MEMORANDUM

Effective July 1, 2001, a new University Rewards and Recognition policy becomes available for use by University management (see http://www.hrs.virginia.edu/Policies/comp/emplrewards.html). The new policy provides an additional "compensation tool" to recognize performance on the part of an individual employee or team of employees. Under the policy, University management may grant up to $1000 in monetary or non-monetary awards and/or 5 days of recognition leave in a fiscal year. The new policy is applicable to Classified Salaried and Wage employees. Classified wage employees, however, are not eligible to receive recognition leave.

The new policy and guidelines are categorized into nine (9) reward and recognition programs.

1. Employee of the Month
2. Customer Service Recognition
3. Public Service Recognition
4. Recognition of Sustained or Improved Attendance/Safety
5. Improved Productivity/Sales Margin (e.g., Gainsharing)
6. Recognition of Outstanding Performance
7. Honoring Separating/Retiring Employees
8. Project Completion Individual/Team Award
9. Ideas that Make a Difference - Employee Suggestions

The first five recognition program areas are "planned recognition". These recognition programs are pre-arranged, more frequently scheduled ways of acknowledging contributions and accomplishments of an individual or team. The last four recognition programs allow management to provide "immediate recognition" or on-the-spot recognition to individuals or teams.

Each of these program areas, with the exception of Employee-of-the-Month, has 3 levels of rewards and recognition. The definitions of each level are described in the tables found in the policy (see http://www.hrs.virginia.edu/Policies/comp/emplrewards.html). The policy also contains important sections on the procurement of awards, the taxing of awards, and Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) implications for non-exempt employees receiving "planned" awards. All monetary awards and non-monetary awards of over $100 and recognition leave will be processed through the current Pay Action Request Form (PARF). Brief examples of the nine program areas are also included in the policy.

To implement the new policy each organization will be required to submit a written plan that will be reviewed by University Human Resources (UHR) and approved by their respective Vice President. All plans must be submitted to UHR by Friday, September 14, 2001. All plans must be approved by October 1, 2001. Vice Presidents may provide additional instructions to their respective units in establishing plans.

An written plan outline is attached. The written plan will require management to describe how they plan to use a particular program area. Management may select the program area(s) that best supports their mission and organizational goals. The nine program areas have been designed to provide a wide range of opportunities to recognize and reward performance. For each program area selected, management will need to describe:

1. the goal/objective of the recognition program;
2. the business reason(s) for using a recognition program;
3. the nomination process if applicable;
4. the specific criteria for differentiating the three levels of awards;
5. the approval process; and
6. the communication process.
   

Questions regarding the new policy and developing a written plan should be referred to Dave Ripley, Director of Compensation Management at 924-4373 (dwr@virginia.edu) or Jonette Aughenbaugh, Assistant Director of Compensation Management at 924-4747 (jla9u@virginia.edu).

Date of Plan: ______________________

Organization: __________________________________________________________

Contact Person:____________________________ Telephone: ___________________

E-mail: __________________

For each Recognition and Reward Program Area selected, please describe the following:

1. Name of Recognition & Reward Program (refer to the list of nine programs in the policy):
   
   
2. Goal/Objective:
   
   
3. Business Reason(s) for Using Program:
   
   
4. Nomination Process, if applicable:
   
   
5. Criteria to Be Used to Differentiate Levels of Awards:
   
   
6. Approval Process:
   
   
7. Communication Plan:
   
   
   1. How you plan to communicate the program to employees or teams, if applicable?
      
      
   2. How you plan to notify the employee or the team of the award?
      
      
8. Training:
   
   
   1. How you plan to train your organization's management, if applicable, who will be using the program?

Questions regarding the new policy and developing a written plan should be referred to Dave Ripley, Director of Compensation Management at 924-4373 (dwr@virginia.edu) or Jonette Aughenbaugh, Assistant Director of Compensation Management at 924-4747 (jla9u@virginia.edu).