A Special Compensation Form is used for individuals that have earned extra compensation above their university base salary for a variety of reasons such as extra effort, awards, etc.
Policy
Please review the policy on Extra Compensation for University Faculty and Staff before initiating a request for special compensation and to determine if the Special Compensation Form requires prior approval and/or justification.
Review and Justification
Departments must be able to justify the rationale for and the amount of special compensation they are requesting. Consult with your senior human resources leader to determine the appropriate payment amounts for the applicable type of special compensation.
If the eligible appointment connected with the special compensation transaction ends, the Special Compensation Form should be reviewed, as the individual may no longer be eligible for extra payment.
College or division-level approvers should question payments that appear inappropriate or do not have appropriate rationale for the payment or amount.
The examples below highlight appropriate use of special compensation and payment questions that may require additional review.
- Example 1: Special Compensation forms are submitted for two staff members who appear to perform the same duties, but one staff member will be paid at a higher rate. The form for the higher paid staff member should explain why they will receive a higher rate of pay for performing the same duties.
- Example 2: A department pays special compensation to an IT staff member at $45 per hour for programming duties and then requests a second special compensation payment at $75 per hour for the same individual to perform additional programming duties. The organization should question the reasons for the different levels of pay and why the higher hourly rate is appropriate for the second request.
- Example 3: A department requests a special compensation payment that is higher than what was previously approved. The department should explain why the payment is higher than the amount previously approved.
- Example 4: A department wants to provide special compensation to faculty or staff to teach a non-academic course using the Course Instruction and Design Form. The department should use the Special Project Form instead of the Course Instruction and Design Form. The Course Instruction and Design Form should only be used for special compensation related to academic courses.
Roles and Responsibilities
The general responsibilities of the initiator of a Special Compensation Form and the reviewer(s) for the payment are outlined in the table below. Additional responsibilities may be assigned at the specific department or college/division level.
| Areas of Responsibility | *Department Level | College or Division Level | Post ORG – University Human Resources or Office of the Provost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funding Source | · Determine appropriate source · Verify fund availability | · Verify appropriate source | · Review and approval is required by Grant Accounting for Fund 500/510 |
| Policy Alignment (note separation of duties relative to workflow routing) | · Determine correct form type · Provide supporting documentation per policy · Determine appropriate routing based on fund amount | · Verify and approve correct form type · Review supporting documentation per policy · Review appropriate routing based on fund amount | · Verify and approve correct form type · Review supporting documentation per policy |
| Compensation Amount | · Provide documentation on rationale for compensation amount (remarks section of form or attachment) · Justify reasonableness of the amount | · Review and approve documentation on rationale for compensation amount (remarks section of form or attachment) · Determine reasonableness of the amount | · Review and approve documentation on rationale for compensation amount (remarks section of form or attachment) · Verify and approve amount based on rationale supplied by department and college/ division, and existing UI policy. |
| Documentation | · Provide attachment (if required) · Provide remarks section (rationale) | · Review and approve attachment (if required) · Review and approve remarks section (rationale) | · Review and verify attachment (if required) · Review and verify remarks section (rationale) |
| Separation of duties (Receiver of award cannot be in workflow approval path) | · Must have supervisory approval | · Must have supervisory approval | · Verify supervisory approval |
* At the departmental level for special compensation that requires work outside normal duties, supervisors of the staff member’s employing department are expected to discuss the request as applicable related to scheduling.
Special Compensation Form Types
In the HR Transaction System, the Special Compensation Form is broken out by different form types.
A Special Compensation Prior Approval Form may be required to request additional compensation due to extra effort. This form includes:
- Employee's start and end date of service
- Supervisor's name
- Employee's department
- Departmental information related to creating the Special Compensation Form
- Total compensation amount
- MFK information
The form will then be routed to individuals in each department to notify them of the employee's extra effort. Once the Prior Approval Form is complete, then the Special Compensation Form can be created.
Note: The employee will not receive additional compensation until the Special Compensation Payment Form completes its workflow.
Special Compensation - Faculty
Special Compensation - Faculty
| Form Type | Prior Approval Required | Short Description | Required Attachments/Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award | One-time payment for specific university-related award | Remarks - Short description, including date | |
| Spot Award | A flexible pay award of $200 (net) or less for exceptional performance | Remarks - Brief description | |
| Clinic Coverage/Night Call/Outreach Clinic | X* | Payment for duties in excess of regularly scheduled hours at University-associated facility. Restricted to Orgs 17 and 18. | Attachment- Documentation (e.g., letter or email) |
| Course Instruction & Design | X* | Teaching academic courses in excess of regular course assignments | Attachment- Offer letter |
| Discretionary Merit Pay | Lump sum payment in lieu of or in addition to a base salary increase. Payment can occur on July 1st or an alternative date (once per fiscal year). Funds 500/510 cannot be used to fund lump sum payment. | Remarks- Brief description | |
| Incentive Pay - Basic Science | Payment for provisions as described in pre-approved collegiate research incentive plans. (Dentistry Basic Science Incentive Program, CCOM Basic Science Incentive Program and Pharmacy Incentive Program) Restricted to Orgs 13, 17, 19 Basic Science departments. | Attachment- Documentation (e.g., letter or email) | |
| Incentive Pay - Practice Plan | Payment for performance incentives as described in pre-approved collegiate plans and paid from Practice Plan resources. Restricted to Orgs 13, 17, 18 | Attachment- Documentation (e.g., letter or email) | |
| Speaker | X* ~ | One-time activity - speaking event outside of regular duties | Remarks- Brief description |
| Consultant | X* ~ | One-time activity using faculty member's expertise outside of regular duties and outside of department | Remarks- Brief description |
| Special Project | X* | One-time activity for specific project outside of regular duties | Remarks- Brief description |
| Vice President for Research Fellowships | As awarded by the Office of Vice President for Research | Remarks- Brief description | |
| Employment Agreement - Signing and Continuance Incentives | Payment for recruitment and retention provisions included in the offer letter and/or employment agreement | Attachment- Offer letter and/or employment agreement | |
| Employment Agreement - Transition and Relocation | Payment for provisions included in the offer letter or employment agreement for relocation or transition payments (e.g., Relocation-related travel, housing, lab relocation) | Attachment – Offer letter and/or employment agreement. | |
| Employment Agreement - Other | Business-related payments for which an explanation is required in the remarks section (e.g., car allowance) | Attachment- Offer letter and/or employment | |
| Incentive Pay - UI Health Care Senior Leadership Incentive Program | Payment for senior leadership positions authorized in the UI Health Care Senior Leadership Incentive Programs. Restricted to Org Units 03, 17, 70 | Attachment- Documentation: Summary of goal achievement | |
| Incentive Pay - Performance Goals Achievement | X* | Payment for the achievement of predetermined administrative performance goals and objectives | Attachment- Documentation: Summary of goal achievement |
| Remote Travel Reimbursement | Travel expense reimbursement when working at a remote location | Remarks - brief description Attachment - actual travel receipts | |
| Allowance Communication Device (As of 3/1/19 - no longer available via special compensation) | Provides a monthly reimbursement for cell phones and other communication equipment | Attachment- Copy of bill | |
| Allowance Remote Internet (As of 3/1/19 - no longer available via special compensation) | Provides a monthly reimbursement for employees required to have home/remote internet service | Attachment- Copy of bill |
There may be additional Special Compensation eligibility restrictions not outlined in this document
* Extra compensation requests exceeding certain amounts shall require prior approval in advance by the appropriate department, Dean, Vice President, and the office of the Provost or University Human Resources/Compensation & Classification.
~ Review and approval is required by Grant Accounting for Fund 500/510
Special Compensation - Graduate Assistant
Special Compensation - Graduate Assistant
| Form Type | Prior Approval Required | Short Description | Required Attachments/Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work performed outside of Department | X* | Payment for work performed outside of the employee's assigned department | Remarks- Brief description |
There may be additional Special Compensation eligibility restrictions not outlined in this document
* Extra compensation requests exceeding certain amounts shall require prior approval in advance by the appropriate department, Dean, Vice President, and the office of the Provost or University Human Resources/Compensation and Classification.
~ Review and approval is required by Grant Accounting for Fund 500/510
Special Compensation - House Staff
Special Compensation - House Staff
| Form Type | Prior Approval Required | Short Description | Required Attachments/Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra Compensation/Work performed in Dept. | X* | Payment for work performed outside of the employee’s normal responsibilities | Remarks- Brief description |
| Work performed outside of Department | X* | Payment for work performed outside of the employee’s assigned department | Remarks- Brief description |
| Award | One-time payment for specific University-related award | Remarks- Brief description, including date | |
| Employment Agreement – Other | X* | Business related payments for which an explanation is required in the remarks section (i.e. car allowance) | Attachment – Offer letter or other documentation |
| Employment Agreement – Transition and Relocation | X* | One-time payment for provisions included in the offer letter or employment agreement for assisting with professional and personal relocation. | Copy of welcome e-mail sent to residents |
| Allowance Communication Device (As of 3/1/19 - no longer available via special compensation) | Provides a monthly reimbursement for cell phones and other communication equipment | Attachment- Copy of bill | |
| Allowance Remote Internet (As of 3/1/19 - no longer available via special compensation) | Provides a monthly reimbursement for employees required to have home/remote internet service | Attachment- Copy of bill |
There may be additional Special Compensation eligibility restrictions not outlined in this document
* Extra compensation requests exceeding certain amounts shall require prior approval in advance by the appropriate department, Dean, Vice President, and the office of the Provost or University Human Resources/Compensation and Classification.
Special Compensation - Merit
Special Compensation - Merit
| Form Type | Subject to FLSA? | Short Description | Required Attachments/Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay for Exceptional Performance | A lump sum payment for outstanding performance | Attachment - Copy of request explaining details of sustained superior performance or the exceptional achievement/contribution. | |
| Employment Agreement - Incentive | X (no hours) | Payment for incentive provisions related to a specific retention agreement | Attachment- Written agreement that was approved by University HR |
| FLSA Additional Compensation – Multiple Appointments or Other Exceptions | Already calculated | Payment for overtime occurring when an employee has both a salaried and bi-weekly appointment. | Remarks - Explanation of how the overtime was calculated |
| Supervisor Work | X (no hours) | Payment for assuming supervisory duties while the supervisor is absent | Remarks- Brief description |
| Spot Award | A flexible pay award of $200 (net) or less for exceptional performance | Remarks - Brief description | |
| Work performed outside of Department | X | Payment for work performed outside of the employee's assigned department | Remarks - Brief description |
| Award | One-time payment for specific university-related award | Remarks - Short description, including date | |
| Remote Travel Reimbursement | Travel expense reimbursement when working at a remote location | Remarks - brief description Attachment - actual travel receipts | |
| Course Instruction and design | X | Teaching academic courses (related to adjunct appointment) | Attachment – Offer Letter |
| Allowance Communication Device (As of 3/1/19 - no longer available via special compensation) | Provides a monthly reimbursement for cell phones and other communication equipment | Attachment- Copy of bill | |
| Allowance Remote Internet (As of 3/1/19 - no longer available via special compensation) | Provides a monthly reimbursement for employees required to have home/remote internet service | Attachment- Copy of bill | |
| Merit Critical Work Supplement | X | An hourly supplement for time worked in special circumstances, requiring prior approval by Comp/Class | Remarks - Brief Description |
There may be additional Special Compensation eligibility restrictions not outlined in this document.
Special Compensation - P&S
Special Compensation - P&S
| Form Type | Subject to FLSA? | Prior Approval Required | Short Description | Required Attachments/Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Additional Responsibilities within Department | X | X* | Payment for approved additional duties performed outside of regular work hours | Remarks- Brief description |
| Athletic Camps/Clinics | X | Payment for participation in or coordination of Athletic Camp or Clinic | Remarks- Brief description | |
| Award | One-time payment for university-related award | Remarks - Short description, including date | ||
| Contract | Additional payments related to signed contracts | Attachment- Contract | ||
| Course Instruction and design | X | X* | Teaching academic courses (related to adjunct appointment) | Attachment – Offer Letter |
| Employment Agreement - Incentive | Payment for incentive provisions included in the offer letter or employment agreement | Attachment- Offer letter | ||
| Employment Agreement - Transition and Relocation | Payment for provisions included in the offer letter or employment agreement for relocation or transition payments | Attachment- Offer letter | ||
| Employment Agreement - Other | Business related payments for which an explanation is required in the remarks section (i.e. car allowance) | Attachment- Offer letter or other documentation | ||
| FLSA Additional Compensation – Multiple Appointments or Other Exceptions | Already calculated | Payment for overtime occurring when a nonexempt employee has both a salaried and bi-weekly appointment; or a nonexempt temporary salaried employee works additional hours. | Remarks- Explanation of how the overtime was calculated | |
| Lump Sum Flexible Payment | Payment for outstanding performance or completion of a major project | Attachment- Approved Nomination Form and rationale for award | ||
| Lump Sum Layoff Payment | Payment for accepting Lump Sum Layoff option (P&S Career Status Employees only) | Attachment- Documentation (e.g., letter or email) | ||
| Lump Sum Salary Policy Payment | Payment in lieu of or in addition to a base salary performance increase; limited to one payment per fiscal year. Funds 500/510 cannot be used to fund lump sum payment. | |||
| On Call | X (no hours) | Payment for time served in On Call status | Remarks- Brief description | |
| Over Range Performance Payment | Lump sum payment for exceptional performance for employees at or above market range maximum | Remarks- Brief description | ||
| Speaker | X | X*~ | One time activity - speaking event | Remarks- Brief description |
| Consultant | X | X*~ | One-time activity using staff member's expertise outside of regular duties and outside of department | Remarks- Brief description |
| Spot Award Payment | A flexible pay award of $200 (net) or less for exceptional performance | Remarks- Brief Description | ||
| Incentive Pay - UI Health Care - Performance Goals Achievement | Payment for the achievement of predetermined performance goals and objectives. Restricted to Org Units 17, 70, 03 | Attachment-Documentation: Summary of goal achievement | ||
| Incentive Pay - UI Health Care Senior Leadership Incentive Program | Payment for provisions outlined in the UI Healthcare Senior Leadership Incentive Plan. Restricted to Org units: 17, 70, 03 | Attachment-Documentation: Summary of goal achievement | ||
| Work performed outside of Department | X | X* | Payment for work performed outside of the employee's assigned department | Remarks- Brief description |
| Hourly Additional Responsibilities in Department | X | X* | Payment for approved additional duties performed outside of regular work hours | Remarks- Brief description |
| Remote Travel Reimbursement | Travel expense reimbursement when working at a remote location | Remarks - brief description Attachment - actual travel receipts | ||
| Allowance Communication Device (As of 3/1/19 - no longer available via special compensation) | Provides a monthly reimbursement for cell phones and other communication equipment | Attachment- Copy of bill | ||
| Allowance Remote Internet (As of 3/1/19 - no longer available via special compensation) | Provides a monthly reimbursement for employees required to have home/remote internet service | Attachment- Copy of bill |
There may be additional Special Compensation eligibility restrictions not outlined in this document
* Extra compensation requests exceeding certain amounts shall require prior approval in advance by the appropriate department, Dean, Vice President, and the Office of the Provost or University Human Resources/Compensation and Classification
~ Review and approval is required by Grant Accounting for Fund 500/510
Special Compensation - SEIU
Special Compensation - SEIU
| Form Type | Subject to FLSA? | Prior Approval Required | Short Description | Required Attachments/Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Award | One-time payment for university-related award | Remarks - Short description, including date | ||
| Additional Responsibilities within Department | X | X* | Payment for approved additional duties performed outside of regular work hours | Remarks- Brief description |
| FLSA Additional Compensation – Multiple Appointments or Other Exceptions | Already calculated | Payment for overtime occurring when an FLSA nonexempt employee has both a salaried and bi-weekly appointment. | Remarks- Explanation of how the overtime was calculated | |
| Overtime/Extra Coverage/On-call | X | Any additional payment made from work inside the department | Remarks- Brief description | |
| Work performed outside of Department | X | X* | Payment for work performed outside of the employee's assigned department | Remarks- Brief description |
| Certification Recognition | X | Payment for recognition of staff obtaining and maintaining a position-related certification in an approved nationally recognized certification which is not a condition of employment. Compensation is $500 annually, paid on August 1 of each year. | Application form (including staff and supervisor signature) and verification of certification | |
| Course Instruction | X | X* | Teaching academic courses (related to adjunct appointment) | Attachment – Offer Letter |
| Employment Agreement– Incentive | X | Payment under a management approved program, including the successful completion of the Professional Recognition Program (PRP) for Staff Nurses | Attachment – Agreement or in case of PRP program a statement in the Remarks section indicating employee has met the requirement and the review committee has approved the incentive payment IACT-5997 | |
| Employment Agreement - Transition and Relocation | Payment for provisions included in the offer letter or employment agreement for relocation or transition payments | Attachment- Offer letter | ||
| Lump Sum Flexible Payment | Payment for outstanding performance or completion of a major project | Attachment- Approved Nomination Form and rationale for award | ||
| Spot Award Payment | A flexible pay award of $200 (net) or less for exceptional performance | Remarks- Brief Description | ||
| Remote Travel Reimbursement | Travel expense reimbursement when working at a remote location | Remarks - brief description Attachment - actual travel receipts | ||
| Allowance Communication Device (As of 3/1/19 - no longer available via special compensation) | Provides a monthly reimbursement for cell phones and other communication equipment | Attachment- Copy of bill | ||
| Allowance Remote Internet (As of 3/1/19 - no longer available via special compensation) | Provides a monthly reimbursement for employees required to have home/remote internet service | Attachment- Copy of bill | ||
| Employment Agreement – Staff Nurse Referral Program | X | X* | Payment for current SEIU covered UI Health Care employees who refer experienced applicants for employment. Referring employee receives $2000 if referred applicant is hired into a Staff Nurse position in Operating Rooms; Neuroscience Inpatient, -Gynecology/Oncology, Gastrointestinal Surgery/Trauma, or Remo-dialysis Inpatient clinical units. Referring employee will receive $1000 when the referred applicant completed 18 months of employment. | Remarks – Brief description and first or second payment. |
There may be additional Special Compensation eligibility restrictions not outlined in this document
* Extra compensation requests exceeding certain amounts shall require prior approval in advance by the appropriate department, Dean, Vice President, and the Office of the Provost or University Human Resources/Compensation and Classification
~ Review and approval is required by Grant Accounting for Fund 500/510
Certain appointment types are ineligible for special compensation, including:
- Short Term
- Complimentary
- Biweekly (some exceptions exist)
- Research Intern PZ50 (some exceptions exist)
- Post Doctoral Research Scholar FP01 (some exceptions exist)
Service Dates
The service dates provided on the form must match the time frame when the extra services were performed.
- Prior Approval
- If the "Beginning Date" of the prior approval is past the date the form was initiated, departments must include an explanation in the "Remarks" section about why the prior approval was not initiated before the work began.
- When completing the special compensation payment based on the Special Compensation Prior Approval Form, the dates on the form must match or be within the time frame of the prior approval service dates.
- The maximum duration of a prior approval period is one year.
- Payment
- The service date provided on the Special Compensation Payment Form must be within the time time specified in the corresponding Special Compensation Prior Approval Form.
- The dollar amount on the Prior Approval Form and Special Compensation Payment Form may not always match since multiple payment forms may be created from a single prior approval.
FLSA Payment Schedule
Certain special compensation form types require hours worked and/or amount paid during the workweek to be included in the calculation of overtime per the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
- Non-exempt employees will have a payment schedule displayed by workweek to ensure correct pay and potential overtime calculation (as applicable).
- Those with an FLSA payment schedule on the Special Compensation Payment Form will receive monthly payments.
- The monthly payment will include weeks where the "Weekly End Date" occurs in that month and will be scheduled to be included on the next monthly payroll cycle.
- Example: Workweek occurs Sunday, June 27 through Saturday, July 3. The amount listed to be paid for this workweek will be paid Aug. 1 because the workweek ends in July.
Flexible Pay Awards
Flexible Pay awards allow flexibility in compensating non-organized Professional and Scientific (P&S), SEIU, and Merit staff for meritorious performance, including project completion, sustained high level of performance, revenue generation, etc.
There are two types of Flexible Pay:
- Exceptional Performance Award
- SPOT Performance Award
The general requirements for both awards are provided on the Compensation and Classification website.
Other Award Types
Additional options exist for awards and payments processed outside the HR Transaction System - Special Compensation process. Guidelines and procedures for these types of payments, including cash awards and gift certificates, can be found on the University Human Resources website.
Post-Workflow Processing
Below are the processing steps and timing that should be considered once the transaction form has been initiated.
For special compensation forms, only the "Payment" form follows the processing sequence below. Prior approval forms are found only in the HR Transaction System.
| Posting to the HR system: | Form action or types (pay groups = PG): | Timing: |
| Data entered / Not auto loaded |
| Once complete through Workflow, allow 2-3 business days for processing |
| Auto loaded |
| Once complete in Workflow |
Funding Changes
If a funding source or MFK change is needed for a Special Compensation Form that already completed its workflow, please contact University Workforce Operations at hr-transaction@uiowa.edu.
Please include the transaction number, reason for the return, and who should receive the returned transaction to edit. The transaction should be updated with new information as appropriate and the details of the changes, including the previous MFK(s), should be added in "Remarks."
University Workforce Operations will post offsetting adjustments in PeopleSoft for any payments already paid through payroll and update any future unpaid pay adjustments as indicated in the amended transaction.
Support
If a form needs to be returned for any reason (i.e. editing, voiding), please contact University Workforce Operations at hr-transaction@uiowa.edu or 319-335-2381. Workforce Operations can also answer questions about the HR Transaction System.