Employees who excel in an extraordinary way may be eligible for certain bonuses or pay adjustments available from Harvard Medical School. See below for award guidelines, examples and additional information for determining whether an employee or group of employees meet this criteria.

Note: These awards apply to HUCTW, Non-Union, Non-Exempt and Administrative & Professional Staff.

Spot Award

  • What: Meaningful or special contributions “above and beyond” standard job responsibilities.
  • Earnings Code: BUN
  • How: Bonus amounts should be determined in direct relation to what is meaningful based on employee’s contribution and should be discussed in advance with your HR Consultant.

  • Examples
    • A decision was made to submit a training grant proposal without much prior notice. A staff member who does not usually work on grants stepped in to help the grant manager prepare materials for the application. The employee’s contribution and effort made a difference in getting the application submitted on time.
    • An administrator successfully managed a complex, high-profile event which posed a number of unexpected challenges, including issues with the venue and coordinating many sponsors and multiple travel schedules and guest speaker itineraries.

Project Completion Award

(Individual or Team)

  • What: Significant contribution to the successful completion of a major long-term project (usually six months or longer)
  • Earnings Code: BPE or BPU
  • How: Bonus amounts should reflect the employee’s role on the project and should be discussed in advance with your HR Consultant.

  • Additional Info

    Exempt Staff 

    Completing a project is part of most employees’ responsibilities. However, managers may provide recognition to a staff member for the following reasons:

    • Work on a substantial project outside of his or her regular job responsibilities.
    • Completing a project that is within the employee’s job, but the project deliverables exceed expectations, the results are delivered ahead of schedule and below budget, and results are produced in the face of unexpected challenges.
    • Work performed on a time-limited project. The work done was over a set period of time, not an ongoing, with a significant change in responsibility. For significant, permanent changes in role, the reclassification process should be used.

    HUCTW 

    Projects outside of a staff member’s job description should include a planned pay adjustment. For projects within the HUCTW staff member’s job description that exceed expectations, the manager may award a project completion bonus.

    Earnings Code Guidelines

    • BPU - Bonus Project Unexpected
    • BPE - Bonus Project Expected

  • Examples
    • Over the course of a year, an employee cleared up a backlog of records which involved physically reviewing the each of the files, removing duplicate or unneeded materials, working with a vendor to scan the files, and implementing an electronic records management system. This was done in addition to the employee’s regular job responsibilities.
    • An employee provided Harvard-wide leadership in response to a global event (natural disaster) and over several months took the lead in developing communications, identifying issues, and coordinating internal and external stakeholders to help with recovery efforts.

Planned Pay Adjustment

  • What: An adjustment to annual salary (or hourly rate) based on performing additional higher level duties over a sustained period of time.
  • Earnings Code: N/A
  • How: The amount should reflect the type and duration of the additional higher level work completed by the employee, in relation to the employee’s salary. Adjustments should be discussed in advance with your HR Consultant.

  • Additional Info

    Discussions regarding planned pay adjustments should be held between the Human Resources Consultants and supervisors prior to any communication with the employee.

    Exempt Staff

    • A temporary base salary adjustment may be warranted for the period of time the additional higher level work is being done. If the adjustment was not made prior to the work completion, the manager may give an after-the-fact lump sum payment.
    • A planned pay adjustment may be awarded in the following cases:
      • Staff is providing coverage for work, at a higher level than their current role, while the department has an open/vacant position or in the absence of a coworker for an extended period of time
    • Amount should reflect the type and duration of the higher level additional work completed by the employee, and the employee’s salary.

    HUCTW 

    • Per the HUCTW personnel manual, in situations where a staff member is performing higher level duties in the absence of a co-worker or supervisor extra compensation should be paid if it is anticipated that work will be preformed for more than 20 work days when covering for a co-worker or for more than 7 days when covering for a supervisor.
    • To the extent possible and in most cases, planned pay adjustments for HUCTW members should be captured via T&L in PeopleSoft as a temporary increase to hourly rate or week-to-week adjustment of their hourly rate using the override feature in PeopleSoft rather than an after-the-fact lump sum payment.

    Etad Action/Reason Coding

    • PAY/ADJ

    Earnings Code (Lump Sum Payment)

    • NPA (Non-pensionable additional comp)

Additional Guidelines

How to Use: 

  • Discussions regarding bonus amounts and/or planned pay adjustments for staff members should be held between Human Resource Consultants and supervisors prior to any communication with the employee    
  • Bonus amounts should be determined in direct relation to what is meaningful based on employee’s contribution rather than dictated by grade level   
  • Annual sum total of bonuses should not exceed 5% of employees annual salary    
  • Bonus amounts should not be grossed up

How Not to Use:   

  • Outstanding performance of ongoing, regular job duties and responsibilities as well as achievements that may be reasonably expected from a staff member. These should be recognized as part of the annual performance review process.    
  • Recognizing a staff member's long term service, loyalty or commitment.    
  • Accomplishment of personal and career goals, skills and competencies