Employment Changes

Appointment Types

Main Appointment Types

1. Administration Appointments

Administration positions are defined as positions that are assigned administrative and management responsibilities or professional duties. For specific titles and duties associated with the Administration pay plan, review the Administration & Staff Job Titles.

Most Administration appointments are not covered under collective bargaining. However, a few titles are covered under the United Faculty of Florida (UFF). Please see the Collective Bargaining pages for more information.  

Administration employees are all appointed to a position. The University shall use the following appointment modifiers which define the conditions of an employee's appointment. Such appointment modifiers apply to the appointment of a qualified employee, unless otherwise stated, and are subject to published guidelines and procedures of the University.

Please refer to the Appointment Modifiers & Descriptions Table to view the different types of administration appointments.

2. Faculty Appointments

Faculty appointments are handled through the Provost's office. Academic policies related to faculty employment may be found at the Office of the Provost - Faculty Policies or the USF Health Office of Faculty Affairs, and in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The following faculty employment categories are all appointed to a position. Please note any special requirements to each new hire. Faculty new hires are required to sign an offer letter from the Provost. Paperwork must also include transcripts and, if applicable, a CV or resume and any supporting /required documentation.

Please refer to the Appointment Modifiers & Descriptions Table to view the different types of faculty appointments.

3. Staff Appointments

Staff positions are defined as positions assigned professional, paraprofessional, administrative, clerical, secretarial, technical, skilled crafts, service, or maintenance duties.

For specific titles and duties associated with the Staff pay plan, review the Administration & Staff Job Titles. 

After successfully completing a designated probationary period, employees in these positions gain regular status for the class. This provides the employee with rights to remain in the class or to appeal certain adverse actions taken against the employee while serving in the class.

Many Staff appointments are covered under collective bargaining. Most Staff are covered under the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); Law Enforcement Staff are covered under the West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA). Please see the Collective Bargaining pages for more information. 

Time Limited positions are funded by grant, contract, auxiliary or local funds, and have a specific expiration date. Employees who are hired for such positions are eligible to attain permanent status with USF. However, they are not entitled to retention or layoff rights as of the end date of the appointment or prior to that date if the funding source expires, is cancelled, or is under-funded. These positions require additional steps to complete a hire.

Please refer to the Appointment Modifiers & Descriptions Table to view the different types of staff appointments.

4. Temporary Appointments

Temporary employment categories are appointed without a position. However, these employees are an integral part of USF. The University employs many types of temporary employees to perform vital functions throughout the university.

All temporary appointments are entered with a future termination date. If the appointment is to end as scheduled, no additional termination paperwork is required.

The maximum appointment time is one year, however they may be extended in one year or less increments. If a Temporary employee's appointment is going to be extended, it's very important that the extension be submitted to HR in time for it to be processed prior to the employee's termination. Timely extensions prevent unnecessary and inconvenient interruptions in computer access and benefit coverages.

FTE: FTE is defined as the number of hours worked by an employee each week divided by 40. Many temporary employees are appointed part-time, so the hours and FTE must be included on their offer letter and/or ASF. See the FTE & Standard Hours Conversion Chart for more information.

Temporary Appointments may be either salaried or hourly.

  • Salaried. A time limited appointment to a job that is exempt from overtime under current Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guidelines. A Duties and Responsibilities form must be included at the time of appointment and will be reviewed by HR.
  • Hourly. A time limited appointment to a job that is non-exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (e.g., can earn overtime pay). Appointed with an hourly wage and eligible for overtime under FLSA Guidelines.

Temporary Appointments may be Non-Students or Students.

  • Non-Students. Non-students are defined as those employees not registered for classes and whose primary function is employment with USF.
  • Students. Student employees are defined as those employees registered for classes and whose primary function is obtaining an education with USF. Students are employed by the university in a wide variety of jobs in many clerical and support functions, which are not necessarily in their field of study. It is advantageous to appoint this way because neither the student nor department will pay FICA taxes (7.62% of wages). In order to maintain their Student FICA exemption, these students must be degree seeking and registered for at least 6 credit hours a semester.

Please refer to the Job Code and Descriptions for Temporary Appointments Table to view the different types of temporary appointments.

Other Appointment Types

1. Extra compensation

Extra compensation (previously referred to as dual compensation) is compensation to faculty, administration, and staff for contracted activities outside of the established FTE of the position. It also applies to the simultaneous appointment of an employee in a benefits earning and non-benefit earning (Temporary) position. Activities that qualify for extra compensation include credit instruction, non-credit instruction, temporary assignments to sponsored projects, and other temporary consulting arrangements normally across departmental lines.

Extra compensation does not include Special Pay Increases (SPI) for additional compensation for a temporary increase in responsibilities associated with the employee's primary appointment or Pay for Performance (PFP) for short-term accomplishments, performance on a special project, or reaching an established major goal or objective. The key to differentiating extra compensation from SPIs and PFPs is that extra compensation is pay for work that is substantially different than the employee's primary duties and responsibilities. It could also be that the work is similar work but for a different administrative unit of the university (across colleges or departments).

There are two types of extra compensation: faculty and non-faculty. Both faculty and non-faculty extra compensation forms follow the same approval process. The process requires the Request for Approval of Extra Compensation Form to be completed for each extra compensation appointment. In addition, a faculty member's Dean and Chairperson/Unit Head or a non-faculty member's primary supervisor must approve the secondary appointment.

Things to know about extra compensation:

  • All requests for Extra Compensation are to be completed and approved prior to the employee beginning work.
  • A Graduate Assistant position can never be an extra compensation appointment.
  • All payments on Contracts and Grants also require the completion of Appendix A.
  • All extensions to an extra compensation appointment require completion and approval of a new Request for Approval of Extra Compensation Form.
  • There are times the use of the Non- Recurring form will also require completion of the Extra Compensation form.
  • Extra Compensation may NOT be paid from Research Initiative Accounts.

Additional Resources:

2. Non-Recurring payments

Non-Recurring payments ($500 or less) are periodical pay for service payments performed for a brief and finite period of time (14 consecutive days or less). There are times the Non-Recurring payment will also require a Request for Extra Compensation form attached as well. The Letter of Engagement is due to HR prior to the individual beginning the work.

The guidelines for the program are on the payroll website:

3. Non-Employee (Non-Compensated, Non-Academic)

Non-employees are individuals who are not employed or paid by the University of South Florida, but do perform services, work directly with, or supervise USF employees. Due to the nature of the work performed, these individuals may need certain access.

Possible examples include auditors, consultants, or Moffitt employees who conduct certain administrative and /or operational duties for USF employees. For example, these individuals prepare and certify pay for USF employees and will need to have an Employee ID in order to obtain a digital certificate. These requests are frequently made to grant library or building access.

Requests must come from a HR departmental contact and never directly from the individual requiring the access. Maximum appointment time is one year (with extensions possible). The completion of the Request to Create GEMS Non-Employee Record must be completed for each appointment and extension.

4. Rehiring Retirees

Before any retiree returns to employment with USF, the Benefits department must be consulted to determine if there will be any adverse effects upon their retirement. Once this has been resolved, the department then must review and comply with the University's policy on rehired retirees and, if necessary, submit the Post Retirement Employment Form for approval.

Please also refer to the Collective Bargaining Agreements provisions 24.6 for rehiring of Phased retirees. For additional information, please see the Post Retirement Employment policy. 

5. Foreign Nationals

A Foreign National is an individual residing in the United States of America who is not a naturalized citizen or a permanent resident (possesses an alien registration card/green card). Another commonly used term is Non-Resident Alien.

F-1 students enrolled full-time (12 credits undergraduate, 9 credits graduate) are allowed to work on-campus 20 hours per week during the Fall and Spring semesters. Exceptions to the half time requirement are granted if (a) the student is in his/her last semester and is enrolled in the number of credit hours needed to complete his/her degree requirement or (b) the student is enrolled in a thesis or dissertation course.

All on-campus work, including assistantships, is limited to a combined total of 20 hours per week during the Fall and Spring Semesters.  F-1 students may work on-campus 40 hours per week during annual vacation and breaks only.

Visitors (B1/B2 and Visa Waivers) cannot be put on payroll as employees. For further information on visitor visas, contact International Services (IS). 

Some J scholars can receive payment for certain types of work through USF. For further information on J scholars and the types of payments for which they can be compensated, contact International Services (IS).