Class 3 & 4 Classification Resources

Class 3* and Class 4** temporary employees are an important component of the university’s workforce. In order to support departments, the following guidelines and tools have been created to help provide for an optimal and equitable administration of our temporary workforce.

*Class 3 Employee: Short-term temporary employees.

**Class 4 Employee: Casual hourly employees.

Class 3 & 4 Guidelines & Policy

Class 3 & 4 Guidelines

The Class 3 and Class 4 Employment Guidelines explain the terms applicable to Class 3 and Class 4 employee categories; centralized monitoring and approval; classification and hiring requirements; and benefits and time off eligibility.

Class 3 & 4 Policy

The policy can be accessed here Class 3 and Class 4 Employment Policy, 60.3.21

Classification Resources

Appointment Categories

	Description	Appointment Duration
Class 3 Short-Term Temporary	This appointment should be used for short-term assignments of 50% or greater effort. Non exempt Class 3 employees will receive overtime pay or compensatory time for hours worked over 40 hours per workweek. Class 3 employees are paid on a salary basis. Consult the Class 3 and Class 4 Employment Policy for additional information.	Class 3 employees may be appointed for a period of up to one (1) year at a time, and have a maximum service limit of two (2) years including breaks in service of less than six (6) months. Exception: Maximum temporary appointments will continue to conform with the applicable collective bargaining agreement for AFSCME 888 and COLT assignments (i.e., 9 and 16 months respectively).
Class 4 Casual	This appointment should be used for temporary assignments of less than 20 hours per week. Class 4 Casual employees may work a fixed, varied or intermittent schedule, and are paid on an hourly basis.	Class 4 Casual employees may be appointed for a period of up to one (1) year at a time, and are eligible for reappointment.
Class 4 Seasonal	This appointment should be used for seasonal assignments. Class 4 Seasonal employees are not restricted in the number of hours worked per week. Seasonal employees receive overtime compensation for time worked over 40 hours per week.	Class 4 Seasonal employees may be appointed for a period of up to six (6) months, and may be rehired after a continuous break in Rutgers service of at least three (3) months.

Class 3 & Class 4 employees may only hold one university appointment at a time.

For more detailed information regarding the Categories of Temporary Positions, be sure to review the Class 3 and Class 4 Employment Policy.

Appointment & Termination Letter Templates

The following letter templates are available to facilitate the appointment and reappointment of Class 3 & 4 employees.

Under the Class 3 and Class 4 Employment policy, all Class 4 Casual, Class 4 Seasonal or Class 3 Short-term Temporary employees must be provided with an appointment letter defining the terms of their new appointment. Appointment letters are to be issued to all Class 3 and Class 4 new hires. Appointment letter templates have been created to assist hiring units with this process. Please be advised that modifications should not be made to the language or content provided in the templates, as these templates have been reviewed and approved by the Office of Labor Relations and University Counsel.

Appointment Letter Templates:

• Class 3 Appointment Letter Template
• Class 4 Casual Appointment Letter Template
• Class 4 Seasonal Appointment Letter Template

Reappointment Letter Templates:

• Class 3 Reappointment Letter Template
• Class 4 Casual Reappointment Letter Template

Class 3 Appointment Extension Guidelines and Request Form

Class 3 and Class 4 employees are at-will employees. As such, there is no guarantee of continued or renewed employment. An appointment may be terminated with or without cause, at any time without prior notice, at the employee’s or the University’s discretion. If the appointment is terminated at the discretion of the University prior to the specified duration, a pre-termination conference is necessary and a termination letter must be given to the employee upon separation. The termination letter template must be used for the termination process.

• Pre-Termination Conference Letter Template
• Early Termination Letter Template

Classification Forms

The following forms are to be used for the classification of Class 3 & 4 positions.

• Class 3 Classification and Recruitment Form (Class 3 CARF)
• Class 4 Classification and Recruitment Form (Class 4 CARF)

Generic Job Descriptions

Summary descriptions and requirements for representative positions within the job families are provided. These can serve as a framework for developing job descriptions.

Job Title	Generic Job Description	Generic Requirements
Clerical Assistant	Under general guidance and direction, provides general clerical/ office or library support to unit management such as filing, opening mail; word processing; receptionist duties; basic bookkeeping, calculating and posting charges to departmental accounts, operating basic office equipment, e.g., photocopier, facsimile, multi-line phone/voicemail systems, and basic computer programs. May sort and check out library materials and process books and periodicals. Duties vary widely by department.	For entry-level positions: High school diploma or equivalent. For all other positions: High school diploma or equivalent, and/or up to 4 years of relevant office, clerical, bookkeeping, library assistant or related experience depending on duties to be performed. An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be substituted for the experience requirement.
Service Maintenance Worker	Under general guidance and direction, provides maintenance/ service duties of routine general maintenance, custodial, grounds, services to clean repair and maintain University facilities, grounds, furnishings and equipment. May perform duties such as dining/cooking, security, transportation, parking duties or other similar work. May perform group leading duties.	For entry-level positions, no experience is required. For all other positions, requires a high school/vocational school education or equivalent experience depending on the duties to be performed, in general custodial/maintenance/repair work including plumbing, electrical and/or carpentry areas; security; cooking; transportation; or other related experience. May also require a valid driver's license and two years driving experience.
Laboratory/Technical Assistant	Under general guidance and direction, provides basic level laboratory and/or technical support duties involving the application of scientific research methods and techniques. Performs multistage purifications, other assays, and tests; propagates specimens and cell cultures; prepares tissues, chemicals, and/or living subjects for testing and performs related duties as assigned. May perform other technical support duties in disciplines such as engineering, or information technology.	Requires a bachelor’s degree in a scientific/technical discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and/or relevant laboratory technician or research study experience carrying out research protocols and tests, or other technical work may be substituted for the degree.
Unit Administrator/Specialist	Provides support to unit management by organizing and coordinating daily unit operations. Coordinates the administration of programs, projects, and/or processes. Prioritizes work, resolves routine conflicts and issues, prepares and implements administrative guidelines and procedures, and provides oversight and facilitation. Provides routine and nonroutine information and explanations to clients. May create informational materials; provide supporting research, analysis, and proposal data; prepares, processes, and controls records, statistics, reports, and document. May schedule, arrange and coordinate design and logistics for events and meetings; and completes other work assigned. May perform duties in functions such as accounting or information technology.	Requires a bachelor’s degree in a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience. Requires up to two years relevant experience in an administrative function, good communication and interpersonal skills, and computer literacy.
Professional/Research/Manager	Provides overall management and supervision of the daily operations, staff and performance of a complex academic, research, operational, or administrative university unit. Ensures accurate and timely processing of requests and actions, and professional service to clients. Develops, restructures, and supervises the implementation of procedures and processes. May provide oversight, facilitation, and supervision of academic support and policy interpretation; purchasing, personnel, space and facilities planning; major event design, promotion, and implementation; and may oversee business processes. Performs seasoned professional-level work that requires specialized to general knowledge. - OR - Provides professional, research or technical management of assigned duties and assures that program(s) proceed as planned. Communicates and collaborates with numerous individuals to maintain involvement in all facets of the project; accountable for major project decisions, protocols, metrics, and client satisfaction. Demonstrates leadership role in forming and maintaining productive working relationships. May manage professional and paraprofessional staff and motivate groups to implement the strategy of the organization. Develops procedures for reporting and is responsible for protocol development and/or approvals. May be recognized as a subject matter expert and acts as a consultant to faculty or staff.	Requires a bachelor’s degree in a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience. Also requires a minimum of three to five years of relevant professional experience in an administrative and/or supervisory function, excellent communication skills, and computer literacy. - OR - Requires a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education/experience in the discipline. A master’s degree in a specialized discipline may be required, particularly in research, project management or managerial positions. Also requires a minimum of five years experience and/or increasing functional responsibility in a leadership/managerial role. With a master’s degree requirement, a minimum of three years of related experience is acceptable. Excellent communication skills and computer literacy.

Job Codes

Below are some of the more common Class 3 and 4 job codes, if you do not know which job code to select please submit the request without one selected and UHR will assign the appropriate job code.

	Class 3	Class 4 Casual	Class 4 Seasonal
Service/Maintenance Worker	03330	04440	04610
Clerical Assistant	03331	04441	04620
Laboratory/Technical Assistant	03332	04442	04630
Unit Administrator/Specialist	03333	04443	04640
Professional/Research/Manager	03334	04444	04650

Additional Resources

Benefit Eligibility

	Class 3 Short-Term Temporary	Class 4 Casual/Seasonal
Pension	May be eligible for appropriate pension program in accordance with State regulations. If already in a State pension program, may be eligible to continue in program based on State eligibility criteria.	May be eligible for appropriate pension program in accordance with State regulations. UHR will automatically enroll employee if eligible and hiring unit will be responsible for pension fringe rate. If already in a State pension program, may be eligible to continue in program based on State eligibility criteria.
Life Insurance	Same rules apply as with Pension.	Same rules apply as with Pension.
Health Benefits	• If employed full-time (100% - 40 hours per week), with an appointment of 12 months or greater for calendar year employees or 10-months for Academic Year employees, will be able to enroll in State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) for health, dental, and/or prescription drug coverage with the same eligibility and premiums as Class 1 employees. • Part-time employees enrolled in a State-administered pension plan may be eligible to purchase health insurance at full share cost directly through the State of New Jersey.	If enrolled in a State-administered pension plan, may be eligible to purchase health insurance at full share cost directly through the State of New Jersey.
Vision Plan	• If employed full-time = Eligible • If employed part-time = Not Eligible	Not Eligible
Administrative Leave (AL)	Not Eligible	Not Eligible
Vacation	• Credited at the rate of one (1) day for each full month of employment. • Prorated for part-time employees according to the percentage of time appointed. • Refer to Class 3 and Class 4 Employment Guidelines for information regarding carryover.	Not Eligible
Sick Time	Credited at the rate of one (1) day for each full month of employment. • Prorated for part-time employees according to the percentage of time appointed. • Can carry over unused sick time to any subsequent Class 3 or Class 1 Staff eligible appointment.	Not Eligible
FMLA & NJFLA	May be eligible for leave pursuant to State and Federal family leave laws if employees meet the laws’ articulated requirements and in accordance with RU Policy 60.3.8.	May be eligible for leave pursuant to State and Federal family leave laws if employees meet the laws’ articulated requirements and in accordance with RU Policy 60.3.8.
Holidays	Eligible and will receive paid time off on the University holidays identified in RU Policy 60.3.11(1)(A).	Not Eligible
Personal Holidays	Not Eligible	Not Eligible

Monitoring & Compliance

While it is the responsibility of hiring units to comply with the Class 3 and Class 4 Employment Policy 60.1.5 and all of the requirements there-in, University Human Resources (UHR) will continually monitor the appointment length and hours allowable for Class 3 and Class 4 appointments under the policy. UHR conducts regularly scheduled system queries and reports to monitor all Class 3 and Class 4 appointments. Class 3 and Class 4 employees eligible for pension benefits will also be monitored by UHR and enrolled in the applicable State Pension Program in accordance with NJ State Regulations.

Class 3 Short-Term Temporary	Class 4 Casual	Class 4 Seasonal
Class 3 employees may be appointed for up to one (1) year at a time, and are eligible for reappointment for up to one (1) additional year. Class 3 appointments have a maximum service limit of twenty-four (24) months including breaks in Rutgers service of less than six (6) months. UHR will monitor the appointment length of Class 3 Short-term Temporary employees.	Class 4 Casual employees must work an average of less than twenty (20) hours per week. UHR will monitor hours worked by casual appointees on a quarterly basis. Employees whose hours worked average 20 or more per workweek in any given quarter will automatically be converted to Class 3 employees for the remainder of their current appointment; and the hiring unit will be responsible for the applicable fringe benefit rate. Class 4 Casual employees may be appointed for up to one (1) year at a time, and may be reappointed year to year. UHR will also monitor the appointment length of Class 4 Casual employees.	Class 4 Seasonal employees may be appointed for up to a six (6) month period, and may be reappointed as long as there is a break in Rutgers service of at least three (3) continuous months. While Class 4 Seasonal employees are not restricted in the number of hours worked per week, UHR will monitor the appointment length of Class 4 Seasonal employees to ensure that the maximum six (6) month appointment limitation is adhered to.

Questions & Support

For ROCS support ;please contact rocs@hr.rutgers.edu and a dedicated member of our ROCS support team will assist you.

For Classification support

• For Camden positions please see contact information here.
• For New Brunswick & Central Administration positions please contact a Talent Acquisition Coordinator. Contact information can be found on our directory under “Talent Acquisition”.
• For Newark positions please see contact information here.
• For Rutgers Biomedical & Health Services (RBHS) positions please contact your HR Generalist for assistance. Contact information can be found on our directory under "Employment Services".