2.1.14 Senior Staff

Senior Staff employees have responsibilities and functions that require different policies and conditions governing their employment and termination. These employees are "at-will" employees and may be terminated at any time for any reason, including layoff, or no reason. Guide Memo 2.1.16: Addressing Conduct and Performance Issues, and the grievance procedure in Guide Memo 2.1.11: Grievance Policy, are not applicable to Senior Staff. Senior Staff have access to the Senior Staff Administrative Review described below.

This policy describes the unique employment relationship of Senior Staff to the university. It further sets forth the process for administrative review of Senior Staff employment disputes.

Effective July 1, 2015, Senior Staff positions are designated at levels N, O, P, N11, and N99 within the university classification system.  Only employees in positions designated at level N, O, P, N11, or N99 on or after July 1, 2015 are considered Senior Staff.

1. TGP Eligibility. Employees who were designated as Senior Staff prior to July 1, 2015, but who are designated at classification level A-M on July 1, 2015 will no longer be considered Senior Staff, but will retain the TGP coverage they had prior to July 1, 2015.
2. Housing Program Eligibility. University staff employed 100% time and matched to classification levels O, P and N11 are eligible for one or more housing assistance programs.  For those staff employees who were eligible for staff housing assistance before this date, but are not in classification levels O, P and N11, they will lose their eligibility for any applicable staff housing assistance unless they are already participating in the program.  For any questions about housing program eligibility or details of the programs, please contact Faculty Staff Housing at FSHousing@stanford.edu or 725-6893.

a. Termination Policy
Senior Staff may be terminated at any time for any reason, including layoff, or no reason upon the approval of the Dean, Vice Provost, Vice President, Provost or the President or his/her designee. Such termination is subject to the appropriate administrative review, but will not be subject to review under any grievance procedure in the University. Senior Staff who are terminated by the university receive notice and severance pay as described in section 4.c, except when the President or the Vice President for Human Resources or his/her designee determines the termination is for misconduct. Senior staff who voluntarily resign are not entitled to notice or severance pay.

b. Policy on Extended Notice
Senior Staff receive at least three months' notice. When pay is given in lieu of notice, the maximum payment period is three months. A combination of notice and pay in lieu of notice may be appropriate at the university's discretion. In such an arrangement, severance pay may be contingent on serving out a specified portion of the notice period.

c. Policy on Payment of Severance Pay
Senior staff will be paid a minimum of three months' salary and a maximum as listed in the following table, provided a General Release of All Claims and Severance Repayment Agreement is executed. Severance is not payable until the expiration of any revocation period in the General Release of All Claims and Severance Repayment Agreement.

Senior Staff Severance Pay

d. Policy on Continuation of Benefits
Senior Staff may continue their university medical insurance and receive the university's regular contributions for three months after the date of termination, subject to prompt payment of any required contributions by the employee. Stanford Contributory Retirement Plan (SCRP) Basic contributions continue during the notice period, including any period of pay in lieu of notice. If the Senior Staff member makes employee contributions to the plan during the notice period, matching contributions will also continue.

e. Policy on Repayment of Severance Pay
The months following the termination date comprise the "severance repayment period." This period is equal to the number of months of severance pay received. If a Senior Staff employee is reemployed by the University before the end of the severance repayment period, that portion of the severance pay equal to the base pay he/she would have earned if not terminated may be retained by the employee. The balance must be repaid to the University as stated in the General Release of All Claims and Severance Repayment Agreement.

a. Purpose

• The Senior Staff Administrative Review is a formal guideline for examination by line management of any action that the employee believes constitutes improper treatment and has directly affected him/her.
• The Administrative Review does not preclude informal discussions with senior university managers in an attempt to resolve problems.

b. Procedure

• Discussion With Supervisor
  The Senior Staff employee should first discuss the problem with his/her immediate supervisor, indicating the nature of the complaint, the university policies involved, and the desired resolution. The supervisor should respond orally or in writing as expeditiously as possible, but no longer than one week.
• Written Statement
  If the matter is not resolved by this discussion, the Senior Staff employee may present the problem in writing to the cognizant Dean, Vice President, Vice Provost, or Provost within one week. The Dean, Vice President, Vice Provost, Provost or his/her designee shall consider the issue, make whatever disposition he/she deems appropriate, and respond to the employee in writing within two weeks.
• Appeal
  The determination of the Dean, Vice President, Vice Provost, or Provost shall be final except in circumstances where he/she had direct and immediate involvement in the decision that gave rise to the complaint in the first instance. In this case, an appeal may be made to the Vice President for Human Resources or his/her designee. Unless the Vice President for Human Resources determines the matter is appropriate for Presidential review, the decision of the Vice President for Human Resources, or his/her designee, shall be final.

a. Policy Revisions
Send proposals for policy changes to the Vice President for Human Resources for study and recommendation.

b. Policy Interpretations
Address questions of policy interpretation to the Vice President for Human Resources.

c. Records
Send copies of appeals and dispositions to the Vice President for Human Resources.