HR Highlights

Availability of Employee for Dissemination Purposes

Southern University is required to designate an employee or department to assist enrolled or prospective students in obtaining pertinent information related to academic programs, college policies and procedures, enrollment statistics, campus safety, and financial aid information . If Southern University has designated one person for an area of responsibility, that person shall be available, upon reasonable notice, to any enrolled or prospective student during regular business working hours. If a department is designated, their combined work schedules have been arranged so that at least one employee is available, upon reasonable notice, throughout the normal during regular business working hours.

A department and employee directory can be accessed by calling 225.771.4500.

Employee information

We protect the confidentiality of our employees records, both in fairness to employees and to avoid legal liability. Supervisors are reminded not to discuss FMLA requests, ADA accommodations, or employee leave records with other employees. Only those employees in the chain of command or who have a need to know such things (i.e. Human Resources, EEO/ADA Compliance Officer or Payroll) should be involved in discussions. Employees who work with confidential records are reminded that confidentiality must be maintained.

Public Records : Under Louisiana Law, applications and supporting materials as well as gross salaries are considered public records.

Requests For Employment Verification: Only the Human Resource Office is authorized to complete requests for employment verification. In response to requests for verification of employment by an outside party, we will only verify the following information:

Whether an employee is or was employed
The dates of employment
The employee's job title
The employee's gross salary

Information Required By Law To Be Disclosed: We will furnish information on employees whenever it is the good faith judgment of university and/or university counsel that we are legally required to do so, including information required:

To comply with a lawfully issued subpoena
In response to a government investigation
To comply with federal, state or local laws

In response to a request from a law enforcement agency for an employee's home address, phone number, & dates of attendance at work.

Medical Emergencies: We may, if we judge it appropriate, disclose employee information in response to an apparent medical emergency.

Disclosure Authorized by the Employee: Any disclosure beyond these described previously will require written consent of the employee. Employee authorized requests for information will be considered on an individual basis and will be granted or refused at our sole discretion.

Contractors Who Perform Work For Us: Any outside firm/agency that performs personnel related services (such as benefits administration) will have access to any employee information they need to facilitate their work, with the understanding that they will keep the information confidential (i.e. retirement plans, health insurance, life insurance).

PERFORMANCE PLANNING & REVIEW SYSTEM (Civil Service)

Effective 7/1/97, the University implemented this new system being mandated by the State Department of Civil Service. New employees hired after 7/1/97 must have a planning session with their immediate supervisors within 30 calendar days of their employment. All other employees will be phased into the new system based on their anniversary dates for merit increases. When an employee becomes eligible for attainment of permanent status, the department will be sent a notice to either recommend permanent status, or termination of probational appointment. A probational employee may be terminated at any time during the probational period (6-24 months).

TIMESHEET INFORMATION FOR ALL EMPLOYEES

Have you ever wondered why you sign your timesheet? Timesheet certification is required by both Board rules, Civil Service rules, Louisiana law and Federal law. Your signature certifies that you have worked the hours as they are being reported on the timesheet and that the timesheet is correctly reporting how you worked. The work time for every employee that receives a paycheck from the University, regardless of employee type, (i.e. classified staff, unclassified staff, faculty, student worker, graduate assistant) is reported to Human Resources and the Payroll Section of the Comptroller's Office on the official University approved timesheet as required by employment type. All employees are required to sign their timesheets. If your time is not reported exactly the way you worked, it can be viewed as falsified (payroll fraud) and subject the individual and their supervisor who approved it to disciplinary actions up to and including termination. Those employees who do not sign timesheets within their department and are not on official extended leave from the university.

BENEFITS NEWS

The Southern University System offers such benefits as insurance, retirement, tax sheltered annuities, deferred compensation, etc. Please refer to the appropriate section in the Handbook for University Personnel.

PHONE LIST

Office of Group Benefits - 1-800-272-8451
LASERS - 922-0600 or 1-800-256-3000
TRSL - 225-925-6446 or 1-877-275-8775