HR0515 – Collection of Debts Owed to the University

HR0515 – Collection of Debts Owed to the University

Objective:

To provide a fair, objective, and legally sufficient method of settling debts held by the university against its employees.

Policy:

1. In accordance with this policy, each campus human resources office shall establish a procedure to allow the university to collect debts outstanding against employees. The procedure will be designed for use where the university has failed to obtain payment through informal collection methods.
2. The campus will give notice to any employee with overdue debts that a debt is owing. This notice will allow each employee the following alternatives:
   1. The employee may pay the debt within 15 days of which notice was sent.
   2. The employee may, within the same period, authorize the university to withhold from each subsequent paycheck an amount agreeable to both the employee and the university until the debt is paid in full.
   3. The employee may, within the same period, request a hearing for the purpose of contesting the debt.
3. If a hearing is requested, the employee will be afforded the option of receiving a hearing in accordance with provisions of the Tennessee Administrative Procedures Act (APA) or an informal hearing before the chief business officer (or designee) of the campus or unit. An employee electing to receive an informal hearing will be required to waive, in writing, his or her right to an APA hearing. If the employee fails or refuses to execute a waiver, the hearing will be conducted in accordance with the APA.
4. If the employee fails to request a hearing or make payment arrangements satisfactory to the university within 15 days of which the written notice of debt was sent, a deduction will be made from each paycheck subsequently issued the employee, in accordance with a schedule established by each campus or unit, until the debt is paid in full.