The University of Southern California (“USC” or “university”) is committed to providing an environment of excellence in the spirit of our Unifying Values. To uphold our commitment to excellence and to ensure the integrity and safety of staff, faculty, students and university stakeholders, the university has an obligation to ensure that all employees, faculty and staff, fulfill all certification, license, and registration requirements for their roles, based on their job classification or job duties
Category: General Employment
Staff Parental Leave
All staff employees are eligible for these unpaid leaves; excluded are those claiming student status (including teaching and research assistants).
Workers Compensation Policy
USC is committed to maintaining a safe work environment for faculty, staff, student workers (including post-doctoral and graduate student workers), and volunteers (“Eligible Individual(s)”). The University follows an established Workers’ Compensation policy.
Lactation Accommodations
The university demonstrates its support of working parents in many ways, including generous leave policies for new parents, subsidized child care programs, and other policies and resources designed to enhance work-life balance throughout the life of a family.
Background Screening
The university conducts background screening, including screening for criminal convictions, on all applicants after a conditional offer of employment, and as a condition of employment.
Layoffs and Reorganizations
This policy is Exhibit A of the University of Southern California Severance Pay Plan. It applies to all benefits-eligible staff employees; excluded are per diems, resource employees, temporary employees, faculty, those claiming student status, and staff employees who were employed for a specific period of time only where an end date was communicated in writing to the staff employee at the time of hire or during employment.
Employment Records
The university maintains personnel information for each employee to ensure a complete, accurate and current record of documents related to the job and employment status of an employee.
Tuition Assistance Benefit
The university provides the TAB program to assist eligible employees with educational expenses for themselves and their eligible dependents.
Appropriate Attire and Appearance
Employees must report to work dressed appropriately and according to the requirements of the position and department; good grooming and personal hygiene are expected.
Training Requirements and Opportunities
To ensure compliance with federal, state or local regulatory requirements as well as university policy and procedures, faculty and staff employees may be required to complete specific training requirements as a condition of employment.
Postdoctoral Scholars
USC recognizes the importance of assisting postdoctoral scholars as they develop into independent investigators.
Providing Employment References
The university operates as a single employer and has the right and responsibility to share among university departments accurate employment information concerning the job history and performance of current or former staff employees.
Hiring Foreign Nationals
The process of employing foreign nationals (as faculty, staff, or employees claiming student status) involves federal rules and regulations that, if not carefully followed, can result in severe penalties to both employee and employer.
Employee Definitions
There are two classifications of employees: non-exempt and exempt. All employees are classified as non-exempt unless the duties performed meet criteria established under federal and state regulations that would allow the employee to be classified as exempt.
Terminations
Employment at the university is with the mutual consent of the staff employee and employer and either party may terminate the relationship at-will, with or without advance notice, and with or without cause.
Terms and Conditions of Employment
For non-faculty employees, employment and compensation with the University of Southern California are at-will and therefore may be terminated, with or without cause, at any time without prior notice, at the staff employee’s or the university’s option.
Staff Benefits
All staff employees who work at least 50% time are eligible to participate in university benefit plans. The university contributes a fixed number of dollars towards benefits for its staff employees; any costs beyond university contributions must be paid for by the staff employee.
Fitness-for-Duty Evaluation
Staff are expected to manage their health in such a way that they can safely and effectively perform their essential job functions and to discuss with their supervisor any circumstances that may impact their ability to do so.