1.0 Introduction

1.1 General - Auburn University recognizes its legal and ethical obligation to provide an environment in which an opportunity for employment is available to all qualified individuals without discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability, covered veteran status, sexual orientation, or genetic information. The University affirms its commitment to this principle and to an affirmative action program which not only will establish and sustain the criteria of equal opportunity for employment but which will also detect and eliminate any elements of discrimination in employment which may be found to exist within the institution. The University also commits itself to maintaining on a nondiscriminatory basis the conditions for continuing employment and for individual advancement within the job structure of the University.

1.1.1 By performing his or her assigned duties, each employee of Auburn University contributes to the instructional, research, and outreach/extension activities of the University. The University desires to have in its employ reasonably content, industrious people who will serve courteously and efficiently. In return, the University endeavors to provide working conditions based upon fair and equitable standards.

1.1.2 Any employee or group of employees has the right, without discrimination or retaliation, to discuss with their supervisor(s) and/or the Assistant Vice President and/or the Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Officer the terms of their employment or working conditions.

1.1.3 Occasionally, the University, just as any other large organization, has to make decisions without prior consultation with its employees. The University must, therefore, maintain exclusive discretion to exercise the customary functions of management including, but not limited to, the discretion to select, hire, promote, transfer, demote, suspend, dismiss, assign, supervise, and discipline employees; to determine the work schedule; to determine the sizes of and composition of the work force; to establish, change, and abolish policies, procedures, rules and regulations; to determine and modify job descriptions and job classifications; to assign responsibilities to employees; and to establish and change salary and wage rates in accordance with needs and requirements determined by the University. This manual is not an employee contract but rather a collection of university policies and information that will be of practical use to employees.

1.1.4 Responsibility for administration of the policies and rules in this manual is delegated by the Executive Vice President.

a) The Assistant Vice President of the Department of Human Resources is responsible for the application, conformity, and coordination of the policies and procedures and the recommendation of changes when necessary.

b) The Assistant Vice President of the Department of Human Resources will work in conjunction with the Director of the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Office on matters relating to implementation of the University's Affirmative Action Program and Equal Opportunity Policies.

c) Department supervisors are responsible for the administration of personnel policies and procedures as they pertain to employees under their area of responsibility.

1.1.5 The remaining pages of this section contain employment policy statements as follows:

a) Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

b) Employee Anti-Harassment Policy

c) Affirmative Action Policy on the Employment of Individuals with a Disability

d) Affirmative Action on the Employment of Veterans

f) Internal Complaint Review Procedure for Applicants with Disabilities

g) Affirmative Action Notice pursuant to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act and section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

h) Intimate Relations Policy

i) Nepotism Policy