REG 05.58.01 – Additional Compensation Paid through the University

Authority: Issued by Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost & Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration

History: First Issued: January 14, 2014. Last Revised: Last Revised: January 24, 2023.

Additional References:
NCSU External Professional Activities of Faculty and Other Professional Staff
US OMB Guidance
NCSU SOP for Summer Salary for Nine-Month Faculty

Contact Info:
Faculty Questions: Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Excellence, 919-513-7741
EHRA Non-Faculty & SAAO Questions: Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, 919-515-2973

1. INTRODUCTION

Payments to employees beyond the base salary defined below are considered Additional Compensation. Additional Compensation is payment for task-based, short-term effort (12-months or less) that is clearly outside the scope of the employee’s job description — or faculty Statement of Faculty Responsibilities (SFR) – that is performed outside of normal work effort or that adds extra work effort in addition to effort spent on normal job duties.

2. SCOPE

This regulation applies to most additional compensation paid to NC State University faculty, senior academic and administrative officers (SAAOs), EHRA non-faculty professionals, SHRA employees, and County Operations Support Staff (COSS). This regulation is not intended to modify existing policies or procedures that govern the general administration of University salaries nor payments for external consulting (such as External Professional Activities for Pay).

2.1 Additional compensation may be provided for activities beyond the established job duties that include, but are not limited to:

Temporary additional or higher-level duties;
Conducting non-credit seminars, workshops, and training;
Teaching summer session courses or on-campus or distance education courses taught as overload assignments, and that fall outside the scope of work that is described in the faculty member’s Statement of Faculty Responsibilities (the effort for which comprises the faculty member’s base salary);
Dual employment payments from other state agencies/universities;
Internal institutionally-funded grants or awards, such as for instructional development or non-externally-funded research/scholarly activities;
Externally-funded sponsored program payments during the summer term for nine-month faculty;
Externally-funded sponsored program payments beyond base salary for twelve-month faculty, and such payments during the academic year for nine-month faculty, if allowed by the funding source; and
All other paid assignments, additional activities, deliverables, or duties with durations of 12 months or less.

3. EXCLUSIONS AND EXCEPTIONS

The following types of compensation are excluded or excepted from this regulation.

3.1 Non-Salary & Deferred Compensation. Consult UNC Policy 300.2.14 and NCSU Policy 05.15.03 for information on non-salary and deferred compensation.

3.2 External Activities for Pay. Professional activities performed outside of one’s University employment, such as consulting for other organizations, as described in UNC Policy 300.2.2 and associated regulations and guidelines and NCSU guidance for External Professional Activities of Faculty and Other Professional Staff.

3.3 Coaches’ Compensation provided by NC State to NC State Athletic Department head coaches and their covered staff related to league conference championships or post-season invitations, which is governed separately by the Athletic Department’s authorized Championship and Post-Season Compensation Guidelines as approved by the Chancellor or the Board of Trustees.

3.4 Premiums Paid to and Overtime Worked by FLSA-Subject Employees. Employees who are subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) — and for whom timesheets are required — must report and be paid timely (or be provided equivalent compensatory time as appropriate) for additional straight time hours and/or overtime hours worked. In accordance with State Human Resources policies, FLSA-Subject employees must also be paid an established shift differential premium for certain shift work as well as premiums for working on holidays. Compensation for such overtime hours worked or shift differentials/holiday premiums is not considered additional compensation for purposes of this regulation.

3.5 Summer salary and additional compensation to Phased Retirees. Faculty participants in the Phased Retirement Program (PRP) receive a three-year fixed term contract at half-time workload and half-time base salary. At half-time workload, PRP faculty are excepted from the full-time FTE eligibility requirements defined in this regulation and remain eligible to earn summer salary and additional compensation. Faculty in TSERS are subject to state rules that limit earnings after retirement; no such earnings limitation exists for faculty in ORP. For further details about phased retirement, see NCSU REG 05.57.01

4. BASE SALARY, SALARY SUPPLEMENTS & OTHER ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION

For the purposes of this regulation, the following definitions apply:

4.1 Time Periods

Academic Year: The 9-month period from August 16 through May 15

Summer: The 3-month period from May 16 through August 15

Fiscal Year: The 12-month period from July 1 through June 30

While the university has defined the above-listed time periods for purposes of regular university operations, these dates may be subject to change by the Chancellor based on exigent circumstances (i.e., extraordinary weather event, natural disaster, other campus emergency) as needed.

4.2 Annual Salary. The current salary or annualized wage basis of the employee as it appears in the appointment letter/contract or subsequent notification of salary increase/decrease, not including supplements or additional compensation.

4.3 Base Salary. The current annual salary of the employee as it appears in the appointment letter or subsequent notification of salary increase/decrease; plus any administrative, honor, or interim supplement that carries an anticipated duration of one full year or more.

4.4 Salary Supplements. Compensation in excess of an employee’s Annual Salary paid by NC State for increases in responsibility, extra duties, or honor recognitions.

4.4.1 Salary Supplements counted as Base Salary. Administrative, honor and interim supplements with an anticipated duration of 12 months or more are counted as Base Salary for purposes of this regulation. Temporary supplements are not counted as Base Salary for purposes of this regulation.

4.4.1. a. Administrative Supplement. A salary supplement paid to a faculty member for assuming a university-, college-, or departmental-level administrative role in addition to his or her primary faculty role, such as serving as an assistant vice provost, department head, or director of graduate studies. Administrative supplements are not used for EHRA non-faculty professionals, SHRA employees, post-docs, house officers, student workers, or temporary employees. Administrative supplements are recurring payments for duties anticipated to last at least three months, and may continue as long as the “at-will” administrative assignment continues.

4.4.1. b. Honor Supplement. A salary supplement paid to a faculty member as a distinguished or named professor. Honor supplements are not used for EHRA non-faculty professionals, SHRA employees, post-docs, house officers, students, or temporary employees. Honor supplements are recurring payments for at least three months that may continue as long as the faculty member’s appointment to the distinguished or named professorship is in effect.

4.4.1. c. Interim Supplement. A salary supplement paid for filling a higher-level vacant administrative or professional position on an interim basis while a search is planned and conducted, until the new hire starts. Interim supplements are not used for post-docs, house officers, students, or temporary employees. Interim supplements are recurring payments for at least three months that may not exceed three years except with Provost or Vice Chancellor (not designee) approval.

4.4.2 Salary Supplements not counted as Base Salary

4.4.2. a. Administrative, Honor, or Interim Supplements (defined in section 4.4 of this regulation) but with an anticipated duration of less than 12 months, are not counted as base salary for purposes of this regulation.

4.4.2. b. Temporary Supplement. A salary supplement for short-term additional duties that are anticipated to last no longer than 24 months. Temporary supplements of longer than 24 months require the approval of the appropriate Vice Chancellor or Dean (not designee).

4.5 Summer Salary. Any earnings paid through NC State for work performed by 9-month faculty during the Summer period, as defined above, including Maymester instruction.

4.6. Dual Employment. Payment to an NC State employee for services provided by the individual to another North Carolina state agency or UNC institution on a part-time or contractual basis. Approval must be obtained from the supervisor of the NC State position before the service is provided in order to ascertain whether the obligation will interfere with the job duties and commitments of the primary position. If approved, all payments for the employee’s services must be sent (along with State Form CP-30) from the borrowing agency to the University Budget Office and paid through the University Payroll Office.

5. LIMITATIONS

5.1 EHRA Non-Faculty and Faculty and County Operations Support Staff. All additional compensation for full-time employees for the fiscal year (for 12-month employees) — or for the academic year (for 9-month employees) –may not exceed 20% of the Base Salary without advance authorization of the Vice Chancellor or Dean (not designee). Additional compensation for part-time employees taking on additional effort should be accomplished by adjusting the FTE, not to exceed 100% FTE.

5.2 SHRA Employees. All additional compensation for the fiscal year may not exceed 20% of the Base Salary for full-time SHRA employees without advance authorization of the UNC System Office. (Additional compensation for part-time SHRA employees taking on additional effort should be accomplished by adjusting the FTE, not to exceed 1.0 FTE).

5.3 All types of additional compensation paid by the University that are not included in the employee’s Base Salary are considered additional compensation for the purpose of calculating additional compensation maximums during the individual’s appointment period (20%) and during summer for 9-month faculty (33.33%). See sections 4.4.2 and 4.5 of this regulation.

5.4 If the employee who is receiving additional compensation is already employed in a different home department/unit from the requestor of the work or assignment, the home department’s chair/supervisor must grant prior approval.

5.5 Flat-rate payments for additional compensation should not be used for current employees who are receiving a Base Salary from the University, since extra effort/time worked cannot appropriately be attributed in the HRIM System. Flat-rate payments may be used to compensate individuals hired for a specific and time-limited assignment who are otherwise in a no-pay status; FTE should be attributed to these assignments in the HRIM System.

5.6 In no case may a one-time or recurring special payment be used as a bonus to compensate an employee for meritorious service or performance, unless specifically pre-approved by the University’s Board of Trustees or Chancellor (not designee).

6. EHRA NON-FACULTY PROFESSIONALS AND SAAOs

6.1 For EHRA non-faculty professionals and SAAOs, no additional compensation beyond the Annual Salary – or beyond the base salary if a supplement of 12 months or more is included — may be paid for University duties that are generally within the scope of the job description of the position to which the individual is appointed.

6.2 In accordance with UNC Policy 300.1.1. B (4), no individuals in positions designated as SAAO may be paid, in addition to their Base Salary, for any services rendered to any institution-related foundation, endowment, or other affiliated entity that (a) is established by officers of the University, (b) is controlled by the University, or (c) is tax-exempt based on being a support organization for the University.

6.3 Upon appropriate prior approval, an EHRA non-faculty professional or SAAO can earn up to 20% in additional compensation from all sources paid within their regular 9-month or 12-month appointment period for duties clearly outside the scope of their job description. Prior approval by the appropriate Vice Chancellor or Chancellor (not designee) is required for additional compensation exceeding 20%.

6.4 Subject to prior approval by the individual’s home department head, EHRA non-faculty professionals and SAAOs may take on a University teaching responsibility for additional compensation, provided that they hold appropriate academic credentials for the course to be taught. The staff member’s primary employment responsibilities take priority over any additional part-time teaching assignments. Generally, this teaching responsibility must be carried out at times other than during the normal working hours established for the full-time employment responsibility and any payment for the instruction will be considered additional compensation. However, in extraordinary circumstances, when the teaching responsibility must take place during the course of the employee’s normal working hours, exceptions may be made, but must be justified and approved in advance by the individual’s home department head or supervisor.

6.5 To avoid double-payment, paid leave may not also be claimed for any time spent on such additional compensated assignment during normal working hours, but leave without pay — or an alternate work schedule –may be requested and must be approved by the individual’s supervisor, and the approval forwarded to Human Resources for inclusion in the employee’s official personnel file.

7. FACULTY

Upon appropriate approval by the Dean (or home department head as designee), a full-time tenured, tenure-track, or professional faculty member (.75 FTE or above and benefits-eligible) can earn up to 20% in additional compensation beyond Base Salary from all sources paid within their regular 9-month or 12-month appointment period. Prior approval by the appropriate Dean (not designee) is required for additional compensation exceeding 20%.

7.1 Full-Time Twelve-Month Faculty

7.1.1 Sponsored Projects. A full-time 12-month faculty member may not receive additional compensation from a sponsored project unless written into the initial grant proposal as compensation beyond Base Salary, or unless otherwise approved in advance by both the Project Sponsor and the faculty member’s Department Head and Dean (not designee).

7.1.2 In cases where externally-funded work is being performed by twelve-month faculty at a remote operation, and the work performed is in addition to the individual’s regular departmental load, any charges for such work representing additional compensation above the Base Salary are allowable, provided that such arrangements are specifically provided for as part of the sponsored-project agreement or otherwise approved in writing, in advance, by the sponsoring agency. These payments require the approval in advance by the Department Head and Dean (not designee) of the faculty member’s home department.

7.1.3 Instruction. Subject to prior approval by the department head of the faculty member’s home department 12-month faculty members may be allowed to take on an overload University teaching responsibility beyond their SME duties for additional compensation. The faculty member’s primary employment responsibilities take priority over any additional part-time teaching assignments. This teaching responsibility must be carried out outside the effort articulated in the faculty member’s SFR.

7.1.4 Summer instructional salary must not be authorized for the supervision of summer graduate student research.

7.1.5 To avoid double-payment, paid leave may not be claimed for any time spent on such an additional compensated assignment during normal working hours, but leave without pay — or an alternate work schedule –may be requested and must be approved in advance by the appropriate Dean (or designee).

7.2 Full-Time Nine-Month Faculty

7.2.1 During the 9-month Appointment Period

Upon appropriate approval-by the Dean (or home department head as designee), full-time 9-month faculty members can earn up to 20% in additional compensation from all sources paid within their regular 9-month appointment period. Prior approval by the faculty member’s Dean (not designee) is required for additional compensation exceeding 20%.

7.2.1.1 Sponsored Projects during the Academic Year.

Typically, externally-funded project sponsors do not permit compensation beyond the Base Salary from sponsored project funds during the academic year for nine-month faculty. As a general rule, faculty members (whether tenured/tenure track or professional faculty) who are involved in funded research during the academic year should have their other assigned responsibilities reduced through release time, or request replacement costs. In unusual cases, additional compensation above the Base Salary is allowable, provided that such activities are specifically required by the agreement with the Project Sponsor and approved in advance, in writing, by the Department Head and Dean (not designee), in accordance with federal regulations.

In cases where externally-funded work is being performed by nine-month faculty at a remote operation, and the work performed is in addition to the individual’s regular departmental load, charges for such work representing additional compensation above the Base Salary are allowable, provided that such arrangements are specifically provided for as part of the sponsored-project agreement or otherwise approved in advance, in writing, by the sponsoring agency. These payments require approval by the Department Head and Dean (not designee) of the faculty member’s home department.

7.2.2 Summer Salary for Full-Time 9-Month Faculty

During the summer, a full-time (benefits-eligible) 9-month faculty member may be paid a total of 33.33 % (based on a 1.0 FTE ) of their prior academic year’s (nine-month) Base Salary from all sources of funds. Exceptions beyond the 33.33% summer-earnings maximum must be approved in advance, in writing, by the Dean (not designee); however, no exceptions may be approved beyond 33.33% for a 9-month faculty member (based on a 1.0 FTE) paid in whole or part from sponsored project funds. A 9-month faculty member may not exceed 90% of the allowable Summer Salary per pay period, without the Dean’s prior written approval, and a written management plan on file in the College.

7.2.2.1a. The 33.33% maximum pay for summer instruction effort or other effort not paid from sponsored program funds may be paid over one, two or three months. The number of Summer Salary payments to be paid during the summer must be outlined in the faculty member’s approved written management plan.

7.2.2.1b. The faculty member is responsible for ensuring that his/her total summer pay results in no more than the 33.33% maximum allowed by this regulation unless the Dean (not designee) approves an exception in advance. Faculty members who exceed the limit in violation of this regulation are subject to retroactive salary adjustment if necessary to bring the total within the allowable maximum. 9-month faculty members paid from sponsored projects may not exceed the 33.33% maximum for Summer Salary.

7.2.2.2. Regardless of the source of funds, Summer Salary will not be adjusted to reflect legislative salary increases (LIs) authorized by the NC General Assembly. For 9-month faculty, LIs become effective August 16.

7.3. Summer Instructional Salary for Nine-Month Faculty

7.3.1 Salary for summer instruction is paid at the rate established by each college for their courses and posted on the Enrollment Management and Services’ Summer Sessions Compensation Models web site.

7.3.2 Salary for instruction of distance education courses offered during summer sessions will be determined by the department or program (e.g., DELTA Flexible Access, Engineering Online) offering the course.

7.3.3 Summer instructional salary must not be authorized for the supervision of summer graduate student research.

7.3.4 Request for payment to the employee for summer instructional salary must be authorized by the department head (or designee) in advance and may be submitted by the paying department before the effort has been completed.

7.4 Salary for Full-Time 9-Month Faculty Paid in Summer from Sponsored Projects Funds

7.4.1 All faculty who receive Summer Salary paid in whole or in part from sponsored project sources are required to complete training provided by the Office of Contracts and Grants on the University’s Summer Salary regulations and standard operating procedures on an annual basis between January 1 and May 15. This training must be completed before the faculty member receives payment for the work and prior to the Friday preceding the first day of Summer Session I of that year. In the event that the training is not completed before this deadline, the Dean must approve this exception. Such exceptions are only permissible in unusual circumstances and only after the completion of mandatory Summer Salary training.

7.4.2 Effort Reporting is a federally-mandated process by which the salary charged to sponsored project (Ledger 5) funds is certified as being reasonable in relation to the effort expended on that project. “Effort” is the proportion of time spent on any activity, expressed as a percentage of an individual’s total university effort.

7.4.2.1 Effort for which non-instructional Summer Salary will be paid must be approved by the Department Head and Dean (or designee) before the work begins. The Standard Operating Procedure for Summer Salary for Nine-Month Faculty provides faculty and administrative staff involved with sponsored projects procedures for approval and reporting. For any change in effort or planned work schedule, a new approval is required.

7.4.3 NC State faculty are limited to 90% effort in any given pay period on externally-funded grants and contracts during the Summer (May 16-August 15). This limit reserves some time during the Summer for such other time commitments such as course preparation or other instructional activities, public service, institutional service, administrative duties, development of grant proposals, or time off for personal activities. Effort may need to be further limited depending on a faculty member’s summer responsibilities beyond the activities funded by the grant or contract.

7.4.3.1a. Exceptions beyond 90% effort (up to 100% effort) in a given pay period on such grants or contracts must be approved in advance by the Dean (not designee). The Dean’s approval and the rationale for the exception must be documented as described in the SOP for Summer Salary for Nine-Month Faculty.

7.4.3.2 If a faculty member commits 100% effort to a contract or grant in a single monthly pay period, they must understand and acknowledge that this effort excludes time spent on instructional, service or administrative duties, development of grant proposals, or time off for personal activities during the period.

7.4.4 Effort will be confirmed through NC State REG 10.05.15 – TEARS (The Employee Activity Reporting System).

7.5 Part-time Professional Faculty

Part-time professional faculty who are contracted to teach on a course-by-course basis, typically for a semester or a year at a time — and who assume additional duties beyond the contracted duties – should be compensated for the additional duties by either (a) revising the contract to reflect the additional duties, with commensurate FTE adjustment, or (b) by adding a separate entry in the HRIM System (referred to as a second “job row”), with commensurate FTE attributed. Please note that FTE totaling above .74 for three months or more must be treated (and budgeted) as benefits-eligible. An increase in contracted duties and compensation, including additional compensation, for professional faculty that still totals below 1.00 FTE is not considered an “overload” assignment.

8. PAYMENT OF ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION

8.1 Timing of Requests and Payments

Any payments of additional compensation must be approved in advance of initiation of the work by both the employee’s home department and the paying department (if different). The department requiring the effort must initiate the request stating the nature and duration of the project, and notify the home department. Project duration, compensation rates, and timing of payment must be agreed upon prior to the beginning of the work effort. It is the employee’s responsibility, in communication with all paying units, to ensure that their total effort and total payment does not exceed the allowable annual maximums. Employees who exceed the limit in violation of this regulation are subject to retroactive salary adjustments (if necessary) to bring the total within the allowable maximum.

8.1.1 For summer employment, a request for payment to the employee may be submitted by the employee before the effort has been completed. However, it is the responsibility of the faculty member and the college or unit to correct payroll payments made to the faculty member if there have been changes in the expected or reported effort for which the faculty member received payment.

8.1.2. Administrative staff identified by the College Research Officer as being required to complete summer salary training because of their involvement in processing of such payments must complete this training before the Friday preceding the first day of Summer Session I. In the event that the training is not completed before this deadline, the Dean must approve this exception. Such exceptions should be permitted only in unusual circumstances. The administrative staff processing Summer Salary transactions must complete the training before entering transactions. Administrative staff processing transactions is responsible for verifying that any faculty member receiving Summer Salary payments has completed the training before processing the payment. All parties must complete training prior to entering any Summer Salary transactions.

8.2 Approvals

In accordance with UNC Policy 300.2.13 (for EHRA employees) and State Personnel policies (for SHRA) approved requests for additional compensation must be submitted to the University’s central Human Resources office for final review and processing. Documentation of all such payments, including written justification for the payment, must be maintained in the employee’s departmental records. The Chancellor (or designee) retains the authority to approve any request for additional compensation so long as it is not inconsistent with this regulation and other applicable personnel policies.

8.3. Method of Payment and Deductions

Payment of additional compensation must be processed as compensation to the employee (and not, for example, as a payment to the individual as an independent contractor) through the University Payroll Office, and federal/state taxes and other appropriate deductions will be withheld. Payments will be identified as additional compensation above the amount paid as the “Base Salary.” A total lump-sum payment for an extended period of work (e.g., the entire summer) is strongly discouraged because of the adverse tax withholding impact to the individual.