Auxiliary Services Employee Guide

Welcome to Auxiliary Services, where we recognize that our employees are our greatest strength, and we succeed by working together as a team.

Auxiliary Services at Montana State University is made up of four divisions.

• Culinary Services
• Event Services
• University Student Housing
• Administration/Finance

While these divisions all have a different focus, they share a common goal – To act in service to our students, staff, and community.

To achieve this goal, we operate with the following intentions:

• Place students at the center of our focus
• Be caring stewards of our facilities and resources
• Recognize our employees as our greatest strength
• Be on organization with a growth mindset

Our values are our guiding principles.

• Accountability
• Safety in People & Processes
• Commit to Communicate
• Inclusivity & Respect
• Pride in Your Work

Auxiliary Services has a strong focus on customer service. We are an outward facing, support organization, serving MSU’s students, faculty and staff. When you are interacting with any of our constituents, ask yourself if you are providing the level of customer service you would like to receive.

We are a self-funded enterprise, receiving no state funding. This requires us to be good stewards of our resources while we manage over half the square footage of campus. You are joining a team of approximately 350 full-time employees and approximately 1,000 students and short-term employees.

Please note, this guide is specific to Auxiliary Services. It is not an overall guide to MSU. This guide attempts to answer common questions and provide information that will help you be successful in your role.

Who You Can Contact If You Have Questions

For clarification or additional questions, start by asking your supervisor.

Below are University and Auxiliary Services guidelines, policies, and processes.

A link to all MSU Policies and Procedures can be found here.

There may be additional procedures and policies required by your department.

Public Employee Responsibilities

All university employees are public employees who carry out their duties for the benefit of the public. As such, they are subject to certain statutes, policies, and directives related to their status as a public employee. This policy outlines the most significant of those responsibilities.

Appearance 

Auxiliary Services prides itself on putting forth a positive image to campus and when you are at work, you represent all Auxiliary Services. Employees are expected to wear work attire that reflects a sense of cleanliness and professionalism. Departments in Auxiliary Services may have specific uniforms employees are required to wear. Your assigned department will review that procedure with you.

Breaks and Meal Periods

Departments have different requirements surrounding meal breaks. Your assigned department will review that with you. If you are unsure about your department’s practice, please ask your supervisor.

For employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement the provisions related to duty-free rest and meal breaks will be met.

Call Out Procedure 

If you are feeling unwell, or running late, it is expected you call and let us know prior to the start of your scheduled shift.

Each department has their own specific call out procedure. Your assigned department will review that procedure with you. If you are unsure about your department’s procedure, please ask your supervisor.

Please note, excessive absenteeism or tardiness could result in discipline up to and including termination. Unauthorized absence from work in excess of three (3) working days’ is described as a reason for involuntary termination. More information on this can be found in the Performance Management and Progressive Discipline Policy.

CatCard

CatCards are campus issued forms of identification used for a variety of purposes from clocking in and out to building access. Each employee is expected to have one.

To be issued a CatCard, please bring a valid government-issued photo ID with you to the CatCard Service Window (main level of Miller Dining Commons in the Hedges Complex). A CatCard cannot be issued without identity verification. You may upload your own photo or have your photo taken at the CatCard Service Window. 

A replacement fee will be charged at time of printing for all lost, stolen, or damaged cards.

Campus Drug and Alcohol Policy

Montana State University is an environment where unlawful possession, consumption, use or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol by students and employees on campus property is prohibited.   

Drug. Alcohol, and Tobacco Free Workplace

Montana State University has a longstanding commitment to maintaining a work environment that is drug and alcohol free and has adopted this policy to provide a work environment that promotes the safety and productivity of its employees, students, and visitors.  

Tobacco Free Campus

The use of tobacco (including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco and all other tobacco products) by students, faculty, staff, guests, visitors, and contractors is prohibited on all properties owned or leased by MSU, including:

1. all interior space on the MSU campus and property leased by MSU, including the agricultural research centers and other remote sites;
2. all outside property or grounds on MSU's campuses, including areas such as walkways, breezeways, parking lots, and patios;
3. all outside property leased by MSU;
4. all vehicles leased or owned by MSU;
5. all indoor and outdoor athletic facilities.

Cell Phone Usage

Allowable cell phone use varies by department and position. Personal calls should be kept to break and meal times. Talk to your supervisor about department specific use policies. 

Confidential Information

In the course and scope of your job, you may have access to private and confidential information concerning staff and students.  Employees and students are expected to maintain the confidentiality of any information they may encounter in the performance of their assigned duties.  

Conflict of Interest

Employees are required to disclose any potential conflict of interest. If you are unsure if your situation represents a conflict of interest, you can consult the Conflict of Interest policy or contact the Auxiliary Services Human Resources Business Partner x2664.

Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation

Everyone has the right to work in an environment free from harassment. MSU has a Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation Policy. The University encourages prompt reporting of conduct that may violate this Policy. Reports of Prohibited Conduct should be made directly to the Campus Civil Rights.

Campus Civil Rights
(406) 994-2042

civilrights@montana.edu

Online Discrimination and Harassment Reporting Form 

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Montana University System (MUS) Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefits are available to all MUS employees and their household members. EAP offers confidential advice, support, and practical solutions to real-life issues.  You can access these confidential services by calling the toll-free number and speaking with a consultant.

To use your EAP services, contact 1-888-993-7650 or go to https://www.deeroakseap.com/ and enter “MUS” for both the login and password.

The EAP offers more than just counseling. Below are some of the resources available to you in addition to counseling.

• Legal & Financial Consultation & Resources
• ID Theft Prevention & Recovery Assistance
• Online Credit Monitoring
• Online Simple Will Preparation
• Daily Living & Convenience Consultation & Referrals
• Child/Elder/Adult Care Consultation & Referrals
• Health & Well-being Consultation & Referrals
• Interactive Online Tools, Resources and Skill Builders
• Take the High Road Cab Reimbursement Program
• Continued Access to the EAP for up to 6 Months Post-Employment

Holidays and Holiday Pay

The following days are university holidays:

Leave

Employees are expected to manage the allocations of Sick Leave and Annual Leave, provided by the employer, to meet their needs. This includes building and managing an adequate Sick Leave balance to cover potential unanticipated injury or health problems. 

Annual Vacation Leave 

Eligible MSU employees working full-time (1.0 FTE, or 40 hours per week) accrue Annual Leave in accordance with state statute, at the minimum rate of 4.62 hours per pay period for 15 days per year.  (Increases after 10 years of employment without a break in service.) Part-time employees accrue annual leave on a pro-rated basis.

Leave Without Pay

Leave Without Pay (LWOP) is approved at the discretion of the employer (i.e., LWOP is not an entitlement). Using LWOP without approval can result in disciplinary action and/or termination. In general, when an employee crosses into a LWOP status to cover a Sick Leave situation, they are required to provide confirmation of their specific situation from a qualified healthcare provider (i.e., doctor, dentist, etc.) for each occurrence, if the LWOP is to be approved

Sick Leave Policy

Eligible, full-time MSU employees accrue Sick Leave in accordance with state statute, at the rate of 3.69 hours for each pay period worked, for 12 days per year. Eligible, part-time employees accrue annual leave on a pro-rated basis.

Floating Holiday

Each eligible employee shall receive one floating holiday per calendar year. The floating holiday is available to eligible employees immediately upon hire. Student employees, graduate students, and short-term workers are not eligible for a floating holiday. Part-time employees receive prorated floating holiday hours based on FTE. Unused floating holidays expire at the end of each calendar year.

Mandatory Reporting

All Montana State University Employees are mandatory reporters for all known or suspected protected class discrimination and harassment, including Sexual Misconduct, Domestic/Dating Violence, and Stalking.

Within 24 hours, the employee must provide Campus Civil Rights with all information they have directly related to the incident. This includes, but is not limited to, the names of people involved, as well as facts, including the date(s), time(s), and location(s). Employees should not conduct their own investigations or engage in fact-finding, but as described above, should report information they have. 

Campus Civil Rights

(406) 994-2042

civilrights@montana.edu

Online Discrimination and Harassment Reporting Form 

MyInfo

MyInfo is a Montana State University resource for MSU students, faculty, and staff, that provides essential services pertaining to personal information, classes & grades, payroll & leave time, and many other services. You will need your NetID and password to log in.

NetID

Your NetID is your unique campus ID number consisting of a seven-digit combination of letters and numbers, used to access various campus resources. To Claim/Recover your Net ID, use this link. 

Parking

All parking on campus requires a paid permit. There are multiple options for employees to select from. For more information, visit Parking Services website.

CatTracks Campus Shuttle

MSU provides a shuttle around campus connecting MSU’s perimeter parking lots to the campus core. For more information, visit the CatTracks website.

Pay Days

MSU pays its employees on a bi-weekly basis, paid every other Wednesday. The most recent Payroll Calendar can be found here.

Performance Management

Communication between employees and supervisors or managers is very important. Discussions regarding job performance are ongoing and often informal. Employees should initiate conversations with their supervisors if they feel additional ongoing feedback is needed.

Performance Evaluation

An annual evaluation of performance is required for classified employees and contract employees working 0.5 FTE and/or more, who have passed their probationary period. These reviews include a written performance appraisal and discussion between the employee and the supervisor about job performance and expectations for the coming year.

Probationary Period

All classified employees in permanent positions serve a probationary period during which the department determines whether an employee will be allowed to move to a permanent status.

At any time during the probationary period, the supervisor, with approval of University Human Resources, may terminate the employment relationship without a showing of cause. Upon successful completion of the probationary period, the employee attains continuing status and may not be terminated without cause. Temporary employees, short-term workers, and student workers are not eligible to attain continuing status and do not serve probationary periods.

The length of the probationary period for classified employees varies.

1. For classified employees who are represented by a union, the probationary period is established in the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
2. For union-exempt classified employees, the probationary period is the first six (6) months from the date of hire at Montana State University Bozeman.

The department may extend the probationary period, if appropriate and with approval from University Human Resources, to provide additional time to evaluate the employee’s abilities to perform the job assignments. 

Transfers within MSU Bozeman do not initiate a new probationary period unless there is a change in the union status of the position.

Progressive Discipline

Montana State University supports the use of performance management and progressive discipline, where appropriate, to improve performance and prevent recurrence of undesirable employee actions and performance. This policy establishes the university expectations for use of performance management actions or discipline of university employees. For employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the provisions of the applicable agreement must be followed in administering disciplinary action.

Relationships in the Workplace

The university has a Relationships in the Workplace policy. The employment of, or contracting with, family members may create a conflict of interest and raise concerns about favoritism or disparate treatment among the other employees.

In such cases, the individuals, or the supervisor should notify the Human Resources Business Partner who will assist them with notifying the appropriate university entities. A Conflict-of-Interest Disclosure Form should also be completed. 

Relationships with Students

Employees in Auxiliary Services who are supervisors of student employees; staff in Housing; or staff providing services directly for students are prohibited from engaging in a relationship with students who are currently, were in the immediately preceding twelve months, or may reasonably be expected to be (see Section 100) impacted by the employee’s conduct within the role and scope of their employment with the university.  

Use of University Property

No employee may use, or permit others to use, university property or for which the university is responsible for personal or private business purposes. 

Vehicle Use 

If your position requires you to drive state-owned vehicles, you must read both the State of Montana Vehicle Use Policy and the Montana Board of Regents of Higher Education Vehicle Policy and Procedures (available here). Additionally, you are required to complete and submit a Vehicle Use Form and pass a driving record check before being authorized to drive a state vehicle.

Work Hours/Time and Attendance

All employees are expected to arrive on time, ready to work, every day they are scheduled to work. 

Each department is responsible for setting the schedule of its employees to provide the necessary access for students, faculty, staff, and patrons of the university. The department will designate the number of hours per day, the starting and ending times each day, and the scheduled days during the standard workweek for each overtime eligible employee. The hours and days in an employee’s schedule may vary or be changed to meet departmental and university needs consistent with wage and hour laws and applicable collective bargaining agreements. Certain collective bargaining agreements also require duty-free rest and meal breaks for employees in the respective collective bargaining units.

Overtime and Compensatory Time Policy

If you are in an overtime-eligible position, there may be instances when you are requested or required to work overtime or work more than 40 hours in a week. Overtime is compensated at a rate of one and one-half times your regular hourly pay unless you and your department mutually agree to the use of nonexempt compensatory time instead of overtime pay.  Employees must obtain explicit written approval from their supervisor in advance to work overtime. 

Compensatory time for overtime-eligible employees is earned at one and one-half times the regular hourly rate for each hour in a pay status in excess of forty (40) hours per week or in accordance with the applicable collective bargaining agreement. Compensatory time is recorded in increments of 30 minutes and may be accumulated up to a maximum balance of 90 hours. Employees must obtain explicit written approval from their supervisor in advance to accrue compensatory time.  

For additional details, please refer to the Overtime and Compensatory Time Policy. 

Compensatory Time for Exempt Employees

Employees in exempt positions (not eligible for overtime) may accrue one hour of compensatory time for each hour worked over 40 hours in a workweek. To record these hours, employees must document them on their official time record. Hours not reported will be forfeited.

The maximum allowable accrual of compensatory time for exempt classified employees is 40 hours. Any hours worked beyond this limit will not be accepted as accrued compensatory time. Approval from your direct supervisor is required to work hours that would result in the accrual of compensatory time. Supervisors may grant or deny approval either before or after the excess hours are worked.

For more information, please see the Compensatory Time for Exempt Employees Policy.

Workplace Violence

Montana State University supports a learning environment and workplace, both on campus and any of its off-site locations, that is free of violence; acts of violence by or against any member of the MSU community are strictly prohibited.

The university is committed to working with its employees to maintain an environment free from violence, threats of violence, harassment, intimidation, and other disruptive behavior.

Wellness

MUS Wellness Program offers numerous wellness services to adult plan members covered under the MUS insurance plan. Opportunities through Wellness to help you stay healthy and pursue an active, high-quality lifestyle include: 

• Wellchecks: Two (2) FREE and low-cost preventive health screenings (lab work, biometrics, and flu shots) 
• Lifestyle Education, including webinars, workshops, and online resources 

If you’re interested in…

Professional Development

Auxiliary Services has a firm commitment to providing professional development for its employees. This includes development opportunities across the entire enterprise, as well as specific training within each department.

MSU offers a range of programs and services designed to meet a wide variety of MSU professional and classified employee development needs.

MSU CARE Program

If you are concerned about the welfare of someone affiliated with MSU and this is a non-emergency, we encourage you to complete a CARE Referral. Sometimes people cannot or will not ask for support, so informing us of your concern may be a critical factor in getting them the support they need. There are a number of reasons why someone might need help that you can report on this form, including, but not limited to: threats of suicide or self-harm, threats regarding violence to others, other mental health related concerns, and concerns to the safety of the community.

If you consider the situation to be an emergency, call 911 NOW.

Tuition Waiver

Faculty/Staff Tuition Waiver

• Must be .75 FTE during entire semester used.
• The first 6 credits waived at residential rate.
• Supervisor and Director approval required.
• Completed their probationary period.

Dependent Partial Tuition Waiver

• Must be .75 FTE during entire semester used.
• Can be used in conjunction with Faculty and/or Staff waiver.
• 50% of residential tuition.
• Available for use after four months.

Auxiliary Services Areas of Responsibility: