November 6, 2020
Human Capital Services announces changes concerning acting and interim appointments
Submitted by Human Capital Services
In visiting with affinity groups across the institution, Human Capital Services recognizes that acting and interim appointments have been interpreted differently and applied inconsistently. There was an appetite to clarify the policies and University Handbook to better determine the reasons for acting and interim assignments, appropriate length for each of them, and selection processes that accompany both assignments.
HCS has collaborated with stakeholders to update policies concerning acting and interim appointments. These key updates, made to both policies and the University Handbook, provide clarifying guidance regarding the appropriate usage and differences between these appointment types. Policy and Procedures Manual, or PPM, chapters 4410 and 4650 and University Handbook Section B120 have been updated to reflect these changes. In addition, acting and interim policy procedures have been provided by HCS to allow colleges and units to see specific steps that should be followed in each situation.
Acting appointment changes
The policy relating to acting appointments was updated to clarify that an acting appointment is a short-term solution to assign an existing K-State employee to perform the duties of an employee who is unable to perform their duties for a short time, generally up to three months. The three-month time frame aligns with Family Medical Leave Act, or FMLA, guidance. The updates also clarify the selection process for acting roles, including qualifications and compensation and are applicable to both university support staff and unclassified acting assignments.
Interim appointment changes
The PPM 4650 Interim Assignments contained the most policy updates. The policy now specifies that interim appointments should be utilized to fill a position for a limited period of time, generally up to one year. Furthermore, it provides clarification regarding the search process and defines what an interim appointment should look like and how compensation is handled.
Questions regarding these changes or appointment types can be sent to Human Capital Services at hr@k-state.edu.