Effort Distribution Reports  

What Is An Effort Distribution Report?

• It is a government requirement (Office of Management and Budget, OMB Circular A-21)
• It is a verification of how much effort was expended by a given person toward a particular account
• The forms prove compliance and document we pay an individual for his/her effort, not simply on a budget amount
• Percentages are used because some people are hired as part time (less than 40 hours per week). (100%=the employee's total hours worked, e.g. if the employee worked 40 hours in a week then 100%=40 hours. If 16 hours were spent on one account and 24 hours on another you have a 40%/60% distribution of effort split.

What Do I Do If...?

The employee is gone on vacation or some other short trip?

Have the PI or other appropriate person sign their part of the form. Wait for the employee to return, have the employee sign the form immediately and return it to Sponsored Projects Services.

The employee is gone for an extended period of time (e.g. departed for summer break and will return in the fall)?

Write a note to SPS explaining the absence of the employee and when s/he will return. Place the Effort Distribution Report (EDR) in a suspense file. When the employee returns obtain appropriate signatures and return the EDR to SPS.

The employee works at a different location that is not on the NAU campus (e.g. Phoenix )?

Obtain a signature from the employee via mail.

The employee no longer works for this project, this department, this University, etc.?

If the pay period in question covers time the employee was still employed then have the PI or other appropriate person sign his/her part of the form. Write a note explaining the absence of the employee and return the EDR. If the pay period in question does not cover time the employee was employed then return the EDR with a note of explanation.

It seems like I'm getting the same forms over and over?

Verify the dates that the forms in question cover. Are they the same dates? If they are not then have all questionable forms signed and returned to SPS. If they cover the same dates please call us to straighten things out.

The effort distribution percentage is wrong?

Make the appropriate changes on the EDR and sign as usual. If this will be a consistent effort percentage change please inform us of that change and send a corrected PAR form through the system.