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NOTE: The print versions of these policies reside on ULM Web services secured sites. They are the official policies and supersede the web versions for accuracy. Web versions are available for quick reference and off-campus computers. Policy on Cashing Employee or Student Checks [Print Version] In order to cash a personal check (Faculty, Staff, or Student) on campus, you must be a member of La Capitol Federal Credit Union. (Rev. 7/28/2008) Cash/Check Handling Procedures [Print Full Policy]
Cash - Procedures for Requesting and Receiving a Temporary Petty Cash [Print Version]
COLLECTION POLICY FOR RETURNED CHECKS AND ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS (ULM) [Print Version] When a check or electronic payment, hereafter referred to as a check, is dishonored by a bank or financial institution, it will be returned to Student Account Services. This office is responsible for initiating and monitoring all collection efforts for returned checks. A Student Account Service employee will attempt to email the account holder to notify the individual that a check has been returned from their bank. In addition, a certified letter will be sent to the check writer notifying him/her that a check has been returned. This letter informs the individual the check will be turned over to the district attorney’s office for further collection if the University does not receive restitution within ten (10) business days from the date of the letter. This letter will also state that, in addition to the amount of the check, any bank fees, collection charges, or any other additional fees, will be the responsibility of the debtor. If the check writer is a student, the student's account will be updated to reflect the returned check. If the student is on a meal plan and the amount of the check is substantial (i.e., tuition or room and board), meal cards will be deactivated until payment in cash, money order, cashier check, or credit card has been made. Any student financial aid awarded to the student via the University will be used to offset the amount of the returned check plus any applicable fees before a refund of financial aid is issued to the student. A Student Account Service employee may call the bank on which the check was drawn to determine if funds are currently available to cover the check. If the bank verifies that the check is "good," an employee may take the check directly to the bank and receive a cashier's check payable to The University of Louisiana at Monroe for the amount of the returned check. If the debtor does not respond to the email or the initial certified notification letter within ten business days, the check will be turned over to the district attorney’s office for collection. The debtor will be responsible for amount of the check, any bank fees, collection charges, or any other additional fees. Students who have returned checks that have not been paid by the end of the semester or who have not made payment arrangements will be unable to register for classes for any future semester or to obtain a transcript until the check and any applicable fees have been paid. ULM may not accept personal checks from any individual who has had two checks returned to the University. (Rev. 3/3/2008) New Drop Policy (Effective Fall 2011) [Print Version] All current and prior account balances must be paid in full by the fee deadline each semester or your classes will be dropped (also your housing assignment will be cancelled if applicable). Paid in full means your account balance is zero or your memo and/or authorized aid is equal to or greater than your charges. Goal of Policy:
Rationale:
If you have questions, please email the Student Accounts office at: sas@ulm.edu (Rev. 5/4/2011) Policy on Leave of Absence Without Pay for Unclassified Employees & Faculty [Print Version] Leave of absence without pay may be granted to employees for good cause. Such leaves will be approved based upon the ability of the granting department to continue to provide on-going and necessary services. Employees may be required to take any part or all of accrued annual, sick, and/or compensatory leave prior to being granted leave without pay depending on the reason. The request for Leave Without Pay should include a listing of the reasons needed and the duration of the leave. The term of the leave may not extend beyond the period for which support is committed to the position or contract. Good cause for granting leave of absence without pay may be interpreted to include but not be limited by the following: extended illness; need to provide care for family members; education which will directly increase job effectiveness; adoption of children; or in special situations, temporary employment outside the University when it is in the interest of public service and/or will be beneficial to the University upon the employee’s return. Leaves of absence without pay may be granted under FMLA. Criteria to be Used to Evaluate Leave Without Pay Requests
Service Credit and Leave Accrual Leave without pay does not count as credited service for leave accrual or retirement purposes. Service before and after leave without pay will be combined to determine leave accrual rates and total service. Annual and sick leave do not accrue during a period of leave without pay. Membership in the retirement systems is suspended. Contributions may not be withdrawn from the state retirement systems without the action being considered as termination or resignation from employment. Leave of Absence for Holidays Employees eligible for holiday pay must be in a paid work status (i.e. actually work the day or be on paid leave) the last normal work day before a holiday or the first normal work day after the holiday in order to receive pay for the holiday. Employees on leave without pay before and after the holiday shall not receive pay for the holiday. Procedures for Reporting Leave Without Pay (LWOP) For the employees: Employees should report his/her absence to his/her supervisor in advance. A written request for Leave Without Pay should include a listing of the reasons needed and the duration of the leave. The employee should also contact the Controller’s Office to continue insurance coverage during LWOP. During LWOP, the employee is responsible for both the employee portion and the University portion. If the LWOP is for more than a few days, special approvals are required. For the Supervisor: The Supervisor of an employee on LWOP should immediately inform the department head. The supervisor should request special approval from the department head if the LWOP is for more than a few days. For the Department Head: The department head of an employee on LWOP should immediately inform the Payroll Office and the Human Resources Office about this issue. This will ensure that the employee is not overpaid. If the department head approval extended leave without pay, he/she should complete a Payroll Action Form M. All written records pertaining to the leave request must be maintained in the department’s files. For the Payroll Office: Once the Payroll Office receives notification that an employee is on LWOP, the appropriate payroll employee should keep this information in the current pay period folder; so that the employee on LWOP will not be overpaid. In rare cases where an employee is overpaid (due to timing issues), the Payroll Office should notify the employee immediately and set up arrangements for the repayment. Long Distance Telephone Policy [Print Version] Long distance telephone usage is for business purposes. Monthly bills are processed by department by extension number. These bills are on E-Print every month for departments to access. It is each department head’s responsibility to review this bill monthly. The department head should request employees in his/her department to review their calls. For your convenience, attached is a copy of a telephone log that may be used by each employee who makes a long distance personal call (see link below). The log then can be verified against the monthly bill. All personal calls should be paid for by the individual. The employee should make payment at La Cap Federal Credit Union. A copy of the receipt should be given to the department head to attach to the monthly bill. Once the employees and the department head have completed the review process, the department head should retain a copy for his/her records. The records should be kept for at least three (3) years. These records may be required for audit purposes. [Long Distance Phone Log] (Rev. 4/14/2011) Payroll Vouchers Policy & Procedures [Print Version] To comply with auditor’s recommendations, the following process has been established in the Payroll Office for Overload, Overtime Payroll Vouchers and Casual Wage Labor Vouchers. Any employees requesting overload or overtime pay will be required to provide an approved leave report if the time worked by the employee is during normal work hours. Normal work hours for 12 months Unclassified and Classified employees are 7:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 7:30 am to 11:30 am Friday. Normal work hours for Faculty include class teaching time, office hours and any other scheduled duties.
Payroll vouchers for payment of overload pay for Faculty and Unclassified staff and overtime pay for Classified staff and for Casual Wage Labor will be routed as follows:
The Payroll Office employees will verify accuracy and completeness of time reports, all signatures are originals and verify these vouchers have not been duplicated from an earlier date. After these steps have been done, a file is made for each individual who has an overload, overtime voucher, or casual labor voucher. A copy of the voucher is kept in the folder with dates and times from the vouchers recorded on the calendar which is also kept in each folder. The Budget Office employees will check accounts for overdrafts on a monthly basis. The Budget Office employees will contact departments to prepare budget adjustments if overdrafts have occurred. If funds are not available, departments will not be allowed to request any further overload, overtime pay, or casual wage labor. (Rev. 6/29/2012) ULM Policy and Procedure on Recoupment of Overpayments [Print Version] This policy is being implemented in accordance with R.S. 42:460 which became effective March 20, 2005. Policy: Introduction Overpayments occur when compensation that is not owed to the employee is paid in error. This includes but is not limited to overpayment of wages, annual and sick leave paid in error, as well as, erroneous refunds of deductions. Unearned payments to employees are prohibited by Article 7, Section 14 of the Louisiana State Constitution which prohibits the donation of public funds. As a result, ULM is required to make a reasonable effort to recoup overpayments from both active and separated employees. Recoupment will occur once the employee has received written notice and the appropriate time for a dispute has passed. Procedure: Notification Once it is determined that an overpayment has been made, the Controller’s Office will immediately notify the employee of the error. This notice must in writing and include the following:
Recoupment from an Active (Current) Employee If the recoupment is due from an active employee, the following repayment options are available:
If an employee who has been overpaid is separating (terminating) from ULM, the amount of the overpayment must be withheld from the employee’s final paycheck. If the full amount is not recovered, ULM should follow the guidelines for a Separated Employee. The amount to be recouped in a one-time payment or in recurring payments cannot bring the employee’s biweekly gross hourly wage amount below the federal minimum wage. If the employee agrees to have a larger amount withheld, ULM must obtain written approval from the employee. Recoupment from Employees Transferring to Another State Agency If an overpaid employee is transferring to another state agency, and the losing agency has not completed the recoupment process, the losing agency must notify the gaining agency that the employee has an outstanding balance due the losing agency. The losing agency must provide pertinent documentation regarding the details of the overpayment and the recoupment plan established. The losing and gaining agencies must work together to determine a reasonable solution for recouping the overpayment from the employee and for transferring funds received at the gaining agency back to the losing agency. Recoupment from Separated Employees If the overpayment is to be recouped from a Separated Employee, the following repayment options are available:
If ULM is unable to recover overpayments from a separated employee, ULM must follow policies regarding consulting the legal department (at the System Level) to determine if legal recourse is warranted. Procedure for Disputing the Overpayment: The employee should present their dispute to the Controller in writing with in five (5) working days from the date of notification of the overpayment. This statement must contain the reason(s) why the employee feels the overpayment was not in error. The Controller will respond to the employee within ten (10) working days from receipt of the written dispute. If the employee is still not satisfied with the response from the Controller, the employee may then send the dispute to the Vice President of Business Affairs within five (5) days of receipt of the Controller’s response. The Vice President will respond to the employee within fifteen (15) working days from receipt of the written dispute. Condition of Employment A signed statement must be obtained from the prospective employee acknowledging his/her understanding of ULM’s recoupment policy and procedure and that, if overpaid, the overpayment may be recouped in a future pay period after notification from ULM in accordance with ULM’s policy. Prospective employees include new hires and employees who have transferred. The request for this signed statement will be obtained during the New Hire Orientation process. (Rev. 3/20/2005) Special Meals Policy [Print Version] In accordance with Section VII-C of the Louisiana Travel Guide: “A department head may authorize a special meal within allowable rates to be served in conjunction with a working meeting of departmental staff.” At ULM, the designated department head is the ULM President. To request a meal during a meeting, the Request for Special Meal form must be completed and approved prior to each event. The cost per person should fall within the PPM 49 limits (In-state meal costs). Funds must be available at the time the request is made. Once the Special Meal form has been completed with all approvals, send the original form to the Controller’s Office and keep a copy for your department’s records. This form will be needed when the payment is requested. (Rev. 10/19/2010) Student Refund Distributions Policy [Print Version] Student refunds are either directly deposited or mailed. They are NOT to be picked up.
Student refunds are processed every Friday, unless a holiday occurs. Note: Receiving your refund direct deposit is quicker than mailing a paper check. (Rev. 2/10/2011) Student Worker General Policy [Print Version] Student workers can by funded through federal funds or state funds. Federal College Work Study Students at ULM are called “04” workers and State College Work Study Students are called “03” workers. To determine if a student is eligible for federal college work study funds a student must file a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form on a yearly basis and request college work study on the application. If the student qualifies, these funds are awarded on a first come, first serve basis. Federal funding is limited. If a student is not eligible for federal college work study, they may qualify for state work study. State work study (student labor funds) is dependent on the individual department’s budget. Only if the department has student labor funds, can a student be hired. Student workers, regardless of the type (03 or 04), are only allowed to work up to 20 hours a week while school is in session. In order to work, a student must be enrolled at least half time. This is 6 hours for undergraduate and 5 hours for graduate students in the fall and spring semesters and 3 hours in at least one summer session. During the interim period before the fall semester, only students who are working during the summer and the students returning from the previous positions from the spring will be allowed to work. For example: if a student worker worked in either the prior Spring semester or one of the summer sessions and has registered for the Fall semester, that student may begin working during the interim period between Summer 2 and Fall. This is usually about a two week period. During the interim period before spring semester, only students who are returning from the previous positions from the fall and enrolled in the spring semester will be allowed to work. During the interim period before the summer session, only students who are returning from the previous positions from the spring and enrolled in the summer session will be allowed to work. New College Work Study recipients (03 or 04 workers) are not allowed to work during an interim period. They may begin work on the first day of classes, but they must be enrolled at least half time and have the appropriate paper work completed. Students are not allowed to work during scheduled class times. If a student drops below half time or resigns from school, they are no longer allowed to work and must be dismissed. Student workers classified as “04” workers (Federal College Work Study) who have accepted their award must go to the Financial Aid Office to pick up their College Work Study authorization card. They will then be instructed on the job placement process. The “04” workers are not allowed to work in more than one department during the same semester. Student workers classified as “03” workers (State Student Labor) must go to the Payroll Office for instructions on how to be hired and the necessary paper work that is required. The “03” workers are allowed to work in more than one department during the same semester, but they still can not work over 20 hours a week. (Forms for 03/04 student workers may also be found at this link.) Any exceptions to the above must be requested and sent to the Controller for approval. Policy for Students Working during the Summer Sessions, but not Enrolled A student can be allowed to work during the summer sessions if they are not enrolled in class. These students must qualify as a “Bona Fide Student”. To qualify as a “Bona Fide Student” and be eligible to work during the summer session, a student must have been enrolled as a full-time regular student in the prior Spring semester and completed that semester and has enrolled for the Fall semester. A “bona fide student” shall retain his student status during the summer breaks. These students will be allowed to work up to a maximum of 25 hours per week during the summer sessions. This work is also dependent on the department having the appropriate funds to pay the students. The students are paid from expense code 1230. Paper work for these students is processed through Human Resources. (A Payroll Action Form B must be completed by the hiring department.) These students will be paid on a biweekly basis during the summer Amendment effective for summer 2008: HOURS 03 AND 04 WORKERS CAN WORK Students may work up to 40 hours per week May 12, 2008 thru May 30, 2008 (Summer Intersession) if the student is not enrolled in the Intersession. Departments must email Payroll the list of students they are requesting to work between 25 and 40 hours a week during this period. Students may work up to 25 hours per week June 2, 2008 thru July 31, 2008 depending on the departmental funds (03) or their financial aid budget (04). Students may work up to 40 hours per week August 1, 2008 thru August 15, 2008. Starting August 18, 2008 students go back to working up to 20 hours per week. Students (03 workers only) who were full time in the spring and returning in the fall are eligible to work even if there are not enrolled. They are considered a “Bona Fide Student”, but because they are not in school their pay is subject to social security and Medicare taxes. They must adhere to the summer hours listed above and of course this depends on the department’s budget. (Rev. 6/3/2008) Travel Policy [Print Version] All In-State Conference, all Out-of-State and all International travel must be authorized and approved in writing by the appropriate Vice President or President. The President will approve travel for his staff and all Vice Presidents. A file shall be maintained on all approved travel authorizations. This file will be maintained in the Controller’s Office. For International travel, the completed Travel Authorization (TA [.XLS]) must be sent to the Chief Business Officer (CBO) for approval along with the approved letter of request to the President's Office. Again this approval must be received prior to the travel time. The State of Louisiana has contracted travel agency services with Short's Travel Management (1-888-846-6810). It is mandatory that employees use Short's Travel Management for airfares unless exemptions have been granted by the Division of Administration prior to travel. In order to travel, an employee must complete the ULM Travel Authorization form (.XLS) and have his/her department head and the appropriate senior official (Vice President or President) approve. Approval must also be given for certification that funds are available for these travel expenses from the appropriate Approving Agent. Once this form is completed with proper approvals, send the original form to the Controller’s Office and keep a copy for your records. An employee must have an approved TA form for the trip which he/she is requesting reimbursement. This form must be approved in advance of the travel. For those employees requesting a rental vehicle as part of their domestic travel, insurance purchased with the rental vehicle is not reimbursable by the State or ULM. Authorization for a rental vehicle must also be approved by the appropriate senior official (Vice President, CBO, or President). Travel Authorizations must be completed even if the travel involves no expenses. A Travel Authorization is not required for routine In-State business and/or meetings as long as there are funds in your budget to cover this routine travel. All travel expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with the State Travel Regulations approved by the Governor, through the Division of Administration. (Policy and Procedure Memorandum No. 49 – Travel Regulations) For details, please refer to the following web site: http://doa.louisiana.gov/osp/Travel/TravelOffice.htm (Rev. 9/12/2011) Travel Procedures [Print Version]
International Travel Procedures [Print Version]
TRAVEL TIPS [Print Version]
One of the major changes from prior years deals with meals for same-day travel. Single-Day Meals are no longer eligible for reimbursement. This means when an authorized traveler for the State is in travel status where no overnight stay is required, no meals are eligible for reimbursement. For all the details, please refer to the following web site: http://doa.louisiana.gov/osp/travel/travelpolicy/2011-12travelguide.pdf (Rev. 9/12/2011) Tuition and Fee Appeal Procedure [Print Version] If you need to appeal tuition and fees for any given semester: Write a letter to the attention of the Tuition and Appeals Committee. This letter should include the reason for consideration (illness, medical emergency, etc.) and include any and all documentation that will help us better understand your situation (medical documentation, etc.). Each appeal also MUST include a valid email address and contact phone number. Bring the letter and any supporting documents to Student Account Services, Coenen Hall 102. The letter can also be mailed to: The University of Louisiana at Monroe Or, the letter can be faxed to 318-342-3438 Committee Members: One representative from each of the following areas: Faculty, Financial Aid, Registrar, Student Account Services, and Student Affairs ***You will be informed of the decision on your appeal by an email to the address indicated on your appeal. Chrissie Autin - Clerk (Rev. 2/8/2012) Tuition and Fees Resignation Refund Policy – Fall and Spring [Print Version] A student who resigns from the University under the conditions listed below may receive a partial reduction of regular tuition, out-of-state tuition and student activity fees. The student must officially resign through the Registrar's Office no later than the fourteenth (14th) day of classes to be eligible for a reduction of fees.
Students resigning with disciplinary action pending or those suspended for disciplinary reasons are not eligible for refunds. Refunds will be applied to any existing indebtedness to the University prior to disbursement to a student. Students registered in Part of Term courses, such as 1st and 2nd eight weeks, have until the second (2nd) day of class to drop with 100% refund. No other refund is applicable for these courses. (Rev. 9/10/2012) Tuition and Fees Refund Policy – Summer [Print Version] A student who drops from classes from any part of the Summer term will be given a 100% refund through the second day of class only. No further refunds for resignations are applicable. Students resigning with disciplinary action pending or those suspended for disciplinary reasons are not eligible for refunds. Refunds will be applied to any existing indebtedness to the University prior to disbursement to a student. (Rev. 2/10/2011) ULM's Policy for the Utilization of Personal Vehicles for University Business & Mileage Reimbursement [Print Version] This policy is developed in accordance with the Office of State Purchasing and Travel PPM 49. The purpose of this policy is to provide clarification to PPM 49 and to provide for effective and efficient administration of this policy. This policy is for In-State Travel. The following employees/positions are allowed to use personal vehicles for University business;
The above listed personnel will be exempt from the 99 mile maximum reimbursement for personal vehicle use. All other employees/positions will be required to use a university vehicle or rental vehicle in accordance with the Revised State Motor Pool Rental Contract. Use of personal vehicles except as noted above is subject to the 99 mile maximum reimbursement. All mileage reimbursements will be at the current rate as listed in PPM 49. Students shall not be authorized to drive state-owned, rented, or personal vehicles for use on official state business if not employed by the State, i.e. student workers or graduate assistants. Only individuals who have completed the Driver Safety Program and who have been authorized by the University President or his designee shall operate vehicles on University business. Individuals shall operate only those vehicles for which they are licensed. The ULM Driver Safety Program applies to all drivers of licensed vehicles owned, leased and /or rented by the University, private vehicles used on University business, as well as unlicensed motorized utility vehicles operated on University property. All exceptions to this policy will be handled on a case by case basis and shall be requested in writing through the Chief Business Officer or the President. (Rev. 9/12/2011) |
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