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Human Resources

Policies & Procedures

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The best institutions thrive when people work with a shared sense of purpose and a commitment to understanding campus community policies. University policies apply to faculty, staff, students, and campus visitors to support university compliance with federal, state and local regulations, promote best practices, and provide expectations for conducting University business. Visitors include third-party consultants, vendors,  contractors and volunteers doing business with TCU.
 
The language used in TCU's Human Resources-specific policies does not create an employment contract between the employee and Texas Christian University (TCU). The University reserves the right to revise the content of Human Resources policies, in whole or in part, with or without notice.
 
TCU is a private employer with Human Resources policies that are intended to be consistent with the prevailing state and federal laws and regulations. However, in the event the language contained in the Human Resources policies conflicts with state or federal laws or regulations, the state or federal laws or regulations will control. TCU Human Resources has the authority to interpret the University’s Human Resources policies.
 
University-wide policies can be found in PolicyTech, a secure platform and management software. PolicyTech provides the ability to create and manage University policies, including the tracking of revisions and maintaining a history of any policy changes. Policies are assigned to departments and are searchable by subject matter, department, document owner, or via a custom search. As of January 2022, some policies remain in the migration stage to this platform. With this in mind, please contact compliance@tcu.edu if you are unable to locate a specific policy in PolicyTech.
 

To view a policy or procedure, click on the corresponding tab below:

 

TCU policies have broad application throughout the University, helping to ensure coordinated compliance with applicable laws and regulations while promoting operational efficiencies, enhancing the University’s mission and reducing institutional risk.
 

View TCU policies on the PolicyTech website:

Several laws contain either explicit or implicit records retention requirements. These laws include:
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
  • The Equal Pay Act
  • Executive Order 11246
  • The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
  • The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
  • The Rehabilitation Act
  • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
  • Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA)
  • Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
  • The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
  • The Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974

The table below includes various types of records, the length of time those records must be retained, and the law requiring the records retention. In many cases, several laws require that a particular record must be maintained. In those cases, the law with the longest records retention requirement is listed.

Type of Record Length of Retention Applicable Law
Applicant tracking information one year* ADA, ADEA, and Civil Rights Act
Medical records one year**  ADA, ADEA, and Civil Rights Act
Promotions, demotions, and transfers one year* ADA, ADEA, and Civil Rights Act
Reduction in headcount (Layoffs) one year ADA, ADEA, and Civil Rights Act
Employee terminations one year ADA, ADEA, EO 11246, and Civil Rights Act
Offer and hire records  one year* ADA, EO 11246, Civil Rights Act, Veteran's Act
EEO-1 and Vets-100 reports one year ADA, EO 11246, Civil Rights Act, Veteran's Act
Job opening submitted to a state agency one year ADEA
Time cards three years ADEA and FLSA
Payroll records three years ADEA, Equal Pay Act, FMLA, and FLSA
Job advertisements and internal job postings one year ADEA, FLSA and ADA
Employment contracts three years Equal Pay Act and FLSA
Qualified plan (welfare or retirement) records six years ERISA
Biographical data (name, address, birth date, sex, etc.) three years FLSA and FMLA
Employee pay and benefit plans three years FMLA
Family leave of absences three years FMLA
Record of employee disputes three years FMLA
INS Form I9 latter of three years after hire or one year after termination IRCA
Records and logs of occupational injuries five years OSHA
Employee exposure to toxic substances 30 years after termination OSHA
Apprenticeship records latter of two years or the duration of the program Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Discrimination charges and related records latter of one year after employee terminates or when the charge is resolved Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and ADEA***

*If, while completing the Affirmative Action Plan, an “adverse impact” is discovered, then the records must be maintained until two years after the adverse impact is eliminated.

**Medical records related to a leave granted under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) must be maintained for three years.