SMO Field Guidelines

Selecting the Correct Assignment for Current Employees

If the SMO PAF is for a current employee, after the PAF Preparer selects the SMO PAF type, enters the Effective Date, and employee's UID, they will be prompted to select the employee's assignment. Use these guidelines when selecting an assignment:

• If the employee currently has a Faculty or Academic Administrator position, select their primary assignment, even if the work is not for the primary assignment. Retirement benefits are assigned to the primary assignment and could potentially be impacted with this payment type. Then on the SMO Pay tab, select the organization for which the work is being assigned.
• If the employee currently has an Institutional Official, Merit, or P&S position and the SMO PAF is for teaching a course, the SMO PAF must be "assigned" to a Temporary Faculty position. To learn more, view the section below called SMO PAF for a Staff Teaching a Course.
• If the employee currently has an Institutional Official, Merit or P&S position and the SMO PAF is NOT for teaching a course, select their primary assignment, even if the work is not for the primary assignment. Then on the SMO Pay tab, select the organization for which the summer work is being assigned.
• If the individual is currently an External and the SMO PAF is for teaching a course, the SMO PAF must be "assigned" to a Temporary Faculty position. To learn more, view the section below called SMO PAF for an External User.

Determining Compensation/Pay

When calculating the compensation for Non-Temporary Faculty use the guidelines provided in the Faculty Handbook (Chapter 7.0). When calculating the compensation for the July and August sessions, use the previous year's fiscal appointment salary (i.e., the same amount that was used for May and June of that same year).

Temporary Faculty summer compensation is based on the same credit rate as the current academic year.

If the work is Grants & Contracts funded, consult the Creating a Faculty SMO PAF when Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Grants & Contracts Funded support web page.

Selecting a Session

The PAF Preparer should select the session and dates which correctly reflect the employee's work schedule. The PAF's Effective Date will be validated against the session's first day, and if it is not a match the PAF Preparer will be prompted to cancel/delete the PAF and start the PAF over with the correct Effective Date. For more information and tips on selecting the session, visit the Summer & Other Session Dates support web page.

Percent of Time (Effort)

To determine how to calculate the effort or "percent of time", and how to view all SMO and SPC PAFs, view the Faculty Percent of Time support web page.

Percent of Time may not exceed 100% in any one given time period. Faculty teaching more than 100% time in a single session may be paid for the “overload” through a SPC PAF.

Additional Information Field

The PAF Preparer should add a brief description of the work.

SMO Labor Distribution (LD)

To ensure the correct account is being used, PAF Preparers must click on the Create Alternate LD Schedule button on the LD tab. The workflow will include approval from the paying department(s) and is based on the ORG entered. To learn more about creating an alternate LD, view the Alternate Labor Distribution (LD) support web page.

Additional SMO Guidelines

Faculty Returning from Professional Development Leaves – For Faculty returning from PDA, a CHG PAF needs to be submitted and processed to end the leave and return the employee to "Active Assignment" before a SMO PAF can be created. Start the SMO PAF after the CHG PAF is in COMPLETED status.

Faculty on Phased Retirement – Faculty with an active phased retirement agreement are compensated for summer appointments based on their full-time annualized salary without any phased retirement benefit included. Contact HRS for assistance with calculations. Please note, no special compensation can be earned by the faculty member while on phased retirement.

Faculty Receiving UNI Summer Fellowships – Recipients may not have a teaching or other university assignment during their Fellowship period. If recipients have Fellowship-related additional funding they must contact the Graduate College.

Creating SMO PAFs for New Hires

If the individual is a new hire (i.e., is currently not an employee) the PAF System will display a warning message with two options:

1. Create a SMO PAF for New Temporary Faculty button
   • If the new employee is being appointed to a Temporary Faculty position and they will only be teaching a summer or winter class(es), click this button. A NEW PAF is not needed, as the PAF system is designed to include new appointment fields on the SMO Appt tab; therefore, only requiring one PAF.
   • If the new employee is being appointed to a Temporary Faculty position for the fall semester but is starting earlier than August, click this button. Once the SMO PAF is processed, then submit a CHG PAF for the semester/academic year appointment.
2. Create a NEW PAF for New Staff & Non-temporary Faculty button
   • If the new employee is NOT being appointed to a Temporary Faculty position, then click this button to create a NEW PAF. Once the NEW PAF is processed, then submit a SMO PAF.
   • If the new employee is being appointed to a Non-temporary Faculty position starting earlier than August and will first be teaching a summer class, then click this button to create a NEW PAF for their non-temporary appointment. Once the NEW PAF is processed, then submit a SMO PAF.

SMO PAF for Staff Teaching a Course

If the employee currently has an Institutional Official, Merit or P&S position and they have agreed to teach a course during the summer/winter, they must have an active Faculty Non-Unit position (i.e., NEW PAF is submitted for Faculty Non-Unit position).

• If the employee's primary assignment is a 12 month appointment, the employee must perform this work outside of their scheduled work time, use vacation time, or unpaid leave. Although paid using a SMO PAF, this work would be considered Special Compensation, and therefore, the employee must comply with the 4.41 Special Compensation and Summer Appointments policy.
• If the employee's primary assignment is not a 12 month appointment and the new assignment does overlap, the employee must perform this work outside of their scheduled work time, use vacation time, or unpaid leave. Although paid using a SMO PAF, this work would be considered Special Compensation, and therefore, the employee must comply with the 4.41 Special Compensation and Summer Appointments policy.
• If the employee's primary assignment is not a 12 month appointment and the new assignment does not overlap, this work is not considered Special Compensation.

Helpful Hints when Creating the NEW PAF

Create/submit a NEW PAF as soon as the preparer becomes aware of the change. By federal law, the new employee must complete new hire paper work no later than three days after the Effective Date.

• Organization: Select the organization the employee will be teaching for.
• Position Title: Select "Faculty Non-Unit.Summer Appt".
• Appointment Status: Select "Temporary".
• Appointment Status Date: Effective Date of PAF.
• Assignment Category: Select "T Other".
• T Other Disbursement Information: Type "To be paid with SMO PAF.".
• Appointment Length: Indicate the length of summer assignment.
• Assignment Status: Select "Active Assignment".
• Additional Assignment Information: Type "A SMO PAF will be created to process payment.".
• Appointment Expiration Date: Date session appointment ends.
• Percent of Time/Week: Select "0" (zero).
• Appointment Salary: Select "0" (zero).
• Labor Distribution: It is not necessary to populate this field since you will be paying the employee with the SMO PAF.
• Education Information: Educational information is required for Faculty positions.
• When to Create the SMO PAF: After the NEW PAF has been approved and shows as COMPLETED status.

SMO PAF for an External User

When an individual has an External assignment in e-Business Suite they cannot receive payment on that assignment. Therefore, a second assignment as a temporary faculty must be added.

Create/submit a NEW PAF as soon as the preparer becomes aware of the change. By federal law, the employee must complete new hire paper work no later than three days after the Effective Date.

Helpful Hints when Creating the NEW PAF:

• Organization: Select the organization the employee will be teaching for.
• Position Title: Select "Faculty Non-Unit.Summer Appt".
• Appointment Status: Select "Temporary"
• Appointment Status Date: Effective Date of PAF.
• Assignment Category: Select "T Other".
• T Other Disbursement Information: Type "To be paid with SMO PAF.".
• Appointment Length: Indicate the length of summer assignment.
• Assignment Status: Select "Active Assignment".
• Additional Assignment Information: Type "A SMO PAF will be created to process payment.".
• Appointment Expiration Date: Date session appointment ends.
• Percent of Time/Week: Select "0" (zero).
• Appointment Salary: Select "0" (zero).
• Labor Distribution: It is not necessary to populate this field since you will be paying the employee with the SMO PAF.
• Education Information: Educational information is required for Faculty positions.
• When to Create the SMO PAF: After the NEW PAF has been approved and shows as COMPLETED status.