The Nevada Administrative Code (NAC) is the codified administrative regulations of the Executive Branch. The Nevada Register is a compilation of proposed, adopted, emergency and temporary administrative regulations, notices of intent and informational statements. The general provisions and rules for the State Personnel Administration are covered in Chapter 284. With respect to the subject matter of this section, the causes for Corrective Action and Progressive Discipline are identified under NAC 284.650.

The Prohibitions and Penalties are intended as a guide to clarify existing rules and regulations. It does not constitute coverage for all infractions and violations that could conceivably occur. It does, however, cover the majority of situations that are a source of concern to supervisors and NSHE. The penalties identified for the various infractions are guidelines. Any offense may result in dismissal depending upon the circumstances. A supervisor is not bound by penalties suggested in the guidelines and may impose a more or less severe penalty depending upon the extenuating circumstances.

Classified employees are separated into different bargaining units.  When a bargaining unit becomes represented by a union, NSHE and the union will negotiate a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The CBA outlines the terms and conditions of employment that pertain to employees in that bargaining unit. The provisions in the CBA generally supersede the NAC, Board of Regents Handbook, and UNLV policies.

Additional information regarding CBAs and specific bargaining units can be found in the Collective Bargaining Agreement section of this page.

UNLV Bylaws govern the university, and it is the responsibility of the senate through the University Bylaws Committee to review, update and monitor implementation. Changes to the UNLV Bylaws are first considered in the Faculty Senate. If approved, changes are sent to the entire faculty for approval. If approved, the President of the University may accept or veto the change. If accepted, the change is forwarded to the chancellor for approval.

Unit bylaws enter into effect when ratified by the faculty of the unit and approved by the president or his/her delegate, and the president is mandated to keep on file the bylaws in effect for each unit. The catalog of unit-level bylaws below provides access to the faculty of those bylaws considered to be in effect.

The job element refers to how well the work is performed. If the job responsibilities present any room for errors, supervisors should indicate what is an acceptable range of errors.

The job element refers to the volume of work an average, fully trained employee should be able to produce. Supervisors should be aware that if the sole focus is placed on the quantity of work that is produced, it may impact the quality of the work.

The job element refers to how an employee demonstrates effectiveness in organizing and using work tools and time, in caring for equipment and materials, and in following good practices of vehicle and personal safety.

The job element refers to how well the employee recognizes the needs of other individuals, treats others with respect and courtesy, and inspires respect and confidence in others.

The job element refers to how an employee shows initiative in work activities, making work improvements, and identifying or correcting errors.

The job element refers to how long it takes for an average, fully trained employee to complete work assignments. The standards should be written to reflect what an average person can accomplish to meet required results consistently while adhering to established policies and procedures. Supervisors should be aware that the standards for this job element should not be based on the comparison of what the best or fastest employee can accomplish.

The job element refers to how an employee will apply good judgment and draw sound conclusions when performing their job responsibilities.

The job element refers to how effective the employee is in planning and controlling work activities, motivating and developing their subordinates, improving work methods and results as well as adhering to policies and procedures.

The employee goes above and beyond in all aspects of the job. They are able to perform tasks with ease and utilize best practices to complete tasks efficiently. The employee has exceptional organizational skills and needs little to no supervision.

The employee performs consistently with normal supervision. They produce what is expected but do not take initiative to improve processes or efficiency. They time and resources accordingly, and follow policies and procedures.

The employee does not follow processes and procedures, their work has multiple mistakes or inaccuracies, has low productivity, and does not use time and resources properly. They show a high degree of absenteeism and need a higher level of supervision.

A “Does Not Meet Standards'' rating indicates that the employee is failing to meet job performance expectations. When issuing an unsatisfactory rating, the supervisor must indicate the specific areas or job responsibilities that the employee has demonstrated poor performance. The employee must also be provided a notice in writing that the evaluation rating will affect their merit step salary increase (NAC 284.470 (8a)). After the employee and supervisor have met to discuss the unsatisfactory rating, the evaluation must be emailed to the Employee Relations office no later than the due date. Failure to submit the evaluation by the due date will result in the employee continuing to receive their merit increase, regardless of whether the employee is issued a “Does Not Meet Standards” rating.

It is important to note that the rating and feedback presented in the evaluation should not come as a surprise to the employee. The supervisor is responsible for coaching and counseling the employee if job expectations are not being met. If performance is poor, this should be clearly communicated through informal or documented conversations prior to issuing the evaluation.

After the evaluation has been submitted to the Employee Relations office, one additional evaluation must be submitted 90 days from when the initial unsatisfactory evaluation was issued (NRS 284.340 (4)). This evaluation should follow-up on the comments included in the initial evaluation and communicate if the performance has improved in those specific areas or job responsibilities.

If a “Does Not Meet Standards” rating is to be issued to the employee, the supervisor may contact their designated Employee Relations Specialist for further information or guidance.

If an employee disagrees with an evaluation, they should select “disagree” or “request a review” in the performance evaluation form within 10 days of receiving the evaluation:

1. If the employee requests that the evaluation be reviewed, the supervisor initiates this process by submitting the evaluation to the designated reviewing officer. The reviewing officer will review and document their recommendation to either uphold or make changes to the evaluation on the HR-15R form and submit it to the appointing authority.

   Response to Request for Review of Report on Performance (HR-15R)

2. The appointing authority will review the reviewing officer’s recommendation and make the final decision to either uphold o\r suggest changes be made to the evaluation. The final decision must be documented on the HR-15R form.
3. If the appointing authority suggests changes and the employee agrees with the changes, the evaluation will be put in the employee’s personnel file. If the employee does not agree with the changes, they may file a grievance.

If a performance evaluation is to be grieved, the employee has 10 working days from when they receive the finalized evaluation to do so. For more information on the grievance process for performance evaluations, please refer to the “File a Grievance” section of this page.

• Transfer information from the Work Performance Standards (HR-14)
• Agency Code # = U05
• Home Org # = UN11
• Position Control # = found on the summary screen in Workday (not the same as the Position Number from HRMS)
• Date Evaluation Due = found on the overview screen in Workday under the “Additional Data” tab
• Check the boxes for either “probationary/trial”, “permanent”, or “other”

Job Elements on the HR-15

Based on the criteria determined on the HR-14, the employee’s performance, and behavior during the rating period, supervisors must assign a rating of D, S, or E to each Job Element. These ratings have a point value assigned to them:

• D = Does Not Meet Standards = 1
• S = Meets Standards = 2
• E = Exceeds Standards = 3

To Score the Performance Evaluation

Add the points you assigned to each job element and then divide the sum by seven (7) for employees who do not supervise others or eight (8) for employees who do supervise others. The result and its coordinating letter is the total score.

There is informational verbiage for each job element already included on the HR-15. Within the box:

• Check the appropriate rating 
• Add language that summarizes the performance and behavior

Example: “Throughout the rating period, Maria consistently completed her assigned work in an accurate and timely fashion. In addition, she networked with other State agencies and improved processes that resulted in significant cost savings.”

Rater’s Comments

Add language to this section and do not leave it blank. If the employee is receiving an overall rating of “Does Not Meet Standards,” it is required that the rater include a detailed explanation of the deficiencies. Nothing included on the performance evaluation should come as a surprise to the employee and the evaluation is not meant to take the place of corrective action or progressive discipline. Supervisors should provide sincere feedback to their employees when they are performing well. Positive reinforcement will pave the way for future successes. If the employee is meeting standards or even exceeding standards, take this opportunity to acknowledge jobs well done and provide opportunities for improvement. It will show the employee they are valued and appreciated. 

Goals and Objectives

If the employee needs to show improvement, add the Performance Improvement Plan information in this section. You can also offer guidance to the employee on how to prepare themselves for advancement. 

Example: “Maria would benefit from joining campus organizations to increase her community service skills” to directives “During the next rating period, Maria is to enroll and successfully complete at least two (2) online intermediate-level Excel courses through the LinkedIn Learning website”

1. Complete the Mandatory Supervisor Training

   Per the Nevada Administrative Code (NAC), Supervisors are required to complete the “Evaluating Employee Performance” training within 12 months of becoming a supervisor.  Failure to complete the required training prior to issuing performance evaluations could become problematic if an evaluation is grieved. For more information on how to access the training, visit the Nevada Office of Employee Development Mandatory Supervisory Courses.

2. Use the Most Current Version of the Evaluation Form
   Prior to conducting an employee evaluation, please download the most recent version of the HR-15 form from the Department of Personnel’s website. To obtain the most current form, visit: State of Nevada HR Forms - Performance Reports
3. Complete Employee Report on Performance (HR-15) in its entirety
   When completing the evaluation, ensure that each area of the HR-15 form is completed. If you do not have the information needed to complete each area of the document, contact your supervisor or Human Resources to obtain the missing information. For UNLV, the “agency number” is U05 and the “home organization number” is UN11.
4. Issue the Evaluation by the Due Date
   Evaluations should be signed, presented to the employee, and routed via email to the Employee Relations office by the due date. Evaluations that are not issued to the employee by the due date will automatically receive a default rating of “Meets Standards.” Completing the evaluation on time will ensure that the employee receives applicable feedback regarding what is being done well, what needs improvement and what the expectations are going forward. It is important that each employee’s evaluation reflects their actual performance. Employees who are exceeding standards should be acknowledged for doing so. If the employee is not meeting standards, the supervisor should have the necessary documentation on file to reflect their unsatisfactory performance.
5. Properly Calculate the Next Evaluation Date
   Probationary employees should receive evaluations at the 3rd, 7th and 11th months of employment.  Following the 11th month, the employment will generally become permanent if the employee has met or exceeded standards.  Permanent employees should receive evaluations annually.  Please note that following the 11th month evaluation, probationary employees will not receive another evaluation for 13 months.
6. Provide Examples
   To ensure that the employee has a thorough understanding of each area of performance, best practice is to include examples and explanations regarding why an employee does not meet standards, meets standards, or exceeds standards for each Job Element. For Job Elements in which a rating of does not meet standards is given, these examples and explanations, along with an explicit development plan, are required to ensure that employees have the information needed to improve. Failure to include this information on the evaluation could be problematic if it rises to the level of a grievance.
7. Beware of Biases
   When speaking to the employee’s performance, the supervisor should be mindful to avoid the following biases:
   • Halo Effect: The tendency to allow positive impressions of one aspect of an employee’s performance to influence our overall impression of them.
   • Horns Effect: The tendency to make a snap judgment about someone on the basis of one negative trait, and rate the employee lower than circumstances warrant.
   • Recency Bias: Allowing outstanding work (or unsatisfactory work) immediately prior to the evaluation to offset an entire year of performance.
   • Cookie Cutter Approach: Not focusing on individual specific performance and instead providing all of your employees or groups the same rating.
   • Self-Evaluation Acceptance: The tendency to accept what an employee has written regarding their own performance to avoid conflict or uncomfortable conversation, even if the self- assessment is inaccurate.
8. Obtain the Required Signatures
   The performance evaluation form requires three signatures: the employee, the rater (or supervisor), and the Appointing Authority. If these signatures are not included on the form when it reaches the Employee Relations office, it will be sent back to the employee’s department so that proper signatures are obtained. The form also includes a spot for an optional signature, to be used in the event of additional supervisory review. This would most likely be the area in which the supervisor’s supervisor would sign, if that person is not the Appointing Authority.
9. Provide the Employee with Adequate Review Time
   Employees have 10 working days to review performance evaluations and make any comments necessary. If an employee chooses not to sign the evaluation, the supervisor should indicate the words “refused to sign” on the employee signature line.
10. Review Work Performance Standards (HR-14) for the upcoming year
    Take this opportunity to review Work Performance Standards (HR-14) to determine whether revisions are necessary and forward and email any revised Work Performance Standards to Employee Relations.
11. Establish SMART Goal Objectives
    SMART objectives have been shown to help with the goal setting process. It can help the employee focus their efforts and increase the chances of large, long-term projects to be achieved more efficiently. Supervisors are encouraged to establish SMART goal-oriented objectives, incorporate them into the performance evaluation, and review them with the employee:
    • Specific - Define your goal in detail.  Be clear and specific.  Defined goals provide focus and lead to easier achievement.
    • Measurable - Measurable goals can be tracked, allowing you to see progress toward specific outcomes. Consider using metrics.
    • Achievable - Goals need to be genuine and realistic.  Ensure the employee has the time, resources, and support needed to achieve the goal.
    • Relevant - Choose goals that are high priority, well- timed, and have short and long-term impact.  Consider how related factors may change.
    • Time-Based - Setting deadlines helps employees prioritize tasks and stay motivated and focused.