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Employment
22. Probationary Period
October 1, 2002
A. GENERAL
All professional and support staff employees who hold career appointments shall serve a probationary period during which time their work performance and general suitability for University employment shall be evaluated in writing. Except for those employees covered by Sections B and D below, the probationary period is completed following six months of continuous service at one-half time or more without a break in service. Time on leave with or without pay is not qualifying service for the completion of the probationary period. Employees who are rehired following a break in service shall serve a new probationary period whether or not they previously completed a probationary period. An employee who has satisfactorily completed the probationary period shall be informed in writing of the attainment of regular employee status.
B. LIMITED AND PER DIEM APPOINTMENTS
An employee who is required to serve a probationary period and who has worked in a limited appointment immediately preceding the career appointment, shall have up to 1,000 hours on pay status, exclusive of on-call and overtime hours, credited toward completion of the probationary period, provided that the credited time was served in the same position and with the same supervisor that the employee had immediately prior to the career appointment.
A per diem employee who has worked at least the equivalent of 60 full-time shifts in six consecutive months in the same position to which he or she is subsequently appointed as a career employee shall have three months credited toward completion of the probationary period, provided that the 60 full-time shifts in six consecutive months immediately precede the career appointment.
C. EVALUATIONS
Local procedures shall specify the timing and frequency of written evaluations of a probationary employee's work performance and general suitability for University employment.
D. POLICE SERGEANTS, POLICE LIEUTENANTS, AND SUPERVISING PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHERS PROBATIONARY PERIODS
1. Supervising Public Safety Dispatchers. Supervising Public Safety Dispatchers serve a twelve-month probationary period instead of a six-month period. This twelve-month period is required even if the dispatcher has served a probationary period in a University class outside of the dispatcher series. The probationary period is completed following twelve months of continuous service at one-half time or more without a break in service, exclusive of time on paid or unpaid leave or in the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Dispatch Academy.
2. Police Officers Promoted to Sergeant and Police Sergeants Promoted to Lieutenant. Police Officers promoted to Sergeant and Police Sergeants promoted to Lieutenant serve a six-month probationary period in the new class to which they are promoted. The probationary period is completed following six months of continuous service at one-half time or more without a break in service, exclusive of time on paid or unpaid leave. Police Officers promoted to Sergeant and Police Sergeants promoted to Lieutenant who do not complete their probationary periods shall be retained in the same local department where service as Sergeant or Lieutenant was performed, but shall return to the rank that applied immediately prior to the promotion. Police Officers promoted to Sergeant and Police Sergeants promoted to Lieutenant shall be covered by all Personnel Policies for Staff Members that apply to regular status employees during the probationary period.
3. External Applicants Appointed to Police Sergeant or Police Lieutenant. External applicants appointed to Police Sergeant or Police Lieutenant serve a 12-month probationary period. The probationary period is completed following twelve months of continuous service at one-half time or more without a break in service, exclusive of time on paid or unpaid leave.
E. RELEASE DURING PROBATIONARY PERIOD
At any time during the probationary period an employee may be released in accordance with Policy 61, Release During the Probationary Period or From Limited, Casual/Restricted, and Floater Appointments, except as provided in Section D.2 for Police Officers promoted to Sergeant and for Police Sergeants promoted to Lieutenant.
F. EXTENSION OF PROBATIONARY PERIOD
Under appropriate circumstances, e.g., change of supervisor or transfer to a different job during the probationary period, the probationary period may be extended at the discretion of the department head. Such an extension shall be for a specific period of time, but not for more than three months unless local procedures permit a longer extension.
Applicability: Professional and Support Staff