Adjunct Faculty (P14)

The Adjunct and Wage Faculty Payment Process (also called P14 payments) is typically used to compensate faculty members and staff employees, when hired as wage faculty, for professional services performed in support of instruction or research on a part-time, temporary basis. A stipend amount is paid on a per pay period basis over the course of the work or as a one-time payment, as appropriate. Wage faculty payments are only appropriate for the types of work that would qualify as exempt executive, administrative, or professional duties under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and are not duties normally performed by staff employees. For more information and details on P14 procedures, visit the Banner Canvas training site. 

Department determines if need is appropriate for P-14 payment 

It is critical that the type of employment be reflected correctly. Departments are advised to review University Policy 4296: Adjunct and Wage Faculty Payments (P-14 Payments) and work with their Human Resources representative to ensure that they select the most appropriate payment method for the work performed. Refer to the Faculty Handbook for specific policies regarding additional compensation for current salaried faculty employees.

The following faculty services are appropriate for compensation through the P-14 payment process:

• Payments to faculty and staff employees participating in non-credit instructional programs through Continuing and Professional Education.
• Payments to adjunct teaching faculty members, including retired faculty and staff, on or off-campus, for teaching credit courses or providing other credit instruction, or overload payments to full-time instructional faculty who are teaching professional continuing education classes for credit through distance learning.
• Payments to current faculty and staff participating in university-sponsored consulting activities (Technical Assistance Program) coordinated through Continuing and Professional Education.
• Payments to part-time, temporary faculty members, including retired faculty, for administrative, instructional support, research, extension, or outreach activities.
• One-time payments such as payments to current Virginia Tech employees, which would otherwise be paid as an honorarium.
• Payments for approved bonuses are entered by Human Resources.

Department ensures appropriate documentation of employee credentials

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation process requires the university to employ adjuncts for teaching that have at least the minimal academic credentials required of all teaching faculty for the level they are teaching. Generally, the earned doctorate or terminal degree in the field is required. Instructors teaching lower division courses must hold at least a master's degree in the field. Under exceptional circumstances, professional experience for academic credentials may substitute but must be documented. Credentials for teaching adjuncts are to be reviewed, certified, and retained by the department. See the Faculty Handbook, Section 2.5.2 for more detail.

Wage faculty appointments to positions viewed as administrative and professional similarly require an advanced degree or training and work experience at a level that equates to an advanced degree. See the Faculty Handbook for more detail.

Adjunct or wage faculty appointments for research faculty should follow the guidelines for academic credentials included in the definitions of those various titles as stated in the Faculty Handbook.

For teaching adjuncts, departments must submit a completed statement of faculty qualifications and the official, original transcript to Institutional Research and Effectiveness (0433). Departments should maintain a copy for their records.

Department makes arrangements with employee to perform services*

The department locates a candidate to perform the service and completes negotiations of arrangement.

* Some foreign nationals cannot be hired at Virginia Tech. Please contact the Controller's office to attend a training class on Employing Foreign Nationals.

For more information on visa requirements contact Global Strategic Services.

Department determines the correct class code to be entered in HR Banner

When setting up a P-14 appointment, select the correct position type from the following employee class code descriptions assigned to position numbers set up for your department:

• 9A (Instructional PT Temp Adjunct)
• 9B (Non-Inst PT Temp Fac/Sum Research)
• 9C (Continuing Educ PT Temp Faculty)
• 9D (T/R Wages One Time Payments)
• 9T (Technical Assistance Program)
  

P-14 positions must be monitored so that filled positions are counted and reported to ensure that the department remains in compliance with the maximum employment level. Refer to University Policy 3850: Management of Internal Position Allocations for more information.

Department determines appropriate FTE

Max workload on a P-14 appointment is 0.725 FTE or approximately 29 hours or less per week. Appointment in excess of 29 hours per week may result in the employee becoming full-time and eligible for health care benefits under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Department and employee complete and sign paperwork

1. A conviction check is required for all non-student hires as defined by University Policy 4060. Determine if a conviction/driving check is required by viewing the employment verification screen on banner or contacting Human Resources and complete the Conviction Check/Driving Check online form. The results of the check should be completed and reviewed by Human Resources before the adjunct faculty begins work. You will receive confirmation of conviction check completion and results via email. Visit the conviction check process page for more information.
2. Department completes the Part Time Faculty Appointment Authorization For Payment (P14A), obtains appropriate signatures, and has the employee fill out the Wage Employment Appointment Record (P12W) These documents need to be maintained in the departmental files in accordance with the retention schedule established by Records Management.
3. Department gives candidate a formal offer letter identifying job responsibilities, pay per pay period or per project, and anticipated end date based on performance, continuing need, and budget. Download a sample offer letter.
4. Employee completes tax forms and Selective Service form, if applicable, and online I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) in the New Hire Center.

Department enters the appointment using HR Banner

Each department should have at least one person who has access and training to enter actions in the HR Banner system.

1. Update or enter the employee biographic information using the Banner form - PWAEBIO.
2. Enter the P-14 appointment using the PAF process.

Department approves the appointment using HR Banner

Each department should have at least one person who has access to approve actions in the HR Banner system. Approve the P-14 appointment using the Banner form - NOAAPSM.

Employee Actions

1. Employee sets up direct deposit through Hokie Spa.
2. Employee sets up or reactivates PID.

Department changes the pay rate or FTE of a P-14 using HR Banner

Department obtains documentation reflecting the status change. The department maintains the file in accordance with the retention schedule established by Records Management.

1. Enter the status change using the PAF process.
2. An approver approves the status change using the Banner form - NOAAPSM

Termination of a P-14 appointment job

If the P-14 appointment ends prior to the original separation contract date, a job end PAF will need to be entered to stop payment.

1. Enter the P-14 termination using the PAF process.
2. An approver approves the termination using the Banner form - NOAAPSM.

User guides and FAQs for HR Banner are available on the Canvas training site. The HR Service Center is also available to provide assistance with Banner actions. Contact the HR Service Center at hrservicecenter@vt.edu or 540-231-9331.

• Why do I need to make the effective date of the P-14 the first day of a pay period and the ending date the last day of a pay period?
  To avoid having to calculate the pay to come out to an even amount per pay. If you do not use the first and last day of a pay period, Banner will automatically prorate the payment amounts.
• What amount do I enter in the regular rate field during the PAF process?
  Type the amount of pay per pay period, typing the total amount to be paid can result in an overpayment.

1. Wage Employment Information Supplement (P12-W)
2. Part Time Faculty Appointment Authorization For Payment P14A
3. P14 Wage Appointment Offer Letter

• Do not use the same date for the effective date and termination date. This will result in the employee being paid for one day.
• One-time payments should be entered for one pay period only.
  • Entering a one-time payment across multiple pay periods will result in the employee being paid more than once
• P14 payments for Graduate Assistants can only be paid during the summer.  If the payment is during the academic year, it would need to have an exception approved by the Graduate School before processing.  HR would need to be notified if exception is approved.  Gwen Davis in the Graduate School should be emailed to request an exception and if it’s approved.
• Current AY faculty can only be paid up to 33.33% of their academic year salary, including summer school and winter session
• FTE amounts

For 9A Positions

For 9B Positions

Human Resources (HR) has partnered with Information Technology (IT) to address provisioning and deprovisioning for adjunct faculty.

Beginning May 3, 2024, IT is implementing an automatic 120-day grace period for some adjunct faculty appointments. Specifically, this change applies to adjuncts in the 9A – Instructional Adjunct in the Banner system, also called P14 teaching adjuncts.  

Detailed information can be found in this memo.