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Compensation

Compensation

Applies to: Original Policy Date: Date of Last Review: Approved by:
Faculty & Staff, excluding adjuncts, temporary employees, and student employees. August 2016 April 2026 Dr. John Nicklow,
President 

Policy Owner: Office of Human Resources

Policy Purpose

This policy provides a consolidated source of information concerning the compensation policies and procedures of Florida Tech.

Policy Scope

This policy applies to all Florida Tech employees.

Policy Statement

The goal of the Florida Tech compensation program is fair payment to employees as a function of factors such as job duties and responsibilities, skills required for the position, job performance, budgetary constraints of the employee’s department, and responsible stewardship of the university’s resources. In accordance with this goal, the university has established processes and procedures for employee compensation, including its adjustment and payment, as outlined in policy guidelines.

Definitions

Adjacent hours: For the purposes of this policy, the hours immediately before and immediately after the employee’s normal working hours.

Procedures/Guidelines

Pay Grades

Each position is assigned a pay grade, which establishes a framework for the level of compensation. A position’s pay grade is typically determined by the position’s levels of responsibility and authority.

Non-faculty New Hires from Outside the University

Individuals new to the university are typically hired within the pay grade already established for the position. Employees hired within three months prior to a general merit review are not eligible for a merit increase as part of that cycle. The next opportunity for an employee to receive a merit increase will follow the next annual review, subject to the conditions outlined in this policy and procedures announced during the merit review process.

Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)

When conditions permit, employees may be considered for a Cost-of-Living Adjustment. The Chief Financial Officer will review economic national averages such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Higher Education Price Index (HEPI) and make a recommendation to the President.

Merit Reviews

One way that the university recognizes employee performance, and the achievement of goals is through merit increases. Merit increases are not automatic and are granted only when approved by the Board of Trustees as part of the university budget. Performance evaluations occur annually, in accordance with the performance evaluation policy for the position. When conditions permit, this will include a merit review for the purpose of recommending an adjustment to pay.

The general guidelines for an adjustment are as follows:

  1. Maximum adjustment: Superior performance in all areas of job assignments and excellent growth.
  2. Mid-range (normal) adjustment: Sustained, steady growth and showing some improvement.
  3. Lower-range adjustment: Marginal growth and fair performance.

It is the responsibility of the employee and their supervisor to ensure that appropriate forms are completed and submitted in a timely manner and to provide a fair and accurate evaluation of the employee’s performance.

All merit increases are subject to approval by the appropriate vice president and the Office of Human Resources. Any merit increase for an employee paid from grant or contract funds must be allowable under the terms of the award and supported by available grant funding.

Sponsored Programs - Per Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, compensation guidelines will follow the same annual merit review cycle as the University for all employees working on the grant, consistent with the University’s established written policy. If the University does not grant merit increases due to general economic conditions, then merit increases on grants or contracts will not be authorized.

Staff Promotions

A promotion is defined as a change in job responsibilities to another position having higher levels of responsibility, authority, and increased compensation.

All promotional increases are subject to the following limitations:

  1. The granting of a promotional increase must be made at the time of the promotion. Lack of available funds at the time of the promotion will not justify a retroactive or delayed increase. Promotional increases are subject to departmental budgetary limitations and approval of the appropriate vice president and the Office of Human Resources.
  2. An employee may be eligible for an increase in rate of pay for movement to a position within the same pay grade if it is determined that the new position has an increase in duties and responsibility. This will be determined by the hiring manager for the position in conjunction with the Office of Human Resources
  3. An employee is expected to remain in a position for at least six months before seeking promotional opportunities. If, in the best interests of the university, the Vice President of Human Resources may grant an exception to this provision. This provision does not apply to Temporary employees.
  4. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Provost or the University President.

Staff Demotions

  1. Demotion is defined as a reduction in job responsibilities, authority, and/or potentially lower compensation.
  2. While an employee may request a voluntary demotion for a variety of personal reasons, a demotion may also be the result of reorganization, or represent changes in job function due to inadequate performance, inability to attain job objectives, or disciplinary action.
  3. All demotion actions must be reviewed and approved by the Office of Human Resources prior to the action.
  4. In the event of a voluntary demotion, subject to departmental budgetary restrictions, the pay of the employee may remain unchanged if that rate falls between the minimum and maximum of the lower pay grade, or the rate may be reduced to an amount that is mutually agreeable to the employee and the supervisor. Under no circumstances will a demotion result in an increase in an employee's rate of pay.

Staff Lateral Transfers

A lateral transfer is a change of job assignment to a job having commensurate responsibilities and authority to the job presently held by the employee. A lateral transfer is therefore defined as movement from one position to another position in the same pay grade. Under normal circumstances, compensation is not affected since both classifications are assigned to the same pay grade. However, should the hiring manager determine that duties and responsibilities warrant a pay change, the request should be submitted to the Office of Human Resources for review and is subject to the approval of the appropriate vice president.

Faculty Promotions, Transfers, Demotions, and New Hires

Please refer to the Faculty Handbook, faculty appointment letters, and guidelines from the Office of the Provost related to the employment of faculty.

Overtime

Employees who are considered exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) receive no additional compensation for hours worked over 40 hours. Non-exempt employees must be paid at an overtime rate for all hours worked over 40 hours in the university's defined pay week.

  1. It is the employee’s and their supervisor's responsibility to ensure that unauthorized overtime is not worked.
  2. Employees may be required to work overtime in connection with university activities or emergencies. Overtime work due to an emergency shall be performed by the employee to whom the supervisor determines to be the most available and capable of performing the job. Such overtime assignments will be done without regard to seniority.
  3. The total hours actually worked for one or more departments of the university must be counted in determining overtime, even though employment in any one department may not have exceeded 40 hours. In such cases, the department that caused the overtime situation to occur will have the responsibility for paying the overtime.

Please see the Leave Usage and Time Reporting Policy for more information about overtime.

Supplemental Compensation

Non-Faculty Exempt Employees

A salaried employee, in rare instances, may be provided supplemental compensation when the duties to be performed are completely outside the scope of responsibilities for which the employee has been hired. Supplemental duties should be performed outside the department to which the employee is regularly assigned, and outside of normal working hours. At no time should supplemental duties interfere with an employee’s regular position, nor impose on the employee’s department. An employee is expected to fulfill their regular duties first, and at a satisfactory performance level, before assuming additional supplemental responsibilities. Supplemental workload will require the approval of the employee’s supervisor, and it is expected that the employee will discuss their plans prior to accepting a supplemental role. An employee’s supervisor will have the right to ask the employee to stop the supplemental work should the role interfere with an employee’s regular position.

When performing duties for another unit, the head of the unit for which the duties are to be performed and the head of the unit from which the employee originates must provide advance approval for both the work to be performed and the rate of pay. The rate of pay for supplemental compensation must be reasonable, consistent with the work performed, and comparable to the rate of pay for similar positions.

Non-Exempt Employees

Supplemental pay or lump sum payments for hourly employees are not allowed under any circumstances. Non-exempt employees must be paid for every hour worked, and any time worked over 40 hours in a work week must be paid as overtime pay.

Administrative Error Affecting Payment of Wages

If an employee does not receive a paycheck on a regularly scheduled pay day due to an administrative error in the payroll process, the Office of Human Resources and the employing department will work to resolve the errors and make every effort to issue a paycheck by the close of business on the regularly scheduled pay day. This includes system issues or issues due to data input errors to the employee's record or during the time entry process, or departmental submission of incomplete or late approvals or documentation.

If an employee does not receive a paycheck on a regularly scheduled pay day due to the employee's failure to provide required documentation in a timely manner, payment will be made on the next regularly scheduled pay day.

If an overpayment of wages due to an administrative error is identified by an employee or payroll representative, they must notify their supervisor immediately. The Office of Human Resources will work directly with the employee to rectify the overpayment in the shortest time possible, but no later than the end of the fiscal year in which the overpayment was identified. A written repayment plan may be required and kept in the employee’s personnel file.

In rare circumstances, exceptions may be granted by the Vice President of Human Resources.

Call-In Pay

Certain IT and Facilities non-exempt employees (as defined by their supervisor and/or in their job description) are required to be available for emergency call-ins during select periods of time. During those time periods, the employee is responsible for responding to emergency calls, which may require the employee to return to work in person or remotely on an emergency basis.

If a supervisor requests a non-exempt employee to report to a work site to respond to an emergency or to address an emergency remotely at a time that is not adjacent to the employee’s normal working hours, the employee is eligible for Call-in Pay in accordance with the following guidelines. Student employees are not responsible for emergencies and, therefore, are not eligible for Call-in Pay. Exempt employees are not eligible for Call-in Pay. Additionally:

  1. An employee who is asked to report early or stay late is not eligible for Call-in Pay. The employee will be compensated for all hours worked at the regular hourly rate, and in accordance with applicable overtime rules and regulations.
    1. If an employee is on site before the employee’s normal working hours and is asked to "clock in” early to respond to an emergency, the employee is not eligible for Call-in Pay but will be paid for the additional time worked.
    2. If an employee is on site after the employee’s normal working hours and is asked to clock back in to respond to an emergency, the employee is not eligible for Call-in Pay but will be paid for the additional time worked.
  2. An employee who has left the site and is called in will receive a minimum of four hours of Call-in Pay. The employee must report to campus within 2 hours of notification of call-in.
  3. An employee who has left the site and is called to address an emergency that is dealt with remotely (i.e., not on campus) will receive a minimum of two hours of Call-in Pay. The employee will not be eligible for multiple call-in pays within the same two-hour window.
  4. Call-in Pay is paid at the overtime rate of time-and-one-half of the employee’s regular hourly rate of pay.
Compensation While on Partial Paid Leave

An employee receiving partial pay from short-term disability, long-term disability, or workers’ compensation pay may supplement such payments with the use of vacation leave and/or sick leave. In no case may the combination of payments exceed the employee’s normal paycheck.

Compensation During University Closure Due to Disaster

See Emergency Release of Employees Policy.

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision

The University will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the University, or (c) consistent with the University’s legal duty to furnish information.

Definitions

Adjacent hours: For the purposes of this policy, the hours immediately before and immediately after the employee’s normal working hours.

Compliance Reference

FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act)

2 CFR Part 200 - Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance)

41 CFR 60-1.4 - Obligations of Contractors and Subcontractors Equal Opportunity Clause

Responsibilities

Supervisors are responsible for submitting compensation-related approvals and documentation that are within their control in a timely manner. They are also responsible for ensuring that non-exempt employees are paid for all hours worked and that overtime is assigned and worked only in accordance with this policy.

The Office of Human Resources is responsible for implementing and monitoring the compensation program and ensuring that employees are compensated in accordance with this policy. It is responsible for reviewing and approving changes in compensation as appropriate and for resolving or coordinating resolution of any discrepancies or payment issues that may occur.

Enforcement

Employees who do not fulfill their responsibilities as outlined in this policy may be subject to disciplinary action.

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