Human Resources

1.07 Special Duty/Interim Assignment and Reassignment

This policy establishes conditions for special duty and interim assignments and reassignments.

Origination date: 10/1/93
Revised: 1/1/2000
Applicability: Academic Professionals, Administrators, Classified Staff, Service Professionals

A department head may appoint a qualified regular employee (excluding non-regular employees such as temporary or student employees) in good standing and not currently involved in any disciplinary process to a special duty assignment. The employee must meet the position’s minimum qualifications and the selection should consider the University’s Affirmative Action obligations.

A special duty assignment may be used for a vacant position; however, a department head may also specially assign a regular employee to a different classification using the employee’s current/existing position. The appointment is subject to the review and concurrence of Human Resources regarding appropriate classification, confirmation of minimum qualifications, salary approval, etc. The following conditions apply:

• The employee’s special duty assignment does not, in any way, guarantee the special duty assignment position to the employee on a regular basis;
• The special duty assignment does not confer any preference to the employee in competing for the position, if and when a regular opening occurs;
• Special duty assignment shall be for a minimum of thirty days to a maximum of one year;
• An employee on special duty assignment does not serve a probationary period but may be returned to their regular job assignment at any time; and
• A classified staff employee who has been specially assigned to a service professional position is not eligible for service professional benefit options.

An employee who is approved for special duty assignment may receive a salary increase to an approved rate that is appropriate for the classification of the assigned position. When a special duty assignment has been completed, the regular employee will return to their former job position, pay grade, and salary rate. The employee should receive any salary increase for which they became eligible during the assignment, plus any other salary adjustment which may have been granted to all employees in that classification.

Service professional, academic professional, and administrative staff may serve in an interim appointment capacity. This is most commonly used to continue operations when a critical-position vacancy occurs. Interim assignments and related conditions (salary, title, length of appointment, conditions of appointment, etc.) are subject to approval by the president, provost, or vice president, as appropriate.

The University reserves the right to reassign employees or employee duties if necessary or appropriate to promote efficient operations, improve use of resources, or to meet other organizational needs.