No.  The Collin College Employment Office is the central intake point for all full-time and part-time college vacancies and application materials should be forwarded directly to the Employment Office, located in the Courtyard Center for Professional and Economic Development, 4800 Preston Park Blvd., Suite B303, Plano, TX 75093.

How soon will I hear something? 

Sometimes the hiring process can be lengthy. After the Employment Office accomplishes the first level screening of qualifications, a copy of the application and resume is sent to the hiring department for final screening and selection. Applicants are notified when selected for an interview. If you have questions about the status of a particular position, you may call the Employment Office at  972-985-3783.

How long can I use my application to apply for vacancies? 

Applications for employment are valid only for the position for which you are applying. 

Compensation

EXEMPT EMPLOYEES

What is the difference between an exempt and nonexempt employee?  

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) categorizes employees as either exempt or nonexempt based on tests contained within the Act. The Human Resources Office determines the FLSA status of each job title by applying the tests. 

To be exempt means an employee's job meets the test criteria for an executive, professional or administrative exemption and the employee is not covered by FLSA. Therefore, the employee is usually paid a monthly salary and does not receive extra compensation for overtime hours worked. 

Conversely, to be nonexempt means that an employee's job does not meet the test criteria, and the employee is covered by the FLSA. The employee must be paid for overtime hours worked. The Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to either pay or give compensatory time to employees for overtime hours worked, both at a time and one-half rate.

How does overtime and compensatory time apply to exempt employees?

Exempt employees do not have to be paid for overtime hours because they are not covered by FLSA. While the Act does not say you cannot pay overtime to exempt employees, some federal courts have examined the issue and ruled that such action can lead to loss of an employee's exempt status.

NONEXEMPT EMPLOYEES

What is dual employment and are there any problems with dual employment arrangements?

These arrangements require administrators to carefully evaluate the overtime implications. Not all dual employment arrangements cause an employee to be eligible for overtime pay. Rules in FLSA indicate that the hours employees who, at their option, work occasionally or sporadically on a part-time basis for the same agency in a capacity different from their regular employment do not have to be combined with the hours worked in the primary job for the purposes of determining overtime liability. However, unless the occasional or sporadic rules apply, all hours worked in a secondary job (Department B) must be combined with hours worked in the primary job (Department A) to determine overtime liability. For questions, contact Dindy Robinson, Manager of Compensation and Training.

How do you define the terms occasional or sporadic and different capacity?

Under the FLSA, the "occasional or sporadic" means infrequent, irregular or occurring in scattered instances. A part-time employee who is given a regular work schedule (daily, weekly, monthly) does not meet the occasional or sporadic test. The term "in a capacity different from their regular employment" can be illustrated with an example. If a full-time clerk in a department performs part-time clerical duties in another department he or she must be paid overtime. If that same full-time clerk performs part-time laboratory duties in another department, there is no overtime liability.

What happens if the part-time job is not occasional or sporadic of a different capacity?

If the situation does not meet the sporadic and occasional or different duties tests, the employee must be paid overtime for all hours worked in excess of 40 in a workweek. During the dual employment approval process the two hiring departments should develop an agreement concerning who will pay the overtime rate. In the absence of such an agreement, the department that works the employee beyond 40 hours in a workweek will be liable for the overtime pay.

How do you calculate overtime pay in dual employment arrangements?

If the salary rate for each job is the same, there is no problem. However, in these dual employment arrangements, it is not uncommon for an employee to be paid at different rates for each job. The Department of Labor says that you cannot use the rate of only the secondary job to calculate overtime, unless all overtime hours are worked in that secondary job. When an employee in a single work week works at two or more different jobs for which different rates have been established, a regular rate of pay has to be established upon which to calculate overtime pay. When this situation occurs the overtime rate of pay will be based on the highest paid position in which the employee was working.

What is the difference between an exempt employee and a nonexempt employee and how do you determine if a title is exempt or nonexempt?

A nonexempt employee receives time and one-half overtime compensation for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. A workweek for a nonexempt employee at Collin College starts on Sunday morning at 12:01 a.m. and ends on Saturday at midnight. An exempt employee is not compensated for overtime work. Exemption status is determined by actual job duties and responsibilities performed. Neither job title nor how a position is paid determines exemption status.

Does compensatory time, whether it is overtime or straight, have a maximum amount? If so, what happens to the excess?

Only overtime compensatory time has a maximum, which is normally limited to 240 hours except for employees who work in public safety, emergency response, or seasonal activities. These employees can accrue 480 hours. Any overtime worked beyond those limits must be paid. At Collin College, we pay all unused comp time balances after the close of the calendar/tax year.

Health Insurance

Who qualifies for the State's group insurance premium contribution?

The State of Texas provides a financial contribution toward the cost of health plans for employees who are budgeted at 50% or more effort for a period of at least four and one-half months in a fiscal year in a regular, salaried position. Persons whose affiliation with Collin College does not satisfy the State's standard for eligibility for the State premium contribution, including part-time employees who work less than 20 hours per week should consider obtaining their own health coverage.

I don't qualify for an employee health plan. What can I do?

To shop for coverage on-line, you may try one of the following free services. Collin College does not endorse these search services nor does Collin College endorse any individual health plan obtained using one of these services.

http://www.4healthinsurance.com

http://www.ehealthinsurance.com

What is the difference between the coverage categories of "employee and children" and "employee and family"?

There are four different coverage categories for health insurance: "Employee Only" is an election to cover only the employee. "Employee and Spouse" covers only the employee and spouse. "Employee and Children" covers the employee and the employee's children, but NOT the spouse. "Employee and Family" covers the employee, spouse and children. There is not a cap on the number of dependent children that can be insured.

Can I add or drop dependents from my health plan during the year?

If you have an eligible family status change, you may add, with application in most cases, or drop dependents from your health or dental plan within 30 days of the change. Otherwise, you may not add or drop dependents except during Annual Enrollment. Employees in Health Select must be approved through evidence of insurability to add existing dependents even though there is a family status change.

What is a Change in Status?

A change in status is a situation that allows you to change your health and dental coverage or spending account participation such as:

• Adding a dependent through marriage, birth or adoption;
• Losing a dependent through divorce, death, or a child reaching age 25 or marrying;
• A dependent gaining or losing employment;
• A dependent's health plan being dissolved;
• Your or a dependent's leave without pay;
• An eligible stepchild moving into your home.

Retirement

How can I contact TRS (Teacher Retirement System of Texas)?

Phone - 800-223-8778 or 512-397-6400

Web site - www.trs.state.tx.us

InfoLine - 888-877-0123

Who is eligible for ORP (Optional Retirement Program)?

Full-time faculty, librarians, and certain professionals and administrators may elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) in lieu of TRS within 90 days of becoming eligible. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is responsible for eligibility rules, which can be found at: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/.

I am in ORP. Does the "rule of 80" apply to me?

Yes, it does. The "rule of 80" is a Teachers Retirement System rule which states that a member qualifies for an unreduced standard annuity when your age and years of service equal 80. At this time, the TRS member may apply at the Benefits Office for the TRS annuity. For example, if you are 54 years old with 26 years of eligible service, you can retire from Collin College with an unreduced annuity.

This rule also applies to ORP participants. This means you can enroll in health benefits regardless of age, if age and years of service equal 80.

There are certain precautions if you wish to access your ORP account before age 55, despite the rule of 80. There are no tax penalties if you annuitize your account to begin receiving regular payments to be paid out over your lifetime.

Otherwise, the IRS says there is a 10% tax penalty (in addition to ordinary income tax) if you access the account before retirement age 55.

Always discuss all distribution options with your ORP company. You may want to annuitize or you may want to take distributions in another manner. Also, always ask about the rights of heirs/beneficiaries in your distribution options.

Leave Benefits 

Do I have to take vacation when I am called for jury duty?

No. A deduction shall not be made from the salary or wages of any employee of Collin College who is called for jury duty. Employees should complete a leave request form specifying leave taken for jury duty and attach a copy of the jury summons form showing the date served.

What should I do if I receive a summons to report for jury duty?

You should inform your supervisor as soon as possible regarding the date and time you will be needed when you receive a notice to report for jury duty. The summons should be presented along with the leave request.

What happens if I respond to my summons and appear in court for the jury selection process, but I find that I am not selected to be a member of the jury?

You are expected to return to work when dismissed that day.

How do I apply for the Sick Leave Pool?

To apply for Sick Leave Pool the employee should complete and submit the Sick Leave Pool Request Form and required Certification of Physician or Practitioner Form to Barbara Haroutunian, Director of Human Resources Information and Services at Courtyard Center.

Whom should I contact if I have questions concerning sick leave, vacation leave, holidays, emergency leave, jury duty, or the Family and Medical Leave Act?

Contact the Benefits Office at 972-548-6659.