UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA LAS VEGAS
POLICY AND PROCEDURES
FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF MERIT AWARDS
TO NON-ACADEMIC FACULTY MEMBERS
Merit Eligibility Schedule
Index of Document
An award of merit is expected to recognize the person who has (1) performed at least
"satisfactorily" in the areas for which the person is evaluated and (2) is considered
meritorious in at least one of those areas. Merit awards are specifically not to be
confused with inequity adjustments. Among the legitimate reasons to award merit are the
following:
- A. To encourage exceptional performance in any of the several areas for which a
nonacademic faculty member is evaluated.
- B. To reward exceptional performance in any of the several areas for which a
nonacademic faculty member is evaluated.
- C. To reward outstanding performance over a long period of time -- performance that
may not have resulted in merit for any particular year;
- D. To allow for other specific or general exceptions which to the evaluators represent
some outstanding reason for awarding merit.
Merit award
recommendations will be made by the employee's department head/manager, reviewed and
approved by the appropriate vice president or cabinet officer, and submitted for final
approval to the president. Merit awards are not an entitlement and will be based on the
meritorious performance and contributions of the faculty member; each vice president or
cabinet officer must insure that merit is distributed according to this criteria rather
than in an "across the board" or uniform fashion. Each vice president or cabinet officer
must also insure that an equitable distribution exists among the faculty members reporting
to his or her office. Revised and enlarged merit pools have been established to help promote
equity within reporting areas and to eliminate artificially small pools as have sometimes
existed in two- or three-person offices.
Eligible non-academic faculty members may be granted merit awards, if funds are allocated by
the legislature. All non-academic faculty members are eligible for merit awards except:
- New faculty members hired after September 01 of each eligibility year.
[Note: see Merit Eligibility Schedule]
- Faculty members designated as temporary employees.
- Faculty members who are part-time employees appointed at less than 50% FTE.
The starting salary of a new non-academic faculty member must
reflect that the employee is not eligible for a merit award if hired after September 01. This will
eliminate the conflict of awarding a performance based salary increase to an employee who
may be terminated before the completion of his or her first contract. The supervisor
and/or department head is responsible for informing the new faculty member that he or she
will not be eligible for a merit award.
A proposed merit award which will place a non-academic faculty member either initially above
or additionally above the top of a current salary range must have prior written authorization
from the president.
The call
for merit award recommendations, along with any special instructions or restrictions, will
be issued by the president, vice presidents, and appropriate cabinet officers. Departments
must submit their recommendations within the deadline established by these officers.
Department heads and managers shall not make recommendations regarding their own merit
awards. Managers may discuss their proposed recommendations with the faculty members;
however, the recommendations of the department head/manager must be approved by and are
subject to change by the vice presidents, cabinet officers, and/or president. The
recommendations of the vice presidents and cabinet officers are submitted to the president
for final approval.
The department head/manager shall inform each faculty member in
writing of the amount of the merit award once the recommendation has been approved.
Each eligible non-academic faculty member denied a merit award must be notified of such
decision in writing within 5 working days of the decision.
There are six steps associated with the non-academic faculty merit model. For each cabinet level merit pool, no
more than 20% of employee awards may be assigned at the $1,000 or $4,500 step. Additionally, there is no obligation
that every category be used. The six merit award increase amounts include :
$ 4,500.00
$ 3,000.00
$ 2,500.00
$ 2,000.00
$ 1,500.00
$ 1,000.00
According to the UCCSN Code and UNLV Bylaws, all faculty
members have the right to request reconsideration of a denied merit award (zero merit awarded). A merit award
gained as a resolution of reconsideration will be awarded retroactively to the initial start
date identified for merit salary increases.
Faculty members have the right to request reconsideration of personnel actions denying
salary increases (salary increases include merit awards) in accordance with the University
and Community College System of Nevada Code.
Each eligible
non-academic faculty member denied a merit award (zero merit awarded) must be notified of such decision in
writing within 5 working days of the decision.
A faculty member who
has been denied a merit award may, within 15 calendar days after notification of such denial,
provide a written request to the department chair, supervisor or dean who rendered the
negative decision asking for a statement in writing of the reasons for the denial.
The response must be received by the faculty member within 15
calendar days after the appropriate administrator receives the written request for reasons.
Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the written reasons for the
denial of merit award, a faculty member may request reconsideration of such denial. The
request shall be submitted to the faculty member's supervisor together with the reasons,
arguments and documentation supporting the request for reconsideration.
The request for reconsideration shall be promptly directed through regular channels with
recommendations from each administrative level for or against reconsideration of the decision.
Final action shall be taken within a reasonable time by the president
after receipt of the recommendations.
If the denial is not reversed
after reconsideration, the faculty member may initiate the grievance process by contacting the Faculty Senate Office.
In cases where a denial of merit (zero merit awarded) is not reversed
after reconsideration or in cases where the employee has issues with the amount of merit awarded, the
faculty member may initiate the grievance process by contacting the Faculty Senate Office.
Merit Eligibility Schedule
| If Employee Hire Date is ... | Employee is Eligible for Consideration of Merit
to be paid beginning on ... |
|---|
| July 02, 1997 to July 01, 1998 |
July 01, 1999 |
| July 02, 1998 to July 01, 1999 |
July 01, 2000 |
| July 02, 1999 to July 03, 2000 |
July 01, 2001 |
| July 04, 2000 to September 01, 2001 |
July 01, 2002 |
| September 02, 2001 to September 01, 2002 |
July 01, 2003 |
| September 02, 2002 to September 02, 2003 |
July 01, 2004 |
| September 03, 2003 to September 01, 2004 |
July 01, 2005 |
| September 02, 2004 to September 01, 2005 |
July 01, 2006 |
| September 02, 2005 to September 01, 2006 |
July 01, 2007 |
| September 02, 2006 to September 04, 2007 |
July 01, 2008 |
| September 05, 2007 to September 02, 2008 |
July 01, 2009 |
Merit Eligibility Schedule added to site on May 14, 1999.
Merit Eligibility Schedule modified on September 24, 2001.
Merit Eligibility Schedule modified on February 3, 2004 to correct Labor Day Holiday issues.
Merit Eligibility Schedule modified on November 21, 2007 to correct additional Labor Day Holiday issues .
