Friday. The rate of pay for overtime hours is set at one and one-half times the employee’s regular hourly rate of pay.

An employee may not work more than 40 hours in a work week without specific permission of their supervisor; however, the university has an obligation to pay for all hours worked, regardless of prior approval. The supervisor has a serious obligation to ensure that unauthorized overtime hours are not being permitted (e.g., an employee comes to work a half hour early each day and/or leaves 15 minutes late each day). Supervisors authorizing overtime must ensure that adequate funds are available to cover the overtime payment within their department budgets. An employee who works unauthorized overtime may be subject to disciplinary measures.

2. Emergency Work
In emergency circumstances, when a non-exempt employee’s workday is extended (either immediately before or after), or if the employee is called to work during a day that is not their normal workday for reasons also deemed to be emergency in nature, then these hours will be paid as premium pay, set at one and one-half times the employee’s regular pay.

An emergency is determined by the supervisor and is defined as a life-threatening or health related situation or an otherwise essential institutional need; a qualifying emergency cannot be scheduled and cannot be deferred to the next business day.

3. Minimum Hours for Emergency Work
When an employee is asked to work from home to handle an emergency, they will be paid for actual hours worked, with a minimum of one-half hour. When an employee is called to campus for an emergency on a day that is not a regularly scheduled workday, or after the employee has worked their shift but has already left the campus and is asked to return, they will be paid a minimum of two hours or the actual number of hours worked (inclusive of travel time to and from the work site not to exceed one hour), whichever is more.

4. Payroll Recordkeeping for Emergency Work
When emergency work is authorized and worked, the employee should record only regular hours in the category on the timecard called Hours Worked; and record Emergency Work (EWT) in the comments section of the timecard. By approving the employee’s timecard, the supervisor is indicating approval for the emergency work.

Note: All hours worked by a non-exempt employee must be reported on the day hours are worked. The falsification of a timecard, by an employee or a supervisor, will be cause for discipline, up to and including immediate termination of employment.

State and federal regulations govern the frequency of employee meal and rest periods for hourly (non-exempt) employees. In addition, productivity is enhanced when all employees take regular, approved breaks from their daily work. Whitworth encourages employees to take breaks and lunch periods as scheduled. Supervisors are expected to coordinate their employee break and lunch periods so that key services continue to be provided in each department, and to enforce required break and lunch breaks for hourly, non-exempt staff.

Requirements for Non-Exempt Employees

1. Non-exempt employees shall be allowed an unpaid meal period of at least 30 minutes, and no more than one hour, which commences no less than two hours nor more than five hours from the beginning of the shift. Meal periods shall be on the employer's time when the employee is required by Whitworth University to remain on duty on the premises or at a prescribed work site in the interest of the institution. No employee shall be required to work more than five consecutive hours without a meal period.

2. Employees working three or more hours longer than a normal eight-hour workday shall be allowed at least one 30-minute meal period prior to or during the overtime period.

3. Employees shall be allowed a rest period of not less than 15 minutes, on the employer's time, for each four hours of working time. Rest periods shall be scheduled as near as possible to the midpoint of the work period. No employee shall be required to work more than three hours without a rest period.

4. Where the nature of the work allows employees to take intermittent rest periods equivalent to 15 minutes for each four hours worked, scheduled rest periods are not required.

5. Break periods may not be accumulated and must be taken within the four hours for which they are given. Morning and afternoon breaks may not be consolidated into one break period.

6. With the agreement of the supervisor, the office employee may take lunch and rest breaks at their desk, but the break should not be interrupted by phone calls and requests for service, nor should the employee be required to remain at their desk during the unpaid lunch period. Not all buildings on campus have break rooms, and employees should be aware of alternative break locations, such as in the HUB and other nearby buildings. If a person does not want to be interrupted at lunch, they should plan to leave the office area entirely. The supervisor may designate public office spaces as non-break areas, as appropriate.