MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
CONTRACTS AND ANNUAL PAY NOTIFICATION
LETTERS
PURPOSE
To define the policies and procedures required for the issuance of contracts and annual pay notification letters.
POLICY
Employees are provided written letters of offer upon initial employment (See Employment Authorization, #60-104) and annual pay notification letters thereafter. Any special conditions of employment should be noted in the annual pay notification letter (See Employment Authorization, #60-104, for sample statements). Written contracts are issued in accordance with the Board of Trustees Policies and Bylaws. The Department of Human Resources Management will issue all employment contracts to the appropriate vice president each year. The vice president will distribute the contracts, as appropriate. Signed contracts will be returned to the Department of Human Resources Management. Contracts must not be altered without written approval by the president. Contractual employees will not be issued payroll checks until a properly signed contract is returned to the Department of Human Resources Management.
PROCEDURE
Faculty
The terms of an initial appointment are specified in writing by the department head, after approval by the appropriate dean, director, or other administrative officer and vice president. These terms ordinarily include rank, salary rate, date employment begins, contract period (either 9 or 12 months), and policies of contract renewal and tenure. Faculty are provided written employment contracts and pay notification letters on an annual basis for the academic year, fiscal year, or part of either as applicable to their appointment.
Executive, Administrative, Managerial and Other Professional Employees
The terms of an initial appointment are specified in writing by the appropriate administrator. These terms ordinarily include title, salary rate, date employment begins, and payment terms. In addition, administrative and other professional employees who have budgetary responsibility are provided written employment contracts and pay notification letters on an annual basis for the fiscal year, academic year, or part of either as applicable to their appointment. Faculty members who are employed in an administrative position shall retain rights of tenure in the academic department where tenure was granted. The additional salary, if any, for the administrative position shall be stated in the initial letter of offer, the annual pay notification letter, and the employment contract and shall not be paid to faculty members when they cease to hold the administrative position. When administrative positions are converted to faculty status without administrative responsibilities, the administrative stipend will be subtracted from the annual salary and the position converted to the appropriate nine-month or twelve-month position. Written pay notification letters, as appropriate, are provided to administrative and other professional employees annually.
At-will employees will be informed in the notification of employment letter that the notice is not a contract or offer of a contract.
Support Staff Employees
Upon employment and annually thereafter, support staff employees are provided letters of employment by the appropriate administrator. The communication must contain the official position title and pay grade, rate of pay, date employment begins, work hours, and a statement about whether the department/unit requires overtime and how the overtime is compensated, whether with compensatory time or overtime pay.
At-will employees will be informed in the notification of employment letter that the notice is not a contract or offer of a contract.
Graduate Assistants
Upon employment and each employment period thereafter, if applicable, graduate assistants are provided letters of employment by the appropriate administrator. (See Employment Authorization, #60-104, for sample letter of offer).
REVIEW
This policy and procedure will be reviewed by the Director of Human Resources Management at least every four years.
HRM 60-112
01/10/07
For information about this policy, contact the responsible/reviewing department hyperlinked above.
