Glossary

accrue
the ability of an employee to accumulate sick or vacation days based on length of service and time worked per month in the current fiscal year.
 
active status
the timeframe when employees receive compensation related to their working at the university.
 
acts of misconduct
illegal acts or acts that are not in keeping with CWRU standards of conduct.
 
adoptive child
a child under 18 years of age who is adopted through public, private, domestic, international, or independent means and who is not the step-child of the adoptive parent.
 
adoptive parent
a parent who has taken a child into one’s family through legal means to raise as one’s own child.
 
alternative work arrangement
the ongoing work arrangement that is a variation from the standard workday, workweek, and/or work location.
 
anniversary date
the most recent date of hire into either a full- or part-time position.
 
appreciative leadership
a positive approach to fulfill the university's mission of excellence. An appreciative leader recognizes the strengths of individuals and fosters an environment that supports creativity and encourages one to make voluntary commitments to established objectives.
 
birth mother
an individual who gives birth to a child.
 
benefit category 0
prior classification for faculty.

benefit category 1
prior classification for executive and senior staff.

benefit category 2
prior classification for exempt staff (excluding faculty, executive staff, and senior staff).

benefit category 3
prior classification for non-exempt staff.
 
Benefits Office
the Human Resources Benefits Office is responsible for administering and updating the university's benefits program.
 
birth mother
an individual who gives birth to a child.
 
CASEworks (i.e. telecommuting)
the telecommuting program that allows exempt employees to work at home and/or their assigned/dedicated work location within the CWRU facility. Non-exempt employees are not eligible to telecommute.
 
COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) of 1986)
Act added to the Internal Revenue Code that requires most employers offer employees and their families the opportunity for a temporary extension of health coverage in certain instances where their coverage would otherwise end.
 
Compensation Office
the Human Resources Compensation Office is responsible for designing and administering the salary program for staff.
 
compressed workweeks
working the equivalent of a full-time week in fewer than five (5) days.

confidential information
university information categorized as confidential, proprietary (owning or holding exclusive rights to something) or non-public oral and written information or machine readable information belonging to the university accessible to an employee through the course of their employment at the university. Examples include: patient data, financial information, operational data, student or education records, human resources/payroll records, legal documents or advice, and clinical data.
 
contingency operation
a military operation that: (1) is designated by the Secretary of Defense as an operation in which members of the Armed Forces are or may become involved in military action, operation, or hostilities against an enemy of the US or against an opposing force, or (2) is created by definition of law.
 
covered active duty
duty under a call or order to active duty under a provision of law referred to in section 101(a)(13)(B) of title 10, United States Code.
 
covered service member
a member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, is otherwise in outpatient status, or is otherwise on the temporary disability retired list for a serious injury or illness.
 
dependent children
the prevailing IRS definition in effect (See Tuition Waiver for Dependent Children).
 
dependents
spouse, certified domestic partner, and/or dependent children for which the employee provides significant financial support.
 
disabilities
used according to its definition in Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 which is: an individual who either 1) has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of that person's major life activities, 2) has a record of such an impairment, or 3) is regarded as having such an impairment.
 
domestic partners
two (2) individuals of the same or opposite sex who meet the criteria as defined in the university's affidavit of domestic partners.
 
earned time
the amount of discretionary days that can be taken in the current or next fiscal year.
 
eligible employee
employee with twelve (12) months employment prior to commencement of leave AND who has worked at least 1,250 hours during the twelve (12) months prior to the commencement of leave and who has not exhausted FMLA leave entitlement for the twelve (12) month period.
 
eligibility date
the date of the employee’s first FMLA leave within the previous twelve (12) months.
 
emergency
that which imposes an immediate threat or risk to the health, life, property, or university environment.
 
employee assistance provider (EAP)
a contracted service that provides voluntary, private and confidential counseling services and resources for employees and family members to help identify problems and develop plans for resolutions.
 
Employee Relations
the Human Resources Office of Employee Relations is responsible for training on and enforcing university policies.
 
Employment Office
the Human Resources Employment Office is responsible for hiring staff positions university-wide.
 
Employment Specialist
recruiter within the Employment Office assigned to a particular staff position
 
employment status
the four recognized work schedules of full-time, part-time, term, and temporary.
 
excessive absenteeism
repeated occurrences (more than six in six months) of unscheduled absences and/or tardiness that are unrelated to approved time off.
 
executive staff
key staff positions who are ungraded and serve at the pleasure of the President and are not included in staff salary wage plan.
 
exempt
employees generally holding teaching, administrative, or professional positions, and whose compensation is not based on a report of hours worked. The term "exempt" refers to their exemption from the Fair Labor Standards Act.
 
exigency
military events and related activities – attending official ceremonies related to active duty, attending family support groups, arranging for childcare and school activities, making financial and legal arrangements to address the service members absence, attending counseling sessions, spending time with service members who are on short-term rest and recuperation, participating in arrival ceremonies and reintegration events within 90 days following the termination of active duty status, attending to issues arising from the death of a service member and additional activities.
 
faculty
all individuals who hold academic or clinical appointments.
 
family
normally applies to the spouse as recognized in the state of Ohio, child, parent or guardian, domestic partner who has met the requirements for receipt of domestic partner benefits under CWRU's policy.
 
family medical
includes time to care for an ill family member (spouse as recognized in the state of Ohio, child, parent or guardian, domestic partner who has met the requirements for receipt of domestic partner benefits under Case's policy) for medical reasons.
 
fiscal year
the period of July 1 through June 30.
 
fringe benefit allocation
a percentage of salary that covers the related employee expenses such as unemployment compensation, retirement, Social Security, Benelect, worker's compensation and similar miscellaneous expenses.
 
half-time
a regular work schedule of 18.75 hours per week or as specified in faculty appointment.
 
inactive status
the twelve (12) month period following an employee lay off during which time the employee is available for interviews and to return to work.
 
lay off
the necessity of eliminating position(s) due to changes out of the employee's control such as lack of funding, lack of work, or recognition.
 
market pricing
process that determines salary ranges by surveying the various marketplaces in which the university competes for employees.
 
next of kin
the nearest blood relative of an individual
 
non-exempt
employees who are entitled to additional pay for work in excess of normal working hours. They are not exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act.
 
outpatient status
with respect to a covered service member means the status of a member of the Armed Forces assigned to 1) a military medical treatment facility as an outpatient, or 2) a unit established for the purpose of providing command and control of members of the Armed Forces receiving medical care as outpatients.
 
overtime
hours worked per week in excess of the time worked in the normally scheduled work week.
 
paid parental leave
a period of paid leave for the purpose of recovery from childbirth and/or to care for and bond with a newborn or newly adopted child.  Paid time will not be deducted from employee’s sick or vacation balances.
 
parent
a biological parent or an individual who has day-to-day responsibility to care for and/or financially support a child as the spouse or domestic partner of the birth mother/other parent.
 
parenting
care and nurturing for a new child as a result of childbirth, adoption, or foster custody, unrelated to a medical condition.
 
performance year
the predetermined review period which may be the employee's anniversary year, the period July 1 through June 30, or another designated period as determined by the department and approved by Human Resources.
 
personal medical
includes sick time and all medical disabilities as certified by a health care provider including the time prior, during, and following childbirth.
 
pre-tax basis
the deduction from pay of any employee contribution toward the Benelect price tag, resulting in a lower base for calculating federal, state, and Social Security tax deductions.
 
primary care-giver
someone who has primary responsibility for the care of a child immediately following the adoption of a child.
 
salary grade
the salary range and level assigned to staff positions.
 
senior staff
staff in salary grades 18 and above.
 
serious illness and serious health condition
normally defined as an illness, injury, impairment, physical or mental condition that involves inpatient care and/or continuing treatment with a health care provider two (2) or more times: first visit to health care provider within seven (7) days of incapacity and second visit to health care provider within thirty (30) days of incapacity.
 
serious illness or injury
regarding a member of the Armed Forces including the National Guard or Reserves refers to an injury or illness incurred by the member in the line of duty while on active duty in the Armed Forces that may render the member medically unfit to perform the duties of the member's office, grade, rank, or rating, and injuries or illnesses that existed before the beginning of the member’s active duty and were aggravated by service in the line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces.
 
serious illness or injury for a covered veteran
an injury or illness that was incurred or aggravated by the service member in the line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces and manifested itself before or after the member became a veteran, and is: (1) a continuation of a serious injury or illness that was incurred or aggravated when the covered veteran was a member of the Armed Forces and rendered the service member unable to perform the duties of the service member’ office, grade, rank, or rating; or (2) a physical or mental condition for which the covered veteran has received a VA Service Related Disability Rating (VASRD) of 50 percent or greater and such VASRD rating is based, in whole or in part, on the condition precipitating the need for caregiver leave; or (3) a physical or mental condition that substantially impairs the veteran’s ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation by reason of a disability or disabilities related to military service or would do so absent treatment; or (4) an injury, including a psychological injury, on the basis of which the covered veteran has been enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.
 
severance
pay for a specific period beyond the last date of employment.
 
sexual harassment
any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, or verbal or other physical conduct directed at an individual or individuals because of gender and motivated by animus (strong dislike or animosity) based on gender.
 
solicitation
requesting another person to purchase goods and/or services; to donate goods, services, or money to any organization; or to sign petitions or the like for any purpose.
 
staff
includes research, professional, and support staff whose positions fall in salary grade levels 1-17, and Research Associates.
 
staff grievance and termination review board
a standing committee, appointed by the president with both regular and rotating members.
 
student employee
a CWRU student whose employment is: a) a referral from Student Employment and restricted to 20 hours/week or b) part of an academic program.
 
supervisor
an employee whose primary responsibility involves the job performance of other employees and who recommends actions related to hiring, compensation, and performance appraisal of those employees.
 
total compensation
term used to describe salary and fringe benefits paid to an employee.
 
unscheduled absence
an occurrence of absence and/or tardiness that is unrelated to approved time off.
 
violent conduct
includes, but is not limited to physical, sexual or verbal assault, threats, harassment, intimidation, stalking, possession of any object used or perceived to be used as a weapon, while on university premises by any person toward another person.
 
work week
the period beginning 12:01 a.m. Sunday and ending midnight of the following Saturday.
 
workplace violence
any conduct that results in harm, the threat or intention to harm persons or property, or that in any way jeopardizes a safe and secure environment.
 
year of service
the twelve (12) month period immediately prior to the date of the birth or adoption event, during which an employee has worked at least 1,250 hours (number of hours required under FMLA) on active pay status.