Home < Policies, Employee & Labor Relations < Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining < Agency Fee Resource Implementation < Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Regarding Agency Fee
Part Time Employees or Those with Split Appointment
Q. If an employee's percent of effort is below 50% (i.e. works part time) does the employee have to pay an agency fee?
A. Yes, but the exclusive representative may, at their option, have a lower agency fee.
Q. What if an employee is appointed to a position for a short duration and that position is represented by a union, does that employee have to pay the fee? (e.g. an employee is appointed for three months per year - does he or she have to pay for three months, even though the employee won't be getting the union benefits that a career or long-term employee would get?
A. Yes. Even though the person is in a position covered by an exclusive representative (union) for only a short period of time, they person is covered by wage ranges negotiated by the University and Union, and therefore, must pay the agency fee while in the position.
Q. Is the agency fee amount based on the employee's percent of effort in that particular job? (i.e. 60% effort, 60% payment)?
A. This depends on the particular union representing that position. Absent agreement otherwise, a full agency fee is required for a position less than 100% time. However, if the Union in question agrees to implement an agency fee based on the percentage appointment (i.e. 60% effort, 60% payment) then that employee will pay less than a full-time employee.
Q. If I have a split appointment (i.e. half clerical unit and half service unit) what portion of my salary will be the basis for agency fee? Will the agency fee for my appointment in one bargaining unit be based only on the wages coming from that appointment?
A. Presently, the entire salary is subject to the agency fee deduction because the law requires the University to make deduction on the basis specified by the unions, and only one union has specified a basis other than the entire salary. All the unions have requested that the agency fee be based on earnings within the bargaining unit. The University is working on this calculation and the final programming should be completed shortly.
Q. If a union collects a flat dollar fee instead of a percentage of pay, will an employee have to pay the full flat dollar amount even if they have less than a full-time appointment in the unit?
A. Yes. An employee will be required to pay the same fee regardless of appointment unless his or her exclusive representative requests a different agency fee structure to handle this situation.
Q. If a union elects a flat dollar fee for agency fee, and an employee has two appointments covered by the same bargaining unit (occurs primarily in the Technical Unit) will the employee have to pay the fee twice? What if the appointments are on two different campuses?
A. The employee will pay an agency fee once for multiple appointments in the same unit. Most appointments between campuses are faculty appointments, and the University does not anticipate many, if any, problems with employees with positions at more than one campus.
Q. How will employees be treated who have split appointments? Example: a 100% Principal Analyst IV who teaches a class for the department two quarters each year. The Principal Analyst appointment is reduced to 67% to accommodate a 33% Lecturer appointment. Will this employee be assessed the agency fee on the 33% even though the majority of the appointment is non-represented? Will the assessment be prorated according to the percent?
A. Yes. However, see the answer in A.16. above in which the University is working on programming for agency fee according the time worked within a bargaining unit position.