No./Title: 310 – CONTINUOUS SERVICE CREDIT	Resp. Office: HUMAN RESOURCES	Effective Date: 02/01/2014
Category: Employment	Last Review: 08/30/2018	Next Review: 08/30/2021
Contact: Terrie Starling	🕿901.448.5599	🖂 tstarli1@uthsc.edu
Related Policies: HR0310 – Continuous Service Credit

OBJECTIVE

To define continuous service and explain its role in various activities.

WHO IS AFFECTED?

All regular employees.

DEFINITION

Length of service (or regular continuous service credit) is that period of time during which a staff member is employed from the date of regular employment to the termination date. The date of employment is the date the employee began regular employment with the university. Service is broken and all the rights and benefits of continuous service forfeited in accordance with Human Resources Policy HR0310.

PROCEDURE

Human Resources -Records shall determine the continuous service credit of an employee on the basis of information contained in the employee’s official personnel file. The following briefly explains how continuous service credit is used in these activities.

1. Reduction in Force – When a reduction in force or elimination of any position within a department occurs, employees shall be laid off in reverse order of their regular continuous service date, providing that the remaining employees with seniority in the classification are qualified to perform the work.
2. Service as an Employee Representative – Nominees for employee relation representatives must have at least one year of regular continuous service credit.
3. Educational Assistance (Fee Waiver) – Regular, part-time employees with one year of regular continuous service credit working a minimum of 50 percent time are eligible for a prorated fee waiver benefit. There is no continuous service requirement for regular, full-time employees to take advantage of the fee waiver benefit.
4. Educational Assistance (Student Fee Discount) for Spouses and Dependent Children – Regular, part-time employees with one year of regular continuous service credit working a minimum of 50 percent time are eligible for a prorated fee discount benefit. There is no continuous service requirement for regular, full-time employees, who are eligible for an undergraduate student fee discount for their spouses and dependent children.
5. Leave of Absence – An employee’s length of regular continuous service credit is one factor taken into consideration when a leave of absence is requested.