Applies to: Faculty (including part-time and visiting faculty), postdoctoral scholars, staff and students (including graduate/undergraduate student workers and graduate assistants) employed by University of Southern California and its subsidiaries including Keck Medicine of USC (“USC employees”).
1. Policy
Issued: April 6, 2023
Last Revised: N/A
Last Reviewed: N/A
2. Policy Purpose
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. These requirements are under the management of the Licensing and Certification program within Human Resources Equity and Compliance in consultation with the schools, academic affairs, University Clinical Services, and Licenses and Certification Advisory and Working groups.
The purpose of this policy is:
- To provide centralized oversight, program policies, operational, and reporting procedures to ensure compliance with university licensing, certification, or registration requirements and federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
- To provide process flow and guidelines for the initial submission, renewal, or reinstatement of, a license, certificate, or registration required to perform professional responsibilities.
- To define tracking procedures and best practices for monitoring, reviewing, and notifying departments and individuals of a required license, certificate, or registration.
- To support guidelines that outline n action plans for instances of non-compliance.
3. Scope and Application
This Policy and applicable procedures apply to all employees in positions that require a license, certificate, or registration based on their job classification and/ or job duties.
4. Definitions
| Term | Definition |
| Active | Characterized by present activity, participation, practice, or use. |
| Current | Not revoked, suspended, or lapsed. |
| Other authorizing documents | Certification or registration granted by a US jurisdiction to provide services in a specified discipline; or in specialties not licensed. |
| Primary Source Verification (PSV) | Verification of license or other authorizing documents via electronic or telephonic contact with the issuing agency. |
| Reinstatement | The return of the employee’s responsibilities and privileges. |
| Restricted | Characterized by imposed stipulations or restrictions pertaining to the scope, location, or type of practice ordinarily granted to all other applicants for similar licensure in the granting jurisdiction. Includes but is not limited to cancelled, pending, limited, revoked, etc. |
| Valid | The issuing authority accepts and considers professional performance and conduct in determining continued licensure. |
| Verification | Confirmation of the authenticity of a license, certificate, or registration reported by the employee. |
5. Policy Details
Employee
All prospective and current employees with job classifications or duties that require a license, certification, or registration must provide proof of and continued maintenance of an active, current, unrestricted, valid license, certificate, or registration from a US board or agency before working and while employed at the university within their defined scope of practice, specialty, or job classification.
- Active (characterized by present activity, participation, practice, or use);
- Current (not revoked, suspended, or lapsed);
- Unrestricted (not subject to state-imposed stipulations or restrictions pertaining to the scope, location, or type of practice ordinarily granted to all other applicants for similar licensure in the granting jurisdiction); and
- Valid (the issuing authority accepts and considers professional performance and conduct in determining continued licensure).
A prospective employee must present proof of license, certification, or registration as requested by the hiring manager or department and before onboarding. All licenses or other authorizing documents provided by a prospective employee shall become part of the applicant file or employee personnel file.
Employees in job classifications or duties that require a license, certification, or registration are responsible for maintaining a license, certificate, or registration and for uploading and keeping said documents current in their Workday profile.
Licensed, certified, and/or registered Employees must inform their department manager within 24 hours of any changes or actions taken against their license or other authorizing documents. Reporting shall include, but is not limited to, any terms, conditions, expirations, terminations, or limitations that prevent the performance of professional duties or meeting the requirements of the specified role; and, when the job description requires an active, valid license, certificate, or registration. The obligation to notify includes instances when an employee initiates or volunteers to change the class or status of their license, certificate, or registration.
Employees who fail to report changes or maintain the required license, certificate, or registration as defined by their job classification or job duties, may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination as subject to the terms and conditions outlined by their specific department/unit/supervisory organization.
Employees with expired or invalid licenses, certifications, or registrations may not work or clock in after the expiration date or date of adverse action against a license, certificate, or registration required by their job classification or job duties.
Departments
It is the department’s responsibility to designate a responsible team member to monitor and confirm that employees who are working meet the mandatory requirements for their job classification or job duties.
The department shall be proactive and collaborate with the employee to determine if they are up to date with the requirements for their respective job classification or duties and take corrective measures as required.
The department shall notify the HR Partner, their manager and Licensing and Certification Department immediately if an employee’s license, certificate, or registration becomes inactive, invalid, or restricted.
In consultation with the HR Partner, the department shall implement corrective action in response to any change in status, including but not limited to the removal of the employee from the schedule until reinstatement of the license or other authorizing documents.
Departments will confirm via primary source verification and upload the license information to the employee Workday profile before the employee returns from leave.
Departments shall notify the respective HR Partner and/or department designated individual, immediately of any changes to a job code or classification that longer requires a job-related license and other authorizing documents.
HR Partner or Department Designated Individual
The HR Partner or department designated individual shall request and obtain proof of license, certification, or registration according to the job classification from the potential employee during the pre-hiring process (prior to onboarding). All licenses and other authorizing documents will become part of the applicant or employee personnel files.
The HR Partner or department designated individual shall primary source verify the license, certificate, or registration received from the potential employee and upload the documents to the applicant or employee personnel file in Workday.
The HR Partner or department designated individual shall review and determine scope of practice for employee in which professional license status is restricted by their respective governing body. This includes the following license statuses: invalid, pending, revoked, suspended, etc.
The HR Partner or department designated individual shall primary source verify licenses, certifications, or registrations, reported by the current employee prior to hire date or by the potential employee, at reappointment or renewal or any revision of job responsibilities or classification.
The HR Partner or department designated individual will assist with making the necessary changes should an employee no longer require a specific job-related license, certificate, or registration.
The HR Partner (if requested by department) will upload proof of licensure via primary source verification procedures and include a time stamp confirming verification of information provided by employee.
Licensing and Certification Department (L&C)
The Licensing and Certification Department (L&C) is responsible for Licensing and Certification process oversight, overall compliance and progress of action plans for university licensing standards and policies. L&C will ensure continuous processes are in place for reviewing and monitoring licensing standards as outlined by this policy.
L&C will provide leadership with periodic reports measuring performance through data collection, assessing current practices, and utilizing the data to mitigate risk, improve organizational processes, services, and overall performance of the licensing and certification program.
6. Procedures
Please view Licensing and Certification Procedures document.
7. Forms
N/A
8. Responsibilities
Please view Licensing and Certification Procedures document.
9. Related Information
N/A
10. Contact Information
Please direct any questions regarding this policy to:
| OFFICE | PHONE | |
| USC HR Service Center | 213-821-8100 | uschr@usc.edu |