The University of Waterloo Policies, Procedures and Guidelines http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/ provides the authoritative statement of the "terms and conditions of employment" for all employees of the University. The following summary of human resources policies, with references to UW policies as appropriate, is provided for your convenience.
Every non-scheduled absence from duty and the reason for such absence should be reported by telephone to one's supervisor as early as possible during the first half day of absence (see also Sick Leave).
All University of Waterloo employees are covered by the Worker's Compensation Act of the Province of Ontario. Compensation is payable for personal injury by accident, as well as industrial diseases, arising out of and in the course of employment. The University is obliged to notify the Board in writing within three days of an accident. Therefore, any accident occurring at work, no matter how small, should be reported to one's supervisor, and a "University of Waterloo Injury/Incident Report" filed with the Library Office within 48 hours of the accident (see Appendix B: Sample Forms). Failure to do so may prejudice a claim and/or result in a penalty to the University for late reporting.
Changes of address, phone number, or surname should be given to the Human Resources Department and also Library Office as soon as effective.
The University provides encouragement and financial assistance to staff members wishing to undertake programs of study according to the criteria specified in UW Policy No. 4: " Benefits to Faculty and Staff Undertaking Part-time Educational Programs." Eligible staff enrolling in courses offered by UW receive an educational benefit equal to the tuition fee. Staff must complete a "Fee Remission" form available from the Cashier's Office in Needles Hall.
A library staff member may be granted time off (up to three hours per week within normal working hours) to pursue courses that are determined, by his/her Manager, to be work-related (see Appendix B: Sample Forms).
The University will pay one half of the normal tuition fee for the children of regular full-time staff, as explained in UW Policy No. 24: "Tuition Benefit for Children of Faculty and Staff."
There is an active credit union on campus, to which all staff and their families may belong. For further information, call ext. 3574. The Credit Union Office is in the General Services Complex.
Among the benefits of full-time regular staff members and regular part-time staff (who work at least 606 hours annually) is a Dental Care Plan. Details of the plan are available from the Human Resources Department. A sample "Dental Claim" form is included in Appendix B of this manual.
The University of Waterloo Library has published a "Disaster Plan" to assist staff in coping with emergencies and their aftermaths (see Appendix C: Other Library Documents). Copies are available in every library department and staff are urged to become familiar with the contents. See also UW Policy No. 60: "University of Waterloo Emergency Plan."
The University's policy on "Ethical Behaviour" (No. 33) includes a code of ethics intended as a guide to the relationships between faculty, staff, and students. All staff should be familiar with the content of Policy 33.
In order to allow employees to adjust their working hours according to the demands of the job and their personal needs for time away from the job, the Library has adopted flexible working hours (flextime). Questions regarding the interpretation or application of these regulations should be addressed to one's immediate supervisor.
The University's policy on "Staff Grievances" (No. 36) applies to all full-time non-union staff members who have completed their probationary periods. Its purpose is "to provide a confidential, effective, understandable, and fair way to resolve problems / disputes / misunderstandings / disagreements with respect to management actions or lack of action." Policy 36 specifies what acts are subject to the Staff Grievance procedure and explains the procedure that is followed once a grievance is initiated.
According to UW Policy No. 38: "Paid Holidays," the University recognizes nine fixed holidays: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Civic Holiday, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day. In addition, there are no fewer than three nor more than four "floating" days, determined at the discretion of the president. Eligibility for paid holidays is defined in Policy 38.
Responsibility for coordination of key control within the Library resides with the Library Facilities Manager who must ensure compliance with the University's key control procedures. This entails ensuring that keys issued to staff members are properly authorized, signed out, and returned upon termination of employment. A staff member who loses a library key that is signed out to him/her must report the loss immediately so that security can be maintained. There is a $25.00 charge for any lost library key.
In accordance with UW Policy No. 39: "Unpaid Leaves of Absence for Staff Members," library staff may apply for an unpaid leave of absence. Requests for leave without pay should be directed to one's immediate supervisor who will forward the request with a recommendation to the appropriate Department Head, the Director, Resources Management, and finally to the University Librarian. The granting of such leaves will depend on conditions specified in Policy 39.
Normally, a staff member may be considered for leave without pay only after successfully completing her/his probationary period.
Library staff are entitled to borrow library materials upon presentation of an identification card. I.D. cards can be obtained at the Circulation Desk in either the Dana Porter or the Davis Centre Library.
Orientation sessions for new staff are conducted by the University Human Resources Department. All new staff members are invited to attend one of the Human Resources Department's regularly scheduled University orientation sessions shortly after they are appointed. Information about the University and the community, policies and procedures, and benefit programs is covered in these 3 to 3 1/2 hour sessions.
Within the Library, each new staff member, in his/her first week of employment, receives an orientation package, the contents of which are reviewed by the employee's supervisor. The supervisor and Department Head complete a "New Employee Orientation Checklist" (see Appendix B: Sample Forms) keyed to the orientation package, and submit it to the Director, Library Resources Management.
UW Policy No. 16 on "Overtime, Non-Union Staff" provides an explanation of compensation to be paid to eligible regular full-time staff members for scheduled overtime and specifies overtime regulations.
UW Policy No. 14: "Pregnancy, Adoption and Parental Leaves" specifies the conditions governing parental leaves for reasons of maternity, adoption, and paternity. Employees who anticipate applying for leave under this policy are encouraged to discuss plans with their Department Head at the earliest possibility and to contact Human Resources [ext. 6120] for advice and assistance concerning this policy and employment standards regulations. A staff member eligible for a parental leave must submit a completed "Maternity/Adoption/Parental Leave" form (1311-12, available from Human Resources) to the Human Resources Department at least three months prior to the expected date of birth.
Staff members wishing to obtain space in key-controlled or parking decal-controlled lots should apply for such space to the University Police. Payment of parking fees may be made either directly or by payroll deduction. All staff are responsible for making themselves aware of regulations governing the operation and parking of vehicles at UW. A brochure specifying traffic and parking regulations is available on request from the UW Police.
Full-time regular library staff are normally paid on the last Friday of each month. One's net salary is credited to the bank account of one's choice. Staff members receive monthly statements showing gross salary and all deductions, as well as net salary. Questions regarding salary administration should be directed to one's Department Head or to the Director, Library Resources Management.
UW Policy No. 23: "Eligibility for Pension and Benefits" defines eligibility of full-time, part-time, and temporary staff for pension and benefit coverage including Canada Pension Plan, Group Life Insurance, Long Term Disability Insurance Plan, Ontario Health Insurance Plan, Sick Leave, Supplementary Medical Insurance Plan, Employment Insurance, UW Pension Plan, and Workers' Compensation.
Questions regarding eligibility should be directed to the Director, Library Resources Management or to the University Human Resources Department.
It is University practice for supervisors and managers to conduct annual performance reviews of staff who report to them. Such reviews provide an opportunity to achieve a mutual understanding of objectives that have been met and to establish and review goals for future performance. Setting aside time to review objectives and accomplishments provides an additional opportunity for staff members and their supervisors to keep in touch about matters of continuing importance to both.
Medical, dental, legal, or other appointments are normally taken during flexible hours and are counted as time not worked. When necessary, and with supervisory approval, such appointments may be scheduled during core hours, as time not worked.
A probationary period is considered part of the initial employment contract between the University and a new staff member. The lengths of probationary periods are determined for various levels of new employees and applied uniformly throughout the University. The staff member who successfully completes a probationary period is awarded full-time regular status as a UW employee. For further details regarding probation, see UW Policy No. 18: "Staff Employment."
The University of Waterloo Library has published a Librarians' Employment Handbook designed to promote a better understanding of, and consistency in the application of UW policies and procedures as they apply to the professional staff of the Library, as well as certain other regulations relating to human resources management that are unique to the Library (see Appendix C: Other Library Documents). A copy of the Librarians' Employment Handbook is provided to all newly-appointed librarians; amendments to the document are distributed to all librarians.
Library policy is to encourage maximum opportunity for promotion of library staff. Staff members are encouraged to avail themselves of opportunities for advancement either through:
a. promotion within their present departments as vacancies occur, or
b. promotion to a vacant position in another library department
Normally a qualified staff member may be considered for promotion only after successfully completing his/her probationary period. For further details regarding staff promotion and probationary period, see UW Policy No. 18: "Staff Employment." See also "Recruitment" Section 6.26 below.
In addition to promotion through either of the ways described above, librarians are eligible for promotion through professional advancement, as described in the University of Waterloo Library Librarians' Employment Handbook. See Appendix C (Other Library Documents) for the Library's "Professional Advancement: Guidelines and Criteria."
Formal recruitment for full-time regular positions is carried out by the Director, Library Resources Management, in conjunction with library managers/supervisors and the University Human Resources Department. The Head of the Library Department in which a vacancy exists submits a "Request for Recruiting Services" (see Appendix B: Sample Forms), together with a job posting, to the Director, Library Resources Management.
All library vacancies are advertised within the Library. In addition, vacancies at and above the USG 6 level are advertised campus-wide. The Director, Library Resources Management, works with the recruiting manager and the Human Resources Department in filling positions. The recruiting manager is advised of all staff members applying for a position and a short list of candidates is prepared. Either the Director, Library Resources Management, or the Human Resources Department, as appropriate, notifies applicants who do not meet the advertised qualifications for a position. After all qualified applicants are interviewed, the Human Resources Department is advised of the recruiting manager's selection, reference checks are completed and an offer made to the successful candidate. For further details on the University's recruitment procedures, see UW Policy No. 18: "Staff Employment." See also "University of Waterloo Library Interviewing Procedures" and "Recruitment and Selection of Professional Staff" in Appendix C: Other Library Documents.
According to UW Policy No. 59: "Reduced Work Load to Retirement," staff members who are at least 45 years of age with completion of at least 10 years of uninterrupted regular full-time service immediately prior to the commencement of the arrangement, may reduce their daily, weekly, monthly, or annual period of work to as low as 50% of that required for a full-time position and participate in the University Pension and Benefits Plans. UW Policy No. 59 defines the conditions governing granting of reduced work loads to retirement and the extent of participation in Pension and Benefit Plans.
Reduced loads in other circumstances are considered as a change from full-time to part-time status. For further details, consult UW Policy No. 59: Appendix A: "Other Reduced Load Arrangements."
Staff members should address letters of resignation to the appropriate Department Head. Wherever possible, staff up to and including the USG 5 level are asked to give at least two weeks notice; staff at and above the USG 6 level are asked to give at least one month's notice. Having received a resignation, the Department Head is asked to send a completed "Notice of Termination" (see appendix B: Sample Forms) and a copy of the letter of resignation to the Director, Library Resources Management for forwarding to the Human Resources Department.
According to UW Policy No. 34: "Health and Safety," supervisors and all other persons in authority must provide for safety in areas of operation under their control. In the spirit of this policy, the University of Waterloo Library has published a Safety Manual to help ensure a systematic way of avoiding uncertainty and preventing chaos that can lead to emergency conditions (See Appendix C: Other Library Documents). The Library's Infrastructure Process Group, which seeks to promote a safe working environment within the Library, updates the manual annually. Copies are available in every library department and on the Library Staff Web (under Lib Info: Library Manuals) at http://library/staff. All staff are urged to become familiar with the contents. See also UW Policy No. 34: "Health and Safety."
Among the benefits of UW staff members is coverage by the University of Waterloo Sick Leave Plan. See UW Policy No. 23: "Eligibility for Pension and Benefits." The plan covers all illnesses and injuries where there is identifiable and verifiable medical evidence, by medical definition, of mental or physiological disease or injury. The University has a right to require that a medical certificate be completed by the claimant's physician and to request an examination by a University-appointed physician. Staff should complete both the Release of Information and the Attending Physicians forms, available from the HR website. A brochure describing the University's "Income Continuance Programs," including sick leave is available from the Human Resources Department.
To report that one will be absent due to illness, a staff member should call his/her immediate supervisor or departmental attendance recorder at 8:30 a.m. or as soon as possible thereafter. One should continue to call on succeeding mornings unless one's supervisor has been advised of the number of days that the staff member will be absent due to illness.
Departmental attendance recorders are responsible for recording absences and submitting a "Monthly Absence Report" to the Library Office.
Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the Library or in any other university building. As specified in UW Policy No. 29: "Smoking in University Buildings," primary responsibility for ensuring compliance with this policy rests with the line management in each department.
See section 6.35 Storm Closing Procedure.
The Library Staff List is an internal library document compiled and updated regularly by the Library Office, and distributed to all library departments. Included on the list are the names, departments, titles, telephone extensions, room numbers, home addresses, and telephone numbers of all library staff. To ensure accuracy, changes in the above information should be reported promptly to the Library Office. Any staff member who does not wish to have his/her home address or telephone number printed in the Staff List should advise the Library Office.
Under no circumstances is the Library Staff List to be made available to anyone for commercial use.
Copies of the Staff Manual are provided to all staff members. New employees are encouraged to review the Manual during their first week of work, and to raise any questions they may have with their supervisors.
UW will close automatically because of severe winter weather if the Waterloo County Board of Education closes all its schools for the day.
Radio stations that can be expected to carry announcements include CKGL (570) AM, CKKW (1090) AM, CHYM (96.7) FM and KOOL-FM (105.3), as well as UW's own student station, CKMS (100.3 FM). The University's news bureau will try to arrange to have UW mentioned explicitly, but staff, faculty, and students can assume that if a complete closing of Board of Education schools is announced, UW has also closed.
Morning closing (school days)
The University will be "closed" for the day if the Waterloo County Board of Education officially closes its schools for the day. (This rule means closing all of the Board's schools; it does not mean the closing of rural schools only, and it does not mean cancellation of school buses if the schools themselves remain open.)
When the University is "closed" on this basis, the closing is for a day and a night, ending at 7 a.m. on the next day.
Morning Closing (other days)
When there are storm conditions on a weekday when Waterloo County Board of Education schools are not scheduled to be open - such as a Professional Development Day or during March break - the decision on whether to close the University will be made by the Provost in consultation with the Director of Security and Director of Custodial and Grounds Services. The decision should be made before 7 a.m.
The Provost will notify the Director of Information and Public Affairs and the news bureau who will notify the local radio stations and other media and have an announcement posted on UW's computer communication media.
Daytime Closing
The University will "close" after classes and business hours have started for the day only in extreme circumstances.
A decision to close during the day will be made by the Provost, in consultation with the Director of Security, Director of Information and Public Affairs, and Director of Custodial and Grounds Services, or as many of them as can be reached.
A decision to close during the day will specify whether the closing is "immediate" or at a stated hour. Unless otherwise specified, the closing continues from that hour until 7 a.m. on the next day.
When such a decision is made, it will be communicated by telephone to department offices.
Closing outside normal business hours
If weather conditions justify the closing of the campus on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, the Director of Security (or delegate) will make that decision and notify the Provost, the Manager of Telephone Services, and the Director of Information and Public Affairs, who will make such announcements as seem appropriate. Any department (such as the Library) that has scheduled activities, or staff scheduled for duty, overnight or on a weekend day or holiday is responsible for notifying the Security Department of an emergency contact person. Such a department is also responsible for maintaining its own plan for canceling activities, notifying staff of a closing, or sending staff home, as appropriate.
Interpretation
Weather conditions can sometimes be intimidating even though the University does not officially close. Staff and faculty who live some distance from the campus can be particularly affected. Department Heads, are, as usual, entitled to allow individual staff members to take time off without pay, or time to be made up through overtime or vacation, or paid time off, at their discretion.
For further details see "Storm closing procedure" at: http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/guidelines/stormclosing.htm
A UW staff member may apply for study leave (with full or partial salary) in accordance with UW Policy No. 39: "Unpaid Leaves of Absence for Staff Members." For further details regarding applying for study leave, see "University of Waterloo Library: Application for Study Leave," in Appendix B: Sample Forms. See also UW Policy No. 39.
Library telephone lines should be kept open for business use. Staff members are urged to keep personal calls to a minimum.
Desk phones in public service areas are not intended for public use. Clients who ask to use a library business phone should be referred to the nearest public telephone.
Library staff wishing to make application for travel funding to attend work-related programs/events are asked to complete a "Request for Travel Funding: Professional Development" form (see Appendix B: Sample Forms). The form should be submitted to the University Librarian through their Department Heads as early as possible before the event for which funding is requested.
Membership in the UW Staff Association is open to all regular full-time and part-time staff members. Applications for membership are available from the Staff Association Office in the Davis Centre. Payment of dues is made by payroll deduction.
UW staff members are entitled to 15 working days of vacation after one year of employment following which they receive vacation credits based on years of service.
Scheduling one's vacation time is done in consultation with one's Supervisor/Department Head so as to ensure as far as possible the convenience of both the staff member and his/her department. A primary consideration is the requirement to maintain effective and efficient operations within library departments.
For further details, see UW Policy No. 6: "Vacation."
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