No./Title: 630 – EMPLOYEE RELATIONS ADVISORY ORGANIZATIONS	Resp. Office: HUMAN RESOURCES	Effective Date: 04/01/1977
Category: Employee Relations	Last Review: 02/26/2020	Next Review: 02/26/2023
Contact: Rebekka Freeman	🕿 901.448.3053	🖂 rfreema8@uthsc.edu
Related Policies:

PURPOSE

At the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), employee advisory groups provide a direct channel of communication between regular staff employees and University officials for information and advisory purposes. The advisory groups also provide University officials with an effective method of soliciting and disseminating information concerning plans and programs affecting regular staff University employees.

At UTHSC, two employee advisory groups exist and operate in accordance with University policy and the guidelines set forth herein. The Employee Relations Committee (ERC) serves non-exempt employees and the Exempt Staff Council (ESC) serves exempt employees.

Committee and Council

Staff employees who wish to serve as an Employee Representative (member of the Employee Relations Committee or Exempt Staff Council) must have at least one year of continuous service with the University and must discuss their intention to run for election with their immediate supervisor. Supervisors are expected to support such interests of their employee.

The UTHSC Employee Relations Committee and Exempt Staff Council consists of fourteen primary and secondary members. The secondary member will serve in the absence of the primary member. The committee composition is based on groups that representative the following areas: VC of Finance, VC of Operations, VC of Academic Finance and Student Affairs, VC of Information Technology, VC of Research, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, College of Dentistry, College of Medicine, College of Health Professions, College of Graduate Health Sciences and the UT Foundation.

In October of each third year, fourteen primary and fourteen secondary members are elected to serve a three-year term. The Committee is regularly chaired by the Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources or designee, who sits as a non-voting member. The Committee is regularly chaired by the Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources or designee, who sits as a non-voting member.

Employee Relations Board

The Employee Relations Board provides a communication channel between the President and staff non-exempt employees throughout the University. In January each year, the UTHSC representative is elected annually from the ERC and ESC to serve on the University-wide Employee Relations Board. Each advisory organization submits agenda items for discussion at the semi-annual meetings, which are held on different campuses.