SUNY University-Wide
Human Resources Manual
Glossary
- Terms Significant to the Human Resources Function in the State University
of New York
last updated:
Monday, July 25, 2005
Following is a glossary
of terms that are significant to the human resource function. While many of
the terms are specifically defined as they apply to employment in the State
University of New York or other employment in the civil service of the State
of New York, many relate to the human resource function in general. A unique
feature of this glossary is the inclusion, in italics, of active verbs that
could be used in job descriptions to differentiate levels of duties and responsibilities.
An alphabetical
index is provided to assist you in locating the reference you seek. Also, you
will note that the parenthetical notations often appearing following a term
are an attempt to identify the source for a definition: (SUNY) refers
to the Policies of the Board of Trustees; (NYS CSL) refers to the Civil
Service Law; (NYS Class & Comp) refers to materials prepared by the Classification
and Compensation section of the Civil Service Department; (NYS Taylor Law)
refers to the Public Employees' Fair Employment Act; (Federal) refers
to definitions from federal government statutes, rules, regulations, and executive
orders; (NYS Payroll) refers to the NYS Payroll Manual prepared by the
Office of the State Comptroller; (NYS Pers Manual) refers to the Personnel
Manual prepared by the NYS Department of Civil Service; (NYS Budget)
refers to budget bulletins and other materials relating to the budget process
in State agencies; and (Contract) refers to at least one of the collective
bargaining agreements between the State and the unions that represent university
employees.
|A
| B | C | D
| E | F | G
| H | I | J
| K | L | M
| N | O | P
| Q | R | S
| T | U | V
| W | X | Y
| Z |
- ABOLITION OF POSITIONS
(NYS):
- the abolition of positions
is a prerequisite to the termination of permanent employees in the classified
service for the reason of economy. (Attorney General's decision, 1976) Agencies
may not layoff employees without abolishing positions.
- ACADEMIC
EMPLOYEE (SUNY):
- an academic
rank or qualified academic rank employee in the
Professional Services Negotiating Unit.
-
ACADEMIC RANK (SUNY):
- rank held by those
members of the professional staff having the title of professor, associate
professor, assistant professor, instructor, including geographic full-time
faculty members having such titles, and rank held by members of the professional
staff having the titles of librarian, associate librarian, senior assistant
librarian, and assistant librarian.
- ACADEMIC STAFF (SUNY):
- the staff comprised
of those persons having academic rank or qualified academic rank.
- ACADEMIC
YEAR OBLIGATION (SUNY):
- an annual obligation
of service for the academic year, not to exceed 10 months.
- ACCOUNTABILITY:
- the correct use of
delegated authority to meet a specific responsibility.
- ACRONYMS (SUNY/NYS):
- For a list of acronyms
associated with the SUNY Human Resources function, go to: Acronyms.
Some of these acronyms also are included in this glossary.
- ADA: (See
Americans With Disabilities Act)
- ADMINISTER:
- manage or direct the
execution of affairs.
- ADMINISTRATIVE SALARY
PLAN (SUNY)
- SUNY Board of Trustees
approved salary plan for Presidents of the State-operated campuses, the Chancellor,
Executive Vice Chancellor, Senior Vice Chancellor and Provost.
-
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES UNIT (ASU) (NYS Taylor Law):
- a negotiating
unit in NYS service composed of classified service employees, primarily
office and administrative support staff, currently represented by the Civil
Service Employees' Association, Inc. (CSEA). See related information at:
- ADOPT:
- to take up and practice
as one's own.
- ADVISE:
- to recommend a course
of action; offer an informed opinion based on specialized knowledge.
- ADVISORY ARBITRATION:
- a proceeding where
an arbitrator issues a decision which is not final and binding on the
parties.
- AFFECTED CLASS:
- those groups of persons,
and protected by anti-discrimination laws, who because of past discrimination,
may continue to suffer the effects of such discrimination. Affected class
status may be determined by statistical analysis and/or court decision.
- AFFIDAVIT:
- a written declaration
of facts made voluntarily under oath. This is made without notice to an opposing
party and without the opportunity for cross-examination.
- AFFIRMATIVE
ACTION:
- any action intended
to correct effects of past discrimination, to eliminate
present discrimination, or to prevent discrimination for the future.
- AFFIRMATIVE
ACTION GROUPS:
- those persons identified
by the federal and state laws to be specifically protected from employment
discrimination.
- AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN:
- a statement of goals,
timetables, and programs indicating how the employer plans to move the current
status to parity. Also, a document required of government contractors under
the regulations of the Office
of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). The employer is obliged
to compare the internal distribution of minorities and females to their incidence
in the external labor market and to determine whether or not the employer
is at parity with the external labor market.
- AGE DISCRIMINATION and
EMPLOYMENT ACT of 1967 (ADEA) as amended (Federal):
- Specifies it is unlawful
for an employer to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge an individual or
otherwise discriminate against an individual with
respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because
of an individual's age. For more information go to Age
Discrimination (ADEA)
- AGENCY FEE:
- a fee deducted from
the salary of New York State employees who are non-members of the employee
organization chosen by their negotiating unit, if any,
to represent them for purposes of collective bargaining.
The fee deduction is equivalent to the dues deducted for members. It is considered
payment for services or benefits provided to non-members of the employee organization
as a result of collective bargaining. See related information at: Agency
Fee Payroll Deduction.
- AGENCY LAW ENFORCEMENT
SERVICES (ALES)
- a negotiating
unit in NYS service represented by Council 82, AFSCME, AFL-CIO, that comprises
certain personnel who have police duties and responsibilities and are
employed in the Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of Parks,
Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the State University of New York.
The titles in this unit include environmental conservation officer, park patrol
officer, environmental conservation investigator I and II, supervising environmental
conservation officer, university police officer I and II, university police
investigator I and II, forest ranger I and II. This unit was established in
2003.
- AGENCY REDUCTION TRANSFER
LIST (NYS):
- a mandatory list established
prior to the date of layoff containing the names of employees in impacted
titles at impacted locations ranked by seniority who are eligible for transfer
to positions in other agencies in their current title and direct line lower
level titles. "BUMP" - is a commonly used term that does not appear in the
NYS laws or rules governing RIF's. It means vertical displacement within the
competitive class from a higher level title to a lower level title in a direct
line of promotion.
- ALIEN:
- an individual born
in, and a citizen of, a country other than the country in which he or she
is living.
- ALLOCATE (NYS Class
& Comp):
- to assign a class to
a particular salary grade in the salary schedule based on an evaluation of
its duties and responsibilities. To reallocate is to change the existing allocation
of a class to a different salary grade in the schedule.
- ALTERNATE WORK SCHEDULE:
(See Executive Order 68)
- AMERICAN
SOCIETY FOR TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT (ASTD):
- a professional organization.
For more information go to: American Society
for Training and Development.
- AMERICANS
WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990 (ADA):
- the ADA prohibits discrimination
on the basis of disability in employment, programs and services provided by
state and local governments, goods and services provided by private companies,
and in commercial facilities. For more information go to: ADA
Information on the WEB.
- AMICUS CURIAE:
- a party not involved
in a lawsuit but who has an interest in its outcome and who submits arguments
to the court in an effort to aid the court in reaching its judgment.
- ANALYZE:
- separate into elements
and critically examine.
- ANNUITY:
- a fixed amount of money
payable periodically for life or for a fixed number of years which has been
bequeathed, donated, or purchased.
- ANSWER:
- a response by the person
who is sued, or response to a question.
- ANTE (NYS Budget):
- Refers to the maximum
expenditure which may be authorized. For positions, the maximum amount which
may be paid to an incumbent. (At not to exceed).
- ANTICIPATE:
- foresee and deal with
in advance.
- APPEAL (NYS Class &
Comp) (NYS CSL):
- application to the
Civil Service Commission to review a determination of the Director of Classification
and Compensation. Also includes application to the Civil Service Commission
to review decisions of the Department of Civil Service on minimum qualifications,
comparability of title for examination, and test grades. Also, the act of
a plaintiff who wishes to test a Civil Service Commission decision in court
under Article 78 of the Civil Practice Laws and Rules. Action moving a Step
One grievance decisions to Step Two, etc.
- APPELLANT:
- the party who appeals
a decision.
- APPENDIX A (SUNY):
- a list of professional
services negotiating unit positions not eligible for permanent appointment
found at the end of Article XI in the SUNY Policies of the Board of Trustees.
In lieu of permanent appointments, appointees to Appendix A titles must be
given 5-year term appointments after an initial 1 year probationary appointment.
- APPLICATION:
- the act of requesting.
Includes a request to the Director of Classification and Compensation for
a change in title and/or salary as provided by the NYS Civil Service Law and
other requests for review of administrative actions of the Department of Civil
Service. Also includes requests for consideration for employment from candidates
for positions and employee requests for promotion. An Application Blank is
the formal record of a person's request to be employed.
- APPOINTING AUTHORITY
or APPOINTING OFFICER (NYS CSL) (SUNY):
- the officer, commission
or body having the power of appointment to subordinate positions. In SUNY,
each campus President is an appointing authority.
- APPOINTMENT:
- the act of placing
a person in a position or office.
- APPOINTMENT YEAR (SUNY):
- unless the terms of
appointment otherwise provide, the normal appointment year shall be from September
1 to August 31, regardless of payroll mode; provided however, that an academic
year employee may be required to commence her/his professional
obligation at a date reasonably prior to September 1 as may be necessitated
by a college's operating requirements.
- APPRAISE:
- give an expert opinion/judgment
of worth or merit.
- APPROVE:
- accept as satisfactory;
exercise final authority with regard to the commitment of resources.
- ARBITRARY:
- something done capriciously
or at pleasure; without adequate determining principle; non-rational.
- ARBITRATION (NYS Taylor
Law):
- a procedure through
which a third party neutral arbitrator examines facts in a hearing and renders
an award to settle a dispute. Sometimes referred to as "Rights Arbitration"
in contrast to "Interest Arbitration".
- ARBITRATOR:
- an impartial person
selected by the parties to a dispute who is empowered to make a determination
concerning the issues in dispute.
- ARRANGE:
- make preparation for
an event; put in proper order.
- ARTICLE 78 PROCEEDING:
- a proceeding brought
in New York State Supreme Court for review of governmental action pursuant
to Article 78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules.
- ASSEMBLE:
- collect or gather together
in a predetermined order from various sources.
- ASSIGN:
- specify or designate
tasks or duties to be performed by others.
- ASSUME:
- undertake; take for
granted.
- ASSURE:
- give confidence, make
certain of.
- ASTD (Organization):
(See: American Society for Training and Development).
- ASU (NYS Taylor Law):
(See: Administrative Services Unit)
- AUTHORITY:
- refers to the right
a manager has to control the activities of subordinates. Decision-making power.
- AUTHORIZE:
- approve; empower through
vested authority.
-
Go to Glossary Index or go to Table
of Contents
-
- BARGAINING AGENT:
- the employee organization
chosen by employees in a negotiating unit to have exclusive
representation rights for them in collective bargaining.
- BARGAINING UNIT: (See:
Negotiating Unit)
- BASE ANNUAL SALARY:
- the base salary before
the addition of overtime pay or of any temporary or "emergency" increases
approved for a limited period or purpose, or any extra service compensation
or additional stipend or pay for other services such as service as department
chair.
- BASIC WORKWEEK CLASSIFIED
EMPLOYEES (NYS CSL):
- the basic workweek
shall be 40 hours; provided, however, that where a shorter workweek would
not interfere with the proper performance of government functions, an appointing
authority may establish a basic workweek of not less than 37 1/2 hours.
(See Workweek)
- BLUE CROSS - BLUE SHIELD
- a health insurance
provider. A major product is the managed care program offered by the "Blue
Choice" (HMO) plan. More information is available at: Blue
Cross - Blue Shield.
- BONA FIDE OCCUPATIONAL
QUALIFICATION - BFOQ or BOQ.
- a minimum qualification
requirement needed as a prerequisite to being able to do a particular job.
BFOQs, if challenged, must be demonstrated to be valid by the employer. The
courts have interpreted BFOQs very narrowly, especially with regard to sex.
Each applicant must be treated as an individual in comparing his or her skills
to the skills required to perform the job.
- BRIEF:
- a paper written by
a lawyer to serve as a basis for his or her later oral argument to the court.
Its use is largely to inform the court of the lawyer's argument, authorities
on questions of law, and desired interpretation of the case.
- BUDGET:
- financial statement
of a plan.
- BUDGET CERTIFICATE (NYS
Payroll): (See Certificate of Approval)
- BUMP (NYS CSL):
- the displacement of
one classified service employee by another who is being laid off and has greater
seniority and is serving in the next higher level direct line title in the
layoff unit.
- BURDEN OF PROOF:
- the responsibility
for demonstrating to the requisite degree the truth of one's claim; the affirmative
duty of proving or disapproving the claim at issue.
-
BUSINESS NECESSITY:
- Supreme Court's touchstone
for determining lawfulness under Title VII of a discriminatory
effect. Must be essential to the safe and efficient operation of a business.
Generally involves whether the employer would be committed to additional costs
or a safety hazard if the discriminatory practice were abandoned. Savings
gained by shorter training periods, preserving or improving an employer's
image, customer or co-worker preferences, superior or inferior ability to
perform non-essential aspects of a job, or need to maintain harmony or decorum
at the place of business do NOT qualify as business necessities.
Go to Glossary Index or go to Table
of Contents
-
- CAFETERIA PLAN:
- a form of benefit compensation
in which employees may choose between two or more taxable or non-taxable benefits
(i.e., life insurance, health insurance, tax deferred annuities, etc.).
-
CALENDAR YEAR OBLIGATION (SUNY):
- an annual obligation
of service for a full year, (i.e., 12 months).
- CANVASS:
- an inquiry as to whether
an eligible candidate for a classified service vacancy would be willing to
accept appointment, if offered.
- CAPRICIOUS:
- subject to, led by,
or indicative of a sudden, unpredictable change without apparent or adequate
motive.
- CAREER:
- a sequence of jobs
held during a person's work life.
- CAREER LADDER:
- composed of jobs requiring
related and increasingly more responsible duties, through which employees
advance by experience, in-service training, and testing.
- CASUAL EMPLOYEE (SUNY):
- unclassified service
employee whose employment relationship is so limited as not to justify assignment
to a negotiating unit.
- CENTRALIZATION:
- upper level management
retains major decision making authority, creating all major policies and programs,
and preserving the authority to make significant changes.
- CEO:
- Chief Executive Officer.
- CERT (NYS Payroll):
(See Certificate of Approval)
- Budget Certificate.
- CERTIFICATE
OF APPROVAL (NYS Payroll):
- a listing, ordered
by payroll line item number, of positions and salaries approved by the NYS
Division of Budget for funding from a NYS appropriation for personal service
regular expenditures. The NYS Office of the State Comptroller cannot pay more
on a line item than the amount which is authorized on the certificate of approval.
Also known as Schedule of Positions (SOP). Go to: Schedule
of Positions for more information.
- CERTIFICATION (NYS Budget),
(NYS CSL), or (NYS Taylor Law):
- May refer to DOB certifying
positions and the Department of Civil certifying appointment to the payroll.
May also refer to the Public Employment Relations Board's
(PERB) certifying an employee organization as the exclusive representative
for a unit of employees.
- CHAOS:
- a condition created
when an organization changes the rules in response to every new situation.
- CHARGING PARTY:
- person alleging that
he or she is aggrieved as the result of an unlawful employment practice.
- CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE
OFFICER (SUNY):
- the head of a college
or contract college whether called president, dean, provost, director, or
otherwise. (CAO)
- CIVIL SERVICE (NYS CSL):
- encompasses all offices
and employments in the service of the State or any of its civil divisions,
except offices and employments in the Division of Military and Naval Affairs.
The Civil Service is divided into the unclassified
and classified service.
- CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
(NYS CSL):
- considered the "watchdog"
of the New York State merit system, the Civil Service Commission is composed
of three members appointed by the Governor. From the three, one is appointed
by the Governor to serve as President. The President is the administrative
head of the Department of Civil Service. The Commission
promulgates rules, hears appeals, and conducts investigations.
- CIVIL SERVICE LAW (NYS
CSL):
- law under which NYS
employment in the classified service is governed. For a summary of the law
go to: Civil
Service Law Summary.
- CIVIL SERVICE RULES
(NYS CSL):
- the rules of the Civil
Service Commission implement the Civil Service Law, provide procedures and
other details for carrying out the law, and have the force of law themselves.
- CLASS
or CLASS OF POSITIONS (NYS Class & Comp):
- one or more positions
sufficiently similar in respect to duties and responsibilities that the same
title may be used to designate each position in the group, the same salary
may be equitably applied, the same qualifications required, and the same examination
used to select qualified employees.
- CLASS ACTION:
- a lawsuit or grievance
initiated by one or more member(s) of a larger group of persons on behalf
of all the members of the group.
- CLASSIFICATION STANDARD
- a detailed statement
of the criteria for classifying positions under a title, basic duties and
illustravie tasks, supervision received and exerecised, askill and ability,
and occupational requirements.
-
CLASSIFIED SERVICE (NYS CSL):
- the classified service
shall comprise all offices and positions not included in the unclassified
service. The offices and positions in the classified service shall be
divided into four classes, to be designated as the exempt
class, the non-competitive class, the labor
class, and the competitive class.
- CLASSIFY (NYS Class
& Comp):
- to group positions
according to their duties and responsibilities and assign a class title.
- CLASS TITLE: (See
Title)
- CLEAR:
- gain approval of others.
- COBRA (Federal): (See:
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (Federal).
- COLLABORATE:
- work jointly with,
cooperate with others.
- COLLECT:
- gather or amass.
-
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING (NYS Taylor Law):
- statutory mechanism
for employees to participate collectively in the determination of their terms
and conditions of employment through meetings between their elected representatives
and their employer at which their terms and conditions of employment are negotiated.
Also used to resolve labor disputes.
- COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
AGREEMENT:
- An agreement reached
through collective negotiations between management and representatives of
employee unions. Go to: Links
to Collective Bargaining Agreements to view current agreements.
-
COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY PERSONNEL ASSOCIATION FOR HUMAN RESOURCES (CUPA-HR):
- an organization that
supports personnel administration in higher education. For more information
go to: College and University Personnel Association
for Human Resources .
-
COLLEGE YEAR OBLIGATION (SUNY):
- an annual obligation
of service for any period less than the full year (for professional
employees).
- COMPARABLE WORTH:
- the principle that
jobs can be compared which may be dissimilar in nature
but equal or equivalent in terms of skill, effort, responsibility, and working
conditions; used to achieve salary equity; popularly
tied to sex discrimination.
- COMPENSATION:
- remuneration for services
rendered or for damages incurred. Includes pay, incentives, and benefits provided
employees.
- COMPETENT:
- capable of doing a
certain thing; having capacity to understand, and act reasonably.
-
COMPETITIVE CLASS (NYS CLS):
- the competitive class
shall include all positions for which it is practicable to determine the merit
and fitness of applicants by competitive examination. See: Classified
Service Competitive Examination Announcements for information about examinations.
- COMPILE:
- put together information,
collect from other documents.
- COMPLAINT:
- an informal grievance;
a gripe; a non-contract dispute; the first paper filed by a plaintiff.
- COMPLIANCE:
- within statutory limits
and court interpretations, acts by an employer to bring practices into line
with civil rights legislation through training managers,
supervisors and employees; changing policies, procedures; altering compensation
levels; making physical plant changes; changing working hours; etc.
- COMPLIANCE AGENCIES:
- organizations established
under the Office of Federal Contract Compliance as internal sub-units of major
government departments or agencies, including, for example, the Department
of Labor, Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense. They are charged
with the administration of Executive Order 11246, Revised Orders No. 4 and
No. 14, and with the collection and analysis of Equal Employment Opportunity
(EEO) Reports and Affirmative Action Plans. Their powers of enforcement include
the ability to deny government business to contractors found in violation.
For more information go to: Office
of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
- COMPRESSED WORKWEEK:
- work schedules with
fewer than five workdays a week.
- COMPULSORY ARBITRATION:
- when the law authorizes
either party or an outside agency to impose a settlement after an arbitration
hearing.
- CONCILIATION:
- a settlement of a dispute
through discussion rather than formal hearings and/or a trial. Sometimes called
mediation. Used by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC), PERB, and Division of Human Rights, among others.
- CONCUR:
- agree with a position,
statement, action, or opinion.
- CONCURRENT:
- to run together, in
conjunction with; to exist together.
- CONDUCT:
- carry on; direct the
execution of.
- CONFER:
- consult with others
to compare views.
- CONFIDENTIAL (NYS Taylor
Law): (See: Management/Confidential).
- CONSENT DECREE:
- by comparison, the
judicial counterpart to conciliation; a formal court document approved by
a judge.
- CONSOLIDATE:
- bring together.
-
CONSOLIDATED OMNIBUS BUDGET RECONCILIATION ACT OF 1985 (COBRA) (Federal):
- this law requires that
most employers sponsoring group health plans offer employees and their families
the opportunity for a temporary extension of health care and union Employee
Benefit Fund coverage called "continuation coverage" at group rates in certain
instances where coverage under the program would otherwise end.
- CONSULT:
- seek the advice of
others.
- CONTINGENT PERMANENT
(NYS CSL):
- an appointment, transfer,
or reinstatement to a temporarily vacant position of a person meeting all
merit and fitness requirements for such appointment. Except in the case of
the return of a prior incumbent, contingent permanent appointees have all
rights and benefits of permanent appointees.
- CONTINUING APPOINTMENT
(SUNY):
- an appointment to a
position of academic rank which shall not be affected
by changes in such rank and shall continue until resignation, retirement,
or termination. (See: Tenure).
- CONTRACTOR OR EMPLOYEE
(Federal): Employee/Contractor
- CONTRIBUTORY PENSION
PLAN:
- the employee and employer
share the cost of pension benefits.
- CONTROL:
- measure, interpret,
and evaluate actions for conformance with plans and/ or desired results.
- CONTROLLING:
- staying with the plan
making sure the objectives are met and changing the plan as necessary.
- COORDINATE:
- regulate, adjust or
combine the actions of others to attain harmony.
- COORDINATION:
- the relationships between
various positions within an organization. Includes reporting and supervisory
relationships per organization chart.
- CORRELATE:
- establish a reciprocal
relationship.
- CORRESPOND:
- communicate in writing
with.
- COUNSELING:
- a private supervisory
conference between a supervisor and a subordinate employee at which the employee's
performance deficiencies are discussed. The motivation for such counseling
sessions is to improve the employee's performance and eliminate the performance
deficiencies. For more information about counseling go to: Counseling
- COUNSELING MEMORANDUM:
- a written follow-up
to an employee following counseling which confirms the reason for the
counseling, a summary of the effect of the employee's deficiencies, a summary
of the employee's response to the counseling, and the corrective actions expected.
- CUPA-HR (Organization):
(See: College and University Personnel Association for Human
Resources).
Go to Glossary Index or go to Table
of Contents
- DATA:
- facts and figures.
- DECENTRALIZATION:
- significant decision
making authority is delegated throughout the organization to lower management
levels.
- DECISION:
- a determination or
judgment. The result of an administrative or judicial review. In judicial
cases, possible results include dismissal of charges, injunction, and awards
for damages or punishment.
- DEDUCTION: (See: Payroll
Deduction).
- DEFENDANT:
- the person(s) or organization(s)
being sued.
- DEFINED
BENEFIT PLAN:
- a retirement program
under which the retirement benefit to be paid is some percentage of final
salary rather than simply the return on investment of the retirement fund.
- DEFINED CONTRIBUTION
PLAN:
- a retirement program
under which an employee contributes a percentage of salary and the return
on investment determines the retirement benefit.
- DELEGATE:
- commission another
to perform tasks or duties that may carry specific degrees of accountability.
Ideally authority should be passed to the lowest level within the organization
capable of making an effective decision.
- DEPARTMENTALIZATION:
- the process of combining
jobs into work units and grouping similar work units.
-
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL SERVICE (NYS CSL):
- in New York State,
it is the State's primary personnel management arm, responsible for the classification
and allocation of classified service State positions, the recruitment and
selection of candidates for State classified service employment, and the development
and maintenance of statewide agency personnel systems. For more information
go to: NYS Department of Civil Service
- DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
(NYS):
- Go to: NYS
Department of Labor
- DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION
AND FINANCE (NYS):
- visit this site at:
NYS Tax Department.
- DEPOSITION:
- a written declaration
of facts made voluntarily out of court but under oath in the presence of the
opposing party, who may conduct cross-examination in front of a court reporter.
- DESIGN:
- conceive, create, and
execute according to plan.
-
DESK AUDIT (NYS Class & Comp):
- a review and discussion
of the duties and responsibilities of a position made at an employee's desk
or other regular place of work.
- DETERMINE:
- resolve; fix conclusively
or authoritatively.
- DEVELOP:
- disclose, discover,
perfect or unfold a plan or idea.
- DEVISE:
- come up with something
new.
- DICTIONARY
OF OCCUPATIONAL TITLES (Federal):
- a dictionary of titles
and descriptive information about their classification created and maintained
by the federal government.
- DIRECT:
- guide operations through
the establishment of objectives, policies, rules, practices, methods, and
standards.
- DIRECT DEPOSIT OF PAYROLL:
- making direct deposit
of payroll to employee bank accounts via electronic transfer rather than writing
pay checks. For more information go to: Direct
Deposit.
- DISABILITY:
- state of not being
fully capable of performing all essential functions whether mental or physical.
- DISCHARGE:
- termination of a person's
employment by his or her employer.
- DISCIPLINE:
- action taken against
an employee for misconduct or incompetence when other efforts (i.e., counseling)
fail or when a single incident is so severe as to warrant it. In NYS service,
disciplinary penalties can only be imposed after an employee has been formally
charged and has exhausted his/her appeal rights. Disciplinary penalties range
from official reprimands, suspension without pay, fines, loss of accrued leave
credits, and reduction in grade, to dismissal from service. Except for cases
of extreme misconduct, discipline, where required, should be progressive and
consistent. An employee should be notified that a problem exists and given
a chance to improve before being disciplined. For more information about discipline
go to: Discipline.
- DISCOVERY:
- the legal term for
the investigation phase after a complaint is filed and the defendant has answered.
- DISCRIMINATION:
- the act of distinguishing
between and among different things. It is also a charge brought by people
alleging the operation of prejudice. When discrimination is done in a way
that disadvantages individuals because of accident of birth or condition,
it is unlawful. Thus discrimination may also be a conclusion of the courts
that plaintiffs have shown an adverse impact with regard to the employment
of protected class persons and employers have failed to demonstrate business
necessity.
- DISCUSS:
- exchange views for
the purpose of arriving at a conclusion.
- DISPARATE EFFECT or
DISPARATE IMPACT:
- the result of an employment
policy, practice, or procedure that, in application, has less favorable consequences
for an affirmative action group than for the dominant
group.
- DISPOSE:
- get rid of.
- DISSEMINATE:
- spread or disperse
information.
- DISTRIBUTE:
- deliver to proper destinations.
- DISTRIBUTION RATE:
- the degree (percentage)
to which a given protected class is employed in the
various job titles, job classes, and other units within the employing organization,
and the degree to which individuals of a given protected class are involved
in various employment transactions (for example, applications for employment,
hiring, placement, promotion, separation, etc.).
- DIVISION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
(NYS):
- Go to: NYS
Division of Human Rights
- DOT (Federal): Dictionary
of Occupational Titles.
- DRAFT:
- prepare papers or documents
in preliminary form.
- DRY PROMOTION:
- refers to an increase
in responsibility and status without an increase in pay.
- DUES CHECKOFF:
- the privilege granted
to the bargaining agent to have exclusive payroll deduction of membership
dues.
- DUTY:
- several tasks which
are related by some sequence of events.
Go to Glossary Index or go to Table
of Contents
-
- EAP:
- Employee Assistance
Program. Programs designed with the goal of assisting employees and their
family members to solve personal and work related problems which affect job
performance.
- EARMARK (NYS Class &
Comp):
- the term used when
a position has been designated for restudy when vacant to determine its proper
classification before being refilled.
- EDUCATION:
- concerned with increasing
our general knowledge, understanding, and background. (See
training) for contrast.
- EEO: (See:
Equal Employment Opportunity)
- EEOC (Federal): (See:
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
-
ELIGIBLE LIST (NYS CSL):
- a certified list of
candidates for a competitive title ranked in order of their respective final
examination ratings, including seniority and veterans credits.
- EMPIRE PLAN (NYS Health
Insurance Option)
- a health insurance
option for New York State employees. For more information go to: The
Empire Plan
- EMPLOYEE
(Federal):
- person working for
another person or an organization for compensation. In certain circumstances
it is difficult to determine whether a person is an employee or an
independent contractor. As a guide, see Contractor
or Employee to see 20 factors provided by the Internal
Revenue Service to assist employers in making this interpretation.
- EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION
NYS Taylor Law):
- means an organization
of any kind having as its primary purpose the improvement of terms and conditions
of employment of public employees.
- EMPLOYEE
POLYGRAPH PROTECTION ACT OF 1988 (Federal):
- for information, go
to: EPPA Employee
Polygraph Protection Act
- EMPLOYMENT PARITY:
- when the proportion
of affirmative action groups in the external labor market
is equivalent to their proportion in the company work force without reference
to classification.
- EMPLOYMENT PROCESS:
- under Title VII, the
employment process includes recruitment, application flow, hiring, job placement,
compensation, promotion, transfer, termination, shift assignments, geographical
and departmental assignments, and all other such activities.
-
EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT (Federal) (ERISA):
- Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974. Does not apply directly to SUNY or public, as
opposed to private, employers For more information, go to: ERISA
- EMPLOYEES'
RETIREMENT SYSTEM (NYS):
- a defined benefit retirement
program for NYS and NYS municipal employees. For more information go to: Employees'
Retirement System
- EPPA (Federal): (See:
Employee Polygraph Protection Act).
- ENDORSE:
- support or recommend.
- ERS (NYS): See: Employees'
Retirement System
- EQUAL
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY.
- civil rights requirement
for all citizens to have equal opportunity for employment.
-
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION (EEOC) (Federal):
- federal agency responsible
for administration of several statutes which prohibit discrimination; has
power to subpoena witnesses, issue guidelines that have the force of law,
render decisions, provide technical assistance to employers, provide legal
assistance to complainants, etc. For more information go to: U.S.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- EQUAL PAY ACT OF 1963
(Federal):
- makes it unlawful to
pay wages to members of one sex at a rate lower than paid to members of the
other sex for equal jobs that require equal skill, effort, and responsibility.
Jobs must be substantially equal based on job content.
- ERISA (Federal): (See
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974).
- ESTABLISH:
- bring into existence.
- ESTIMATE:
- forecast future requirements
or happenings.
- ETHICS (NYS)
- usually a reference
to New York State Ethics Commission which was established by the Public Officers'
Law. Go to: NYS Ethics
Commission for more information.
- ETHNIC CATEGORIES (Federal):
-
- American Indian
or Alaskan Native; a person having origins in any of the original
peoples of North America who maintains cultural identification through
tribal affiliation or community recognition;
- Asian or Pacific
Islander a person having origins in any of the original peoples of
the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian Sub-continent, or the Pacific
Islands;
- Black a
person, not of Hispanic origin, having origins in any of the black racial
groups of Africa;
- Hispanic
a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or
other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race; or
- White a
person, not of Hispanic origin, having origins in any of the original
peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East.
- EVALUATE:
- determine or fix the
value of. See Performance Evaluation for information
about employee evaluations.
- EXECUTE:
- put into effect or
carry out.
- EXECUTIVE ORDER 6:
- The New York State
executive order giving the New York State Civil Service Commission President
responsibility to enforce the State's policy of insuring full and equal employment
opportunities for minorities, women, the disabled and Vietnam-era veterans.
State agencies are required to submit written affirmative action plans to
the President.
- EXECUTIVE
ORDER 68:
- New York State executive
order which authorized and encourages State agencies to establish alternate
work schedules (i.e., flextime, 4 day workweek, etc.). Procedural guidelines
for submitting alternative work schedule proposals are contained in Budget
Bulletin G-1008, 5/1/78.
- EXECUTIVE ORDER 11246
(Federal):
- requires affirmative
action by government contractors. For more information go to: Executive
Order 11246
- EXEMPT
CLASS (NYS CLS):
- the following offices
and positions shall be in the exempt class: (a) one secretary of each state
department or division, temporary state commission or other state office;
authorized by law to appoint a secretary; (b) the deputies of principal executive
officers; (c) one secretary of each municipal board or commission; (d) one
clerk and one deputy clerk if authorized by law, of each court; (e) all other
subordinate offices or positions for the filling of which competitive or non-competitive
examination may be found to be not practicable. (No office of position shall
be deemed to be in the exempt class unless it is specifically named in such
class in the civil service rules).
- EXEMPT EMPLOYEES (Federal):
- employees in jobs that
are purely management, administrative, or professional that perform without
close supervision and consequently, they are exempt from coverage under the
Fair Labor Standards Act. Rules regarding overtime and
wages do not apply.
- EXERCISE:
- to put into action,
practice, or use; to make use of privileges or powers; to exert.
- EXPEDITE:
- accelerate the process
or progress of.
- EXPERT WITNESS:
- an individual qualified
by credentials to give opinion testimony. Although this term has to be limited
to a specific application, generally, in test validation at least, a master's
degree in psychology and experience in the field is required.
- EXTERNAL LABOR AREA:
- the geographic area
from which an employer may reasonably be expected to recruit new workers.
In a compliance sense, this total labor market has sub-markets within it,
comprised of persons with the requisite skills, experience, etc. to fill given
jobs.
- EXTERNAL LABOR MARKET:
- the civilian work force
within an external labor area.
- EXTRA LONGEVITY RATE
(NYS Class & Comp):
- salary resulting from
the addition of two extra increments provided to employees who have rendered
continuous and satisfactory service for ten years after having attained the
normal maximum pay of their salary grade.
- EXTRA SERVICE (NYS Payroll):
- work performed by an
employee in a payroll agency other than the payroll agency to which the employee
is assigned regularly or, under certain circumstances work performed at the
regularly assigned payoll agency that is totally different from regularly
assigned work and outside of the employee's normal obligation. See:
Go to Glossary Index or go to Table
of Contents
-
- FACT-FINDING:
- a formalized procedure
in which a third party examines the cause and status of a dispute through
oral and/or written presentation.
- FACTOR COMPARISON:
- a method of evaluating
jobs on a systematic basis by comparing key jobs with each other on a pre-determined
number of factors so that each key job is ranked in its relative order of
importance on each factor. Factor values are determined by apportioning the
current rate being paid for the job among the various factors. Ratings for
all other jobs are determined by comparison with the key jobs on each factor;
the sum of the factor values awarded is the job rate.
-
FACTOR POINT:
- a quantitative method
of evaluating jobs or groupings of jobs on a systematic basis using a pre-determined
number of factors which are divided into a number of defined levels or degrees,
each of which is assigned a value expressed in points. The sum of all the
points awarded to the job determines its relative value among the others being
evaluated.
- FAIR
LABOR STANDARDS ACT of 1938 (Federal):
- law enacted to establish
a minimum wage, to limit work hours, and to discourage oppressive child labor.
Referred to as the Wage Hour Act because it ensures fair treatment of employees
with respect to wages and hours. Act defines exempt and nonexempt employees.
For more information go to: Fair
Labor Standards Act Regulations
-
FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (Federal)
- Family Medical Leave
Act. For more information, go to: Family
Medical Leave Act Regulations
- FINANCIAL EXIGENCY:
- an imminent financial
crisis which threatens the survival of the institution as a whole and which
cannot be alleviated by less drastic means than layoffs.
- FINDINGS OF FACT:
- decision of a judge,
jury, hearing officer, or hearing body on issues of fact in a dispute.
- FLEXIBLE COMPENSATION/BENEFIT
SYSTEM:
- one in which each employee
has a choice in the form of all or a portion of his/ her compensation package.
- FLEXIBILITY LEGISLATION:
- Refers to a 1986 act
of the NYS Legislature which granted SUNY statutory authority, primarily fiscal,
to exercise greater independence than other State agencies.
- FLEXTIME:
- allows employees to
follow different schedules of work each day of the workweek.
- FLSA (Federal): (See:
Fair Labor Standards Act
- FMLA (Federal): (See:
Family Medical Leave Act).
- FORMULATE:
- develop or devise.
- FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
ACT (Federal):
- establishes that any
person has the right to request access to federal agency records or information.
For more information go to: Freedom of
Information
- FTE:
- Full Time Equivalent.
An accounting term used to equate an employee or the total number of employees
to a full time equivalent. For example, a part time employee who works one
half of the time required of a full time employee would be counted as 1/2
FTE. (The total number of employees, headcount, will always be more than the
total FTE if there are part time employees in the workforce).
- FUNCTION:
- work than can be distinguished
from other work. The kind of action or activity proper to a person, employee,
organizational unit, or institution. The primary purpose of a position within
an organization.
- FURNISH:
- provide with what is
needed; supply.
Go to Glossary Index or go to Table
of Contents
-
- GED: (See:
General Education Diploma).
-
GENERAL EDUCATION DIPLOMA:
- General Educational
Diploma - the GED is the high school equivalency certificate, generally recognized
as equal to a high school diploma for all practical purposes.
- GENERAL INCREASE (NYS
Class & Comp):
- a salary adjustment
which requires the permanent or temporary revision of the salary schedule
specified in Section 130 of the Civil Service Law, which governs the pay of
most employees. Such an increase may be granted only by action of the Legislature
with the approval of the Governor. Generally, a similar adjustment is provided
for those employees compensated under other schedules or by some other method.
- GEOGRAPHIC DIFFERENTIAL
(NYS Payroll):
- additional compensation
over an employee's basic annual salary which may be authorized by the Director
of Classification and Compensation subject to approval by the Director of
the Budget. The pay differential may be prescribed for those employees in
the same or related occupations who are employed in a particular geographic
area or location.
- GEOGRAPHIC FULL-TIME
FACULTY MEMBER (SUNY):
- a person serving on
the faculty of a medical center who is not employed on a full-time basis for
the purpose of fixing compensation payable by the State but all of whose professional
services and activities are conducted at the medical center or its affiliated
hospitals and are available to the State on a full-time basis for clinical
and instructional purposes.
- GOALS:
- good faith quantitative
objectives an employer voluntarily sets as the minimum progress that can be
achieved within a certain time period through all-out efforts at outreach
recruitment, validating selection criteria, creation of trainee positions,
career ladders, etc. Setting goals and objectives are considered proper and
legal responses to underutilization of minority groups by the various federal
agencies.
- GOER (NYS): (See:
Governor's Office of Employee Relations).
- GOOD CAUSE:
- substantial or legally
sufficient reason for doing something.
- GOOD FAITH:
- having no intention
to seek an unfair advantage or to defraud another party; making an honest
and sincere effort to fulfill obligations.
- GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS:
- responsible for negotiating
State-wide labor agreements and seeing that they are properly administered.
Click here: GOER for more information.
- GROUP OF CLASSES (NYS
Class & Comp):
- two or more closely
related classes having a common basis of duties, responsibilities, and qualification
requirements but differing in some particular, such as the nature of specialization,
which is essential from the standpoint of recruitment and selection and requires
that each class in the group be treated individually. Such classes have the
same basic title but are distinguished by a parenthetic.
Go to Glossary Index or go to Table
of Contents
-
- HARD-CORE UNEMPLOYED:
- those without jobs
whose lack of useful job skills results in extended periods without employment.
- HEALTH INSURANCE (NYS):
- See: Health
Insurance (NYSHIP)
- HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY
AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 1996 (Federal):
- a law that protects
people from loss of health insurance. For more information go to: Health
Insurance Portability.
-
HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 1996 (HIPAA)(Federal):
- created changes to
COBRA. For more information go to: HIPAA.
- HIGHER
MINIMUM (NYS Class & Comp):
- a salary step above
the normal minimum of a salary range, authorized by the Director of Classification
and Compensation, used temporarily to recruit personnel in specific instances
where the Director has determined that it is impracticable to recruit at the
minimum salary.
- HIPAA (Federal): (See:
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).
- HIRING RATE STUDY (NYS
Class & Comp):
- an annual study of
hiring rates paid for selected beginning level positions by large manufacturing
and non-manufacturing employers throughout New York State. Has been conducted
among the same employers each year since 1951 as one basis for comparison
of New York State rates with those paid elsewhere.
- HOLIDAY PAY (NYS PAYROLL):
- additional compensation
for time worked by an employee during regularly scheduled hours on a date
observed as a holiday by the State.
- HOOK: (See
Parenthetic)
- HORIZONTAL REASSIGNMENT
(NYS):
- in a layoff situation,
an agency must offer more senior employees who cannot retain a position in
their current location an opportunity to be reassigned to another location
where they will displace less senior employees in the same title.
-
-
- Go to Glossary Index or go to Table
of Contents
-
- I-9 FORM (Federal:
- form required of all
appointees to verify their U.S. citizenship, or if they are aliens, their
eligibility for employment in accordance with the Immigration and Naturalization
Act of 1986. See: I-9
requirements for more information.
- IHRIM (Organization):
See: International Association for Human Resources Information
Management.
- IMMIGRATION
AND NATURALIZATION ACT OF 1986 (Federal):
- for information go
to: INA Immigration
and Naturalization Act
- IMMIGRATION
AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE (Federal): (Go to U.S.Citizenship
and Immigration Services).
- IMPASSE:
- a point in negotiations
where the parties appear to be unable to reach an agreement.
- IMPLEMENT:
- carry out; execute
a plan or program.
- IMPROVE:
- make something better.
- INA (Federal): (See:
Immigration and Naturalization Act).
- INCENTIVE:
- a part of compensation
that recognizes the results of an employee's efforts. Reward designed to encourage
performance and productivity.
- INCIDENCE RATE:
- a measurement of the
degree to which a specific protected class is involved in any of the various
steps of the employment process. If, out of a group of 100 black males, twenty-five
are promoted, the incidence rate is 25 percent. As a measure of compliance,
the incidence rate is compared with the degree to which the specific protected
class is represented in the external labor market.
- INCONVENIENCE PAY (NYS
PAYROLL):
- additional compensation
over an employee's basic annual salary which is authorized for employees who
are required to work four or more hours between 6:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M. in
their regular tour of duty.
- INCREASED MINIMUM: (See
Higher Minimum)
- INCREMENT (NYS Class
& Comp):
- an established salary
increase between steps of a given salary grade, marking a steady progression
from the minimum of the grade to the maximum.
- INFORMATION:
- data (facts and figures),
organized so that they are useful to the manager.
- INITIATE:
- start or introduce.
- INJUNCTION:
- may either require
that a certain practice be stopped or that something be done in the future;
orders other actions, such as relief, to affected class members.
- INSPECT:
- critically examine
for suitability.
- INS (Federal): (See:
Immigration and Naturalization Service) (name changed to U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services)
- INSTITUTIONAL
SERVICES UNIT (ISU) (NYS Taylor Law):
- a negotiation
unit in NY State service composed mostly of those classified service employees
responsible for providing therapeutic and custodial care in the State's institutions,
currently represented by the Civil Service Employees' Association, Inc. (CSEA).
See related information at:
- INSUBORDINATION:
- the intentional and
willful refusal to accept the valid authority of a supervisor ... the refusal
to act on a direct order.
- INTERNAL CONTROLS:
- for a review of NYS's
internal controls policies go to: Internal Controls
or
Internal Controls Standards for New York State.
- INTERNAL
REVENUE SERVICE (IRS)(Federal):
- agency of the federal
government that is responsible for the administration of tax statutes and
the collection of taxes. For more information, go to: Internal
Revenue Service
- INTEREST ARBITRATION
(NYS Taylor Law):
- involves use of an
arbitrator to resolve an impasse in contract negotiations.
-
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT (IHRIM):
- an association of professionals
involved in managing human resource information. For more information go to:
International Association of HRIM.
-
INTERNATIONAL PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (IPMA):
- a professional organization.
For more information go to: International
Personnel Management Association.
- INTERPRET:
- explain something to
others.
- INTERROGATORIES:
- written questions drawn
up and served on an opposing party with a prescribed time period to answer.
The party must then serve answers to the questions under oath. Sometimes used
in the deposition procedure.
- INVESTIGATE:
- study through close
examination or systematic inquiry.
- IPMA (Organization):
(See: International Personnel Management Association).
- IRS (Federal): If you
really don't know, go to: Internal Revenue Service.
- ISSUE:
- put forth or distribute
officially.
- ISU (NYS Taylor Law):
(See Institutional Services Unit).
- ITEM NUMBER (NYS Budget):
(See: Line Item Number)
-
- Go to Glossary Index or go to Table
of Contents
-
- JOB:
- one or more positions
within an organization. A job constitutes the smallest unit of the organizational
structure into which the activities of the enterprise can be divided.
- JOB AUDIT: (See
Desk Audit)
- JOB DESCRIPTION:
- a written summary of
tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a job.
- JOB DESIGN:
- consideration of the
content, functions, and relationships of jobs directed toward the accomplishment
of organizational purposes and satisfaction of the personal needs of individual
job holders.
- JOB ENLARGEMENT:
- increases the tasks
performed and tries to eliminate boredom.
- JOB ENRICHMENT:
- program designed to
increase worker satisfaction derived from the work itself.
- JOB EVALUATION:
- the systematic determination
of the relative worth of jobs within the organization, which results in a
pay system within the organization.
- JOB SHARING:
- dividing full time
jobs into two or more positions often without particular regard for how the
full time job is divided.
- JOB SPECIFICATION:
- the minimum skills,
education, and experience necessary for an individual to perform a job.
- JOB SPLITTING:
- dividing the tasks
of a single job into two entirely separate part time positions.
- JOB SUMMARY:
- one to three statements
which describe the essence of the job.
- JURISDICTIONAL CLASSIFICATION
(NYS CSL):
- means the assignment
of positions in the classified service to the competitive, non-competitive,
exempt, or labor classes.
- JURY TRIAL:
- more formal than a
bench trial; a jury hears the case.
-
- Go to Glossary Index or go to Table
of Contents
-
- KEY RESULT AREA:
- a distinct and important
function in the operation of an organization.
-
- Go to Glossary Index or go to Table
of Contents
-
- LABOR CLASS (NYS CSL):
- the labor class shall
comprise all unskilled laborers in the service of the state and each of its
civil divisions except those whose positions can be examined for competitively.
- LAYOFF:
- a layoff separates
surplus employees from the payroll. It is also used whenever an employee is
separated or loses status in his/her position as a result of the abolition
or reduction of positions. For example, employees whose positions are not
abolished but are "bumped" have been laid off.
- LAYOFF UNIT (NYS):
- separate units for
suspension or demotion within which layoffs occur. Agencies may be one layoff
unit, or may be subdivided into a number of units that are organizational,
or geographic, or differentiated by negotiating unit. President's Regulation
72.1 lists the approved layoff units for State agencies.
- LEAVE DONATION PROGRAM
(NYS):
- See: Leave
Donation Program
- LINE AUTHORITY:
- empowers the supervisor
with the right to command subordinates.
- LINE FUNCTION:
- any function that is
vital and contributes directly toward the accomplishment of the major organizational
objective.
- LINE
ITEM NUMBER (NYS PAYROLL):
- the unique number assigned
to a position to identify it for payroll, accounting,
and budget certificate purposes.
- LITIGATION:
- a judicial controversy;
lawsuits.
- LOCATION PAY (NYS PAYROLL):
- additional compensation
granted to an employee whose principal place of employment or official station
is located in the city of New York or in the county of Rockland, Westchester,
Nassau, Suffolk or Monroe.
- LONGEVITY RATE (NYS
Class & Comp):
- salary resulting from
the addition of one extra increment provided to employees who have rendered
continuous and satisfactory service for five years after having attained the
normal maximum pay of their salary grade.
- LOST TIME (NYS PAYROLL):
- employee absence not
covered by allowable leave credits results in a lost-time pay deduction.
-
- Go to Glossary Index or go to Table
of Contents
-
- MAINTAIN:
- keep in an existing/current
state.
- MAKING WHOLE:
- award of back pay employees
would have received but for the effects of unlawful practice.
- MANAGEMENT:
- accomplishing the objectives
of the organization through assigned resources.
-
MANAGEMENT/CONFIDENTIAL (NYS TAYLOR LAW):
- persons designated
by PERB as managerial or confidential are excluded from
coverage of the Taylor Law. Such persons are not eligible to be represented
by an employee organization for the purpose of collective negotiations. They
cannot belong to or hold office in an employee organization that represents
or seeks to represent public employees employed by the public employer. Criteria
for designation as managerial are:
- formulates policy;
- may reasonably
be required on behalf of the employer to assist directly in preparation
for and conduct of collective negotiations; and
- has a major role
in administration of agreements or in personnel administration not routine
or clerical and requiring exercise of independent judgment. See related
information at:
Confidential employees
assist or act in confidential capacity to managerial persons who have a labor
relations responsibility. See related information at:
- MANAGER:
- proactive, rather than
reactive, people who are responsible for planning and controlling.
- MANDAMUS:
- an order issued by
a court to a private or municipal corporation; an executive, judicial, or
administrative officer; or to an inferior court commanding the performance
of a particular act with the responsibility of the latter party.
- M/C: (See
Management/Confidential)
- MEDIATION:
- the intercession of
a neutral into a dispute for the purpose of aiding the parties to come to
an agreement. The mediator serves as a catalyst, as well as a liaison between
the parties, to stimulate both sides toward settlement.
- MEDICARE (Federal):
- medicare provides health
insurance to people age 65 and over and those who have permanent kidney failure
and certain people with disabilities. For more information go to: Medicare.
- MENTAL HEALTH PARITY
ACT OF 1996 (Federal):
- a new law that creates
new demands on HMOs and other health insurance programs that include mental
health benefits. For more information go to: Mental
Health Parity Act.
- MERIT:
- determined by job performance
and employee potential for development.
- MERIT SYSTEM:
- a system which attempts
to match people with jobs based upon the merit, qualifications, and fitness
of the people to perform the tasks, duties, responsibilities, and functions
of the organization. To the extent possible, merit and fitness are determined
by competitive examination.
- MINIMUM
QUALIFICATIONS (NYS Class & Comp):
- education, training,
and/or experience requirements denoting the minimum standards that all candidates
are required to possess to give reasonable assurance that they can perform
satisfactorily.
- MINIMUM WAGE (Federal):
- the minimum hourly
rate an employee may be paid for employment in the United States by federal
statutue. For more information go to: Minimum
Wage.
- MONITOR:
- watch, observe, or
check for a specific purpose.
Go to Glossary Index or go to Table
of Contents
-
- NACUBO (Organization):
(See National Association of College and University Business Officers). NACUBO
- NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY BUSINESS OFFICERS (NACUBO):
- a professional organization
of college/university business officers. For more information go to: National
Association of College and University Business Officers.
-
NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE (NCQA):
- a professional organization
that evaluates and accredits managed care plans including HMOs. For more information
or to check the rating for a particular managed care plan go to: National
Committee for Quality Assurance.
- NCQA (Organization):
(See National Committee for Quality Assurance).
- NEGOTIATE:
- confer with others
with an eye to reaching agreement.
- NEGOTIATING
UNIT (NYS Taylor Law):
- a negotiating unit
is the grouping of employees for the purpose of collective negotiations. When
it is agreed or determined which employees shall make up a unit, the employees
then select the employee organization they want to represent them in negotiations.
In New York State the groupings are usually determined by, the
Public Employees' Relations Board, on the basis of job
class.
- NEWBORNS AND MOTHERS'
HEALTH PROTECTION ACT OF 1996 (Federal):
- a new law that, among
other things, regulates the period of hospital stay for newborns and mothers.
For more information, go to: Newborns
and Mothers Health Protection.
- NEW YORK STATE:
- links to New York State
governmental agencies and departments may be found at: New
York State.
- NON-COMPETITIVE
CLASS (NYS CSL):
- the non-competitive
class shall include all positions that are not in the exempt or the labor
class and for which it is found by the commission having jurisdiction to be
not practicable to ascertain the merit and fitness of applicants by competitive
examination.
- NON-CONTRIBUTORY PENSION
PLAN:
- pension plan financed
entirely by employer.
- NON-STATUTORY
OR NS (NYS Class & Comp):
- designates a position,
the salary of which is not fixed by statute but is established by the Director
of the Division of Budget.
- NOTICE REQUIREMENTS
(SUNY):
- professional staff
appointed to term appointments in SUNY have to be given appropriate advance
notice if their term appointments are not going to be renewed. For specific
policy requirements go to: Notice
Requirements.
- NOTIFY:
- make known to.
- NS: (See
Non-statutory)
-
- Go to Glossary Index or go to Table
of Contents
-
- OBJECTIVES:
- similar to goals, a
good faith effort to meet numerical goals through modifications in employment
procedures and practice. Goals and objectives are set after careful external
and internal labor analysis.
- OCCUPATIONAL
SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT (Federal):
- a federal act that
sets and regulates health and safety standards for the work place. For more
information go to:
- OCCUPATIONAL PARITY:
- when the proportion
of affirmative action group employees in all occupational levels is equivalent
to their respective availability in the qualified external labor market. Eventually,
with the goal of equal educational and training opportunities, employment
parity and occupational parity may be equal.
- OCCUPATIONAL SURVEY
(NYS Class & Comp):
- a study of all positions
in a given class, series of classes, or occupational group in whatever departments
or agencies they may be located.
- OFCC (Federal):
- Office of Federal Contract
Compliance - has set guidelines for all federal contractors with respect to
nondiscrimination and affirmative action. For more information go to: Office
of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
- OFFICE
OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER (OSC):
- The Office of the State
Comptroller in New York State is responsible for the audit and control function,
for payroll auditing, for legal opinions, and for managing the NYS defined
benefit retirement programs. For more information, go to: Office
of the State Comptroller
- "OFFICE" TITLE (NYS
Class & Comp):
- a title which differs
from the classified title assigned to a job and which is used to describe
a particular position for other than payroll, budget, or official civil service
purposes. For example, a Head Clerk position might have an "office" title
of Office Supervisor.
- OJT:
- on-the -job-training
is job instruction given by an employee's supervisor or experienced employee.
After being shown how to do the tasks and duties, the employee works closely
with the trainer until the job is performed at an expected level of performance.
- OPEN-COMPETITIVE LIST
(NYS CSL):
- a certified list of
appointment eligibles containing the names of candidates who passed an open
competitive examination for a title ranked by examination scores. Transfer
lists, preferred lists, reemployment rosters, and promotional lists, if any,
take precedence. (See Eligible List).
- OPERATE:
- perform an activity
or series of activities.
-
OPERATIONAL SERVICES UNIT (NYS Taylor Law):
- a negotiating
unit in NYS service composed of craft workers, maintenance and repair
personnel and machine operators, currently represented by the Civil Service
Employees' Association, Inc., (CSEA). See related information at:
- ORGANIZATION:
- a structural framework
which establishes the basis