ugh.. my jobs may be changing... not sure

[id10t]

So the Department of Labor has issued new clarifications on who can work as salary and who has to work as hourly. Job description PLUS wages earned kick into this.

I work full time (Administrative/Professional) for the college in a "salary" position, and I teach as an adjunct. Based on my salary and current job position/description/title I may end up being an hourly employee... which means I can't teach.

But... I'm the only instructor for the 2 classes I teach (Intro to Linux and Network Services with Linux). And one or both are required for graduation for our AS degrees (networking, systems administration) and are electives for our software development tracks.

BUT... I currently only have an AS degree (software dev/analysis) and an AA. Working on a BAS (software dev) but at 2 classes per term I won't graduate until Spring 2018. While I've never been an issue for our accrediting agency (SACS) in a perfect world I'd have at least a batchelors degree plus a minimum of 18 hours post grad in a few specific fields.

I'm also the only person in my department with the skill set to do what I do ...

So now the college's Provost - who understands what I do, my skill set, the needs of my full time department *and* our IT Education department - is wondering what to do with me.

Possible solutions -
I may move to a 12 month instructor contract (97% of our instructors are 9 month workers) and get paid a little more to help out my current department part time, much like I teach classes as an adjunct as a "second job".

Change my full time job description (and salary!) so that I remain "exempt from overtime" and can continue as things are now.

Move me to a 9 month tenure track instructor line, and get paid a little more to help out my current department part time, much like I teach classes as an adjunct as a "second job".


Pros and cons to all 3 ... the only "great news" is that the Provost has said he will ensure that I do not work more hours per week than I currently do (45-48) *and* my take home pay will stay about what it currently is (too low compared to private sector, but I'm used to that). Even better is that my full time boss and coworkers are on my side, and the ITE department wishes I could teach more classes (continue both Linux classes and add intro to Java, intro to C++, programming on the LAMP stack, etc)

But the uncertainty has put a wobble in the way my world is turning these days.... Oy!


Anyone else been in a even slightly similar situation? Any words of advice? Anyone want to come down to Gainesville and buy me beer or coffee?

[sammyg2]

A college course on a peanuts character?

Serial, why can't the gubmint just leave things alone?

[lendaddy]

So this all revolves around the new salaried employee O.T. exemption limits? Seems to be coming up quite a bit lately.

[id10t]

Originally Posted by lendaddy

So this all revolves around the new salaried employee O.T. exemption limits? Seems to be coming up quite a bit lately.

Sure does. There are a bunch of people who work full time as A&P types and teach the occasional class as an adjunct or do work via our continuing ed/community ed side. But since it is all one employer and one employer tax ID number we can't hold multiple positions/lines....

[tevake]

Sounds like it's time for some creative job renaming. Seems all are aboard in trying to meet the new requirements without making too many real changes.

All the best in moving thru it cleanly.

Cheers Richard

[legion]

Isn't it great when the government "fixes" something?

[dafischer]

Yeah,
"I'm from the government, and I'm here to help you."

[jyl]

As I understand it, if you make less than $47,476/year (your job duties of teacher and computer worker are exempt if your salary is above that threshold) you must be paid overtime. So isn't the answer to (1) pay you more than that, (2) work you less than 40 hrs/wk, or (3) pay you overtime? Seems like any of those would be a positive? What am I missing?

[id10t]

Originally Posted by jyl

As I understand it, if you make less than $47,476/year (your job duties of teacher and computer worker are exempt if your salary is above that threshold) you must be paid overtime. So isn't the answer to (1) pay you more than that, (2) work you less than 40 hrs/wk, or (3) pay you overtime? Seems like any of those would be a positive? What am I missing?

Ah, not quite. It is combination of salary (my full time contract for July 1 16 thru June 30 17) is 51k, so I'm over that limit. BUT... it is also how your job duties are described. Since I spend less than 50% of my time teaching workshops (something we do) or doign software development, I don't have a job description that will make me exempt.

[wdfifteen]

What kind of job description would make you exempt? Is this something in the law or does it have to do with your employer?
We've had to increase the pay of a couple of salaried people to exempt them from overtime pay, but as far as I know the issue of their job description never came up. (I don't do the HR so I'm not totally familiar with the new law).

[id10t]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

What kind of job description would make you exempt? Is this something in the law or does it have to do with your employer?
We've had to increase the pay of a couple of salaried people to exempt them from overtime pay, but as far as I know the issue of their job description never came up. (I don't do the HR so I'm not totally familiar with the new law).

If teaching or programming was 50% or more of my job duties, I'd be exempt.

Here's what I spend my time on (based on annual evaluation)

Provide one-on-one assistance in support of the college's learning management system and academic use of various technologies 20%
Research and evaluate new and emerging academic technologies that can be used to facilitate student learning 15%
Administer, trouble-shoot, and maintain the college's learning management system (LMS) 20%
Provide support to the Center for Academic Technologies through hardware and software maintenance and troubleshooting, programming, application development, and report generation 20%
Assist other departments with creating and maintaining web applications 15%
Assist with other regular departmental activities and special projects 10%

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally Posted by id10t

Provide one-on-one assistance in support of the college's learning management system and academic use of various technologies 20%
Research and evaluate new and emerging academic technologies that can be used to facilitate student learning 15%
Administer, trouble-shoot, and maintain the college's learning management system (LMS) 20%
Provide support to the Center for Academic Technologies through hardware and software maintenance and troubleshooting, programming, application development, and report generation 20%
Assist other departments with creating and maintaining web applications 15%
Assist with other regular departmental activities and special projects 10%

A lot of that sounds like "teaching" to me (wink, wink, nudge, nudge).

[onewhippedpuppy]

You should be happy, obviously they are helping the poor oppressed workers!

In all seriousness I agree with Richard, sounds like a little job description creativity is in order. Fortunately it sounds like everyone is on board and understands your value, so that is most of the battle. I bet with your experience you are a damn good teacher, most of my PhD teachers were horrible. Professional students with zero real world experience.

[id10t]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

You should be happy, obviously they are helping the poor oppressed workers!

In all seriousness I agree with Richard, sounds like a little job description creativity is in order. Fortunately it sounds like everyone is on board and understands your value, so that is most of the battle. I bet with your experience you are a damn good teacher, most of my PhD teachers were horrible. Professional students with zero real world experience.

I do get good evals, but that may be because I don't give a final exam - students do projects to prove they learned something. And I bring donuts.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by id10t

And I bring donuts.

I'm in!

And I think you're a fantastic teacher!

what do you teach again?

[onewhippedpuppy]

I had multiple engineering courses that gave projects instead of finals, pretty much a different way of accomplishing the same thing. It's actually probably harder to bs your way through a project.

[id10t]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

I had multiple engineering courses that gave projects instead of finals, pretty much a different way of accomplishing the same thing. It's actually probably harder to bs your way through a project.

Yup. Also gives the student examples of work to share with prospective employers, lets them do something that is interesting to them, and is a LOT easier to come up with and grade than a 100 question exam - most of my exam questions are short essay style (2-3 sentences to answer) or exact commands.

[jhynesrockmtn]

The job description tests or standard duties rules have been out there for a long time. I thought only the minimum weekly pay was changing. The "standard duties" test stayed the same. This is where the job description, education, etc. come in. You must meet the test in one of three categories of executive, admin or professional. It sounds like you never met this part of the test and they figured it out when the minimum pay part changed and they were forced to look closer at it. It sounds like will figure it out, best of luck.

[jyl]

Pretty good chance that regulation will be repealed anyway.

[id10t]

So the provost has not gotten back to me on the possibility of moving to the classroom full time, so I applied for a developer position here at the college. Not only does it pay about 25% more than my current full time position, but it is DEFINITELY exempt and so I'll be able to keep teaching. If I land this I can be out of all debt except my mortgage in 12-18 months, at which point I can start planning the rustoration of my 356