Employee Relations
Employee Relations jgastley3Administrative Leave Policy
Administrative Leave PolicyThis policy ensures consistent application of Administrative Leave at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).
Administrative Leave is a leave of absence that is initiated by Georgia Tech or the University System of Georgia (USG) under special circumstances with pay. During Administrative Leave an employee may be instructed not to work, not to report to
their workplace, or to conduct work in a modified manner.
Administrative Leave may be implemented for any of the following reasons:
- For the health, safety, or protection of students, employees, or other individuals;
- To allow time for an investigation or review of a matter internal to the Institute;
- To evaluate circumstances surrounding an allegation or external event such as an arrest;
- Other circumstances involving dishonesty, theft or misappropriation of Institute funds, trade secrets, unpublished research or other intellectual or physical property, violence or threats of violence, significant safety violations, acts endangering others, insider threats; or
- Any other conduct that the Institute in its sole discretion determines requires temporary removal of the employee from the campus community, workplace, or workforce.
Supervisors or HR Representatives who believe there may be a need for Administrative Leave must contact Georgia Tech Human Resources (GTHR) – Employee Relations to evaluate the situation. For situations that require an immediate response, supervisors should use their best judgment on whether the employee should be immediately asked to leave for the day. When a supervisor makes this decision, they must immediately engage their HR Representative as well as GTHR – Employee Relations. In consultation with the supervisor , the Office of Legal Affairs, and other campus leaders, GTHR – Employee Relations will determine whether administrative leave is the best course of action and obtain necessary approvals. GTHR – Employee Relations will consult with the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty and/or the Executive Vice President for Research on faculty matters.
In cases of imminent harm or threat of imminent harm, Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD) must be contacted immediately. If GTPD determines that an employee poses a threat of imminent harm, the employee may be placed on immediate Administrative Leave. Following any employee being placed on immediate Administrative Leave, the supervisor must immediately contact their HR Representative as well as GTHR – Employee Relations and the Office of Legal Affairs through the procedures outlined above.
Notification Requirements
An employee placed on Administrative Leave should receive, as soon as practicable and no later than five business days after being placed on administrative leave, a written notification. The notification should include the effective date of Administrative Leave, the conditions and terms of the leave, and the reason for the leave. GTHR Employee Relations will prepare the written notification for distribution by the employee’s manager.
Compensation and Eligibility for Benefits
Administrative Leave does not result in a break in service for the purpose of determining seniority and eligibility for employee benefits, nor does it prevent the accrual of leave. Tenure track employees may apply for extension to their tenure probation period. Employees on Administrative Leave will receive their regular or base pay. However, they are not eligible for temporary pay for extra duties previously assigned, administrative stipends, overtime payments, summer salary for faculty on nine-month contracts, premium holiday pay, or additional premium pay as if the employee worked. Employees on Administrative Leave should perform work only if directed by GTHR.
Termination of Administration Leave
Upon conclusion of Georgia Tech’s review or investigation, GTHR – Employee Relations, in consultation with Georgia Tech leadership for the respective unit , the Office of Legal Affairs, and the employee’s supervisor, will determine whether the employee will be reinstated or subject to disciplinary action, which may include
actions up to, and including, termination of employment.
Duration
Administrative leave should not last longer than six (6) months without review by GTHR-Employee Relations.
This policy applies to all employees of Georgia Tech.
| Administrative Leave | Administrative Leave is defined as the temporary removal from the campus community, workplace, or workforce of an Employee, with pay. Administrative leave is not a disciplinary action. |
While on Administrative Leave, Employees must:
- Comply with all terms of the notification letter.
- Participate in Georgia Tech’s investigation, including appearing for interviews.
- Respond to work-related questions from their supervisor(s).
- Appropriately utilize Sick and Annual Leave when not available during regularly scheduled work hours.
- Return any Institute property as requested.
- Not perform any work-related responsibilities unless directed by GTHR. An
employee’s access to GT systems may be limited or paused while the
employee is on Administrative Leave.
To report suspected instances of ethical violations, please visit Georgia Tech’s
Ethics Hotline a secure and confidential reporting system, at:
https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/en/report_custom.asp?clientid=7508
| Revision Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | GTHR | New Policy |
Fitness for Duty Policy
Fitness for Duty PolicyThe Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is committed to ensuring that Employees are Fit for Duty while also respecting Employee privacy. Georgia Tech is interested in the wellbeing of its employees and endeavors to provide a safe workplace for the benefit of all members of its community. This policy covers only those situations in which an employee is having observable difficulty performing assigned work duties in a manner that is safe for the employee and/or for the employee’s co-workers or is posing an imminent safety threat to self or others. This policy prescribes the circumstances under which an employee may be referred for a fitness for duty examination.
All Georgia Tech employees are expected to report to work fit for duty and able to perform their job duties in a safe, appropriate, and effective manner. Employees who have responsibility for on-call shifts must remain in a fit-for-duty condition for the entire on-call period. Employees are responsible for notifying their supervisor when they reasonably believe they are not fit for duty. In such instances, the employee should use available leave to seek proper medical or other attention and give proper notice regarding their absence.
A fit for duty determination process is initiated by the Institute when an employee’s behavior causes reasonable suspicion that an employee may not be able to safely perform the essential functions of their job, with or without reasonable accommodation. Employees who are not fit for duty may present a safety hazard to themselves, to other employees, to students, or to the public.
This policy applies to all Georgia Tech employees.
| Direct Threat | A direct threat is a significant risk of substantial harm that cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation. |
| Employee | All employees, including any faculty or staff member, whether part-time, full-time, or temporary, and students. |
| Fitness for Duty | An employee is fit for duty when they are able to perform their essential job functions, with or without reasonable accommodation, in a manner that does not pose a direct threat to themselves, to other employees, to students, or to the public. For all jobs at the Institute, regular attendance, ability to work without disruption to the workplace, and ability to comply with applicable conduct standards are essential job functions. |
Employee
Employees are responsible for complying with all aspects of the fitness for duty and evaluation procedures. Non-compliance may be grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Employees should notify their supervisor(s) when they observe a coworker acting in a manner that indicates the coworker may not be fit for duty. If a supervisor’s behavior is of concern, an employee may inform the next level of management up to senior leadership and/or contact GTHR-Employee Relations or the Chief Human Resources Officer.
Supervisor
Supervisors are responsible for following this policy’s procedures when presented with circumstances or knowledge that indicate an employee may be unfit for duty. Supervisors are responsible for maintaining confidentiality of circumstance and protected health information.
| Revision Date | Author | Description |
| 10.14.2024 | GTHR | New Policy |