PERSONNEL
60.23
Revised 6-09
Human Resource Services
335-4521
OVERVIEW
The University may appoint classified (civil service and bargaining unit-covered) employees to project positions when either of the following applies:
- Employment is contingent upon funding of specific and time-limited duration; or
- Employment is needed to complete a specific, defined project.
This section (60.23) covers only procedures regarding appointment of civil service employees to project positions.
To appoint a collective bargaining unit employee to a project position, refer to the applicable collective bargaining unit agreement.
Administration
WSU Pullman Human Resource Services (HRS) is responsible for overseeing and approving project employment status for positions at WSU locations systemwide.
STARTING A PROJECT POSITION
Complete a Position Action/PRR to establish a project position. See 58.02.
A department may create a project position when funding and/or the defined project allows for an appointment of no less than .50 FTE lasting a minimum of six months. (See 58.01 for definition of FTE.)
If funding and/or the defined project allow, the department may reappoint the employee to a project position after the end of the initial appointment. The department must complete a new Position Action/PRR to reestablish a project position. See 58.02.
Reduction in Force
Contact HRS at least 30 days before reducing an occupied position to a project position. Layoff procedures may apply to the reduction. See 60.37.
RECRUITMENT
Departments use the standard recruitment process to fill project positions. See 60.18. The recruitment requisition must indicate the project status of the position, including the expected ending date.
Required Statement
Include the following statement in the recruitment requisition, the Position Description, and the offer letter:
"This is a project position and is expected to end on (enter mm/dd/yyyy). Renewal is dependent on satisfactory performance, the need for extension to complete the project, and/or if additional funding is secured to extend the appointment."
NOTIFICATION
At the time of appointment, the University notifies the employee in writing of the status of the project appointment and the expected ending date of the project appointment in accordance with WAC 357-19-315.
Utilize the template offer letters available from the HRS Manager's Toolkit website at:
REVIEW PERIODS
Probationary
An employee accepting a project position who does not have permanent status must serve a six month probationary period. The employee gains permanent status within the specific project upon completion of the probationary period in accordance with WAC 357-19-320.
Trial Service
An employee with permanent status within a specific project must serve a trial service period in accordance with WAC 357-19-325 if the employee:
- Promotes to another position within the same project; or
- Voluntarily transfers to another position within the same project;
- Voluntarily demotes to another position within the same project.
PROCESS
Department Actions
To request the creation of a new project position or the review of a vacant project position, the requesting department submits the following documentation as indicated.
Position Action/PRR
The requesting department submits a signed Position Action/PRR form to Position Control; French 448, mail code 1041. See 58.02 for form completion instructions.
Review Requested Activity
Position Control forwards a copy of the approved Position Action/PRR to HRS.
Position Control does not return copies to the department after processing the Position Action/PRR. Departmental personnel may review requested actions by accessing the AIS applications DEPPS or HEPPS, or in the Online Position Description and Recruitment System (OPDRS). See 60.02.
Submit to HRS Online
After Position Control assigns the position number, the department submits the following to HRS for review and approval through the OPDRS.
- Position description,
- Proposed salary,
- Performance expectations, and
- Organization chart showing the civil service position's relationship to other positions in the department to HRS.
See 60.02 for instructions.
To access the Online Position Description and Recruitment System (OPDRS), go to:
To view advisory samples for creating position descriptions and performance expectations for a civil service position, go to the HRS Current Employees Classification and Compensation website at:
HRS must complete the position review before an online requisition is added as a job posting on the WSU Jobs (wsujobs) website.
Create a Recruitment Request
Recruitment requests for all classified positions are processed through the OPDRS. See 60.18 for recruitment request procedures.
HRS Actions
Position Review
Once HRS receives the updated position description, proposed salary, performance expectations, and organization chart, HRS reviews the information to determine the appropriate job classification.
CONCLUSION OF PROJECT
The conclusion of a project appointment may result in a layoff of a permanent employee. An employee laid off from a project position will have layoff rights only within the specific project. See 60.37.
When a permanent employee leaves a permanent position to accept a project appointment, the permanent employee is placed on the internal layoff list, in accordance with WAC 357-19-340. See 60.37.