PIM 44: Staff Employee of the Year

Overview

This document provides guidance in the administration of University Policy 101.11 (UP 101.11), Staff Employee of the Year.

Awards

The following awards consist of a $2500 monetary award and a plaque (or similar type of recognition):

• Devotion to duty (Outstanding State Government Service) – Employee exhibits unselfish devotion to duty, far and above the normal requirements and has contributed significantly to the advancement of UNC Charlotte and State service to the citizens of North Carolina
• Innovation – Employee has initiated research or has successfully established new and outstanding methods, practices, plans or designs (such as pioneering or research and development work in administration, engineering, productivity, agriculture, natural resources, the social sciences, etc.)
• Human Relations – Employee has made outstanding contributions toward enhancing the quality and morale of the workplace or creating a better public image of the University or State government (such as positive personal interaction with other employees, public awareness and working on relations internally within a university/agency or collaboration between different universities/agencies)

The following awards consist of a $500 monetary award and a plaque (or similar type of recognition):

• Community/Public Service – Employee has made outstanding contributions by participating in or implementing community and public service projects (such as volunteering with various non-profit organizations)
• Safety and Heroism – Employee demonstrated outstanding judgment or courage in an emergency; voluntarily risking his/her life or exhibited meritorious action to prevent injury, loss of life or prevented damage to or loss of property

One award may be given in each of the above-listed categories with the exception of safety and heroism. One or more awards may be given in safety and heroism (in the event of multiple recipients, the monetary award may be split equally and each individual will be given a plaque). Monetary awards are taxable and will be included as part of an employee’s taxable wages.

Nominations

Eligible employees, as outlined in UP 101.11, may be nominated by their supervisor, co-worker or another University employee (the employee making the nomination must be a permanent employee of the University).

A nominated employee is eligible for consideration in one category (as indicated above) each year. If the employee is nominated in multiple categories, the employee’s direct supervisor will choose the category for consideration including:

• Nominations consist of a completed Staff Employee of the Year nomination form through Google Forms, including a written recommendation (no more than two pages, 11 pt. font, .5 margins minimum, pdf. format), Department Head comments and Vice Chancellor Comments on the Nomination Signatures Form (pdf. format) also through Google Forms. If an employee is being nominated for Community Service or Safety and Heroism, supporting documentation from a community/public service agency representative or a statement from individuals witnessing or benefiting from the act of heroism/public safety may also be submitted. Documents submitted in excess of the above will be removed from the nomination documents submitted in Google Forms and will not be considered by the Selection Committee
• All nominations must be reviewed and approved by the Supervisor and Department Head, who will sign off first, before moving forward to the Vice Chancellor. After the nomination form is completed with all written recommendations, signatures and comments, the nomination and all required documents are submitted online through Google Forms

Note: Please provide a copy of the recommendation to any person who you are requesting to sign the signatures form so that they are aware of the name of the nominee and the reason(s) for nomination.

Divisions are encouraged to establish a recommendation committee to determine who will be forwarded for consideration. The maximum number of nominations that may be submitted by each division are:

A schedule will be published annually indicating the due dates for nominations. The University Selection Committee will consider all nominations through Google Forms with appropriate documentation also through Google Forms (as indicated above) that are received by the date published for submission to the Human Resources Office.

Nomination forms and instructions will be published on the Human Resources Website at least four weeks prior to the submission deadline.

Selection Committee

The Selection Committee will consist of a minimum of 9 employees representing a cross-section of campus and all divisions. Each representative will be chosen annually. Representatives may serve up to two consecutive terms.

The Selection Committee will independently review and rank all nominations submitted within the guidelines of this PIM and UP 101.11:

• All rankings will be tabulated and the individual with the best overall ranking per category will be the recipient of the award. In cases of a tie, the selection committee will vote between the tied nominees and the nominee with the majority of votes will be the recipient of the award
• If the Selection Committee determines that there is not an eligible candidate for an award category, the Selection Committee may elect not to select an award recipient in that category (a candidate will not “win by default” simply by being the only candidate in that category)

Award Notification

All eligible employee nominees will receive a certificate and be recognized in a variety of University publications (Inside Campus, Human Resources website, programs, etc.).

Awards will be announced and presented during the annual Staff Employee of the Year Reception.

Monetary awards will be presented as soon as possible following the announcement, subject to Financial Services procedures in regards to obtaining checks.

Notes

• Staff Employee of the Year Recipients and nominees may be submitted by the Human Resources Department for the Governor’s Awards for Excellence
• In order to recognize as many employees as possible, it is requested that employees who have been recipients of the Employee of the Year Award within the previous five years not be nominated for an award other than the category of safety/heroism
• In the event an employee who is selected as the recipient of an award resigns (except for retirement) or leaves employment prior to the award being presented, the next best-ranked employee for that category will be selected as the recipient of the award. If there is no other employee in that category, the award will not be given
• All employees will be considered in the category for which they were nominated regardless of whether they are EHRA Non-Faculty, SHRA, exempt from overtime, or subject to overtime

Questions

Email staff-recognition@charlotte.edu.