Employee Recognition Program

This program is designed as an avenue for The University of Memphis to recognize dedicated and loyal employees who contribute to its success, and demonstrate its appreciation and gratitude. This program is comprehensive in that it recognizes and rewards employees for their courageous, innovative, and unprecedented efforts as well as their sustained excellence in discharging their responsibilities and service to the University.

Recognition Sectors
This program encompasses the following scope of awards: Outstanding Employee Award, Distinguished Employee of the Year Award, Service Award, Au Revoir/Distinguished Employee Award and Recognition Day.

Eligibility, Nominations, and Selection Committees
Each award program has specific eligibility and nomination requirements. A committee of former award recipients from the Outstanding Award Program will select winners for the three periods within that fiscal year. This committee will change each fiscal year as new recipients are selected. Nominations will be accepted July 1 through March 31 of each fiscal year.

Awards for Period 1 will be made from nominations received in July, August, and September; Period 2 for October, November, and December; and Period 3 for January, February, and March. With the exception of the Service and Au Revoir/Distinguished Service Awards no more than twelve (12) aggregate awards from the Outstanding Awards categories will be given during the fiscal year.

Administration
The Employee Recognition Program is administered through the Employee Relations section of the Department of Human Resources. Employee Relations is responsible for advertising the program and its guidelines, securing the award items, communicating the names of recipients to the campus community, and coordinating any corollary ceremonies. Employee Relations also coordinates community-based award programs that are open to University of Memphis employees.

OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEE AWARD

Purpose and Criteria
The purpose of the Outstanding Employee Award is to recognize employees for an assortment of exceptional efforts and contributions to The University of Memphis. Primarily, this award honors employees who display one or more of the following:

Demonstrate dedication in achieving the mission of the University and their operating department.
Exhibit style and influence to motivate those with whom they interact.
Perform assigned tasks in an exemplary fashion and inspire other employees to improve.
Exemplify outstanding conduct in the performance of duties over a period of years.
Execute outstanding reliability and cooperation toward departmental goals and objectives.

Eligibility and Award
All regular non-faculty employees with at least one (1) year of regular service to the University are eligible to receive recognition with this award, with the exception of those employees in a pay grade above M110. Each recipient will receive a check for $150 and a commemorative plaque. Recipients of this award are also eligible to win the Distinguished Employee of the Year Award during the same fiscal year. Employees recognized for one of the outstanding employee of the year awards are eligible once every (5) years.

Nominations
Nominations for the Outstanding Employee Award may be submitted by any regular University of Memphis employee, student, or alumni. A nomination form must be submitted with appropriate supporting documentation to the Office of Employee Relations. Nominations are accepted July 1 through March 31 of each fiscal year.

Note: Multiple nominations submitted on one (1) person does not guarantee that individual as the winner of that category.

DISTINGUISHED EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD

Purpose and Criteria
The purpose of this award is to confer distinction upon four (4) University of Memphis employees whose efforts and contributions have been acknowledged as distinguished and above all others recognized during the same fiscal year.

Eligibility and Award
Only non-faculty employees who are also individual winners in the Outstanding Award sectors are eligible for this award. More specifically, three employees will be named The Distinguished Employees of the Year. In addition, one director or administrator with a pay grade above M110 will be named The Distinguished Administrator of the Year. Each recipient will receive both monetary and crystal awards. Employees recognized for one of the distinguished employee of the year awards are eligible once every five (5) years.

NOMINATIONS
The nominations submitted for the initial Outstanding Employee Award will be used to evaluate the contenders for the Distinguished Employee Awards. However, nominations for the Distinguished Administrator of the Year Award will be accepted April 15 through May 15.

SELECTION
The selection committee will be composed of former distinguished award winners. Committee Members will review nominations and anonymously cast their votes through the Employee Relations Web site. Award recipients will be identified and an announcement will be placed in the quarterly Human Resources newsletter and on the Employee Relations Web site.

RECOGNITION DAY

Purpose and Criteria
A day of recognition will be observed to honor all regular non-faculty employees who are recipients of any award under the umbrella of the Employee Recognition Program, with the exception of the Service and Au Revoir Awards. The Distinguished Employee of the Year Awards will be announced on this day. In addition, any regular non-faculty employee who has attained a job-related license, certification, an academic diploma or degree within the current fiscal year will be honored at this time.

Support Documentation
Information concerning an employee accomplishment must be submitted in writing along with a copy of the certification or degree. All documents must be submitted to The Office of Employee Relations by May 15 of each fiscal year.

Administration
The Office of Employee Relations in the Department of Human Resources is responsible for coordinating Recognition Day activities.

SERVICE AWARD

Purpose and Criteria
The Service Award Program is designed to recognize employees for their years of service to The University of Memphis. Service to other State of Tennessee agencies and institutions is not included in this recognition.

Eligibility and Award
All regular staff employees are eligible for this award at the end of five (5) years and faculty at the end of ten (10) years of service. Subsequent recognition occurs thereafter in five (5) year increments. Each year, a reception is held for both faculty and staff where they are presented with a service award in appreciation of their years of service to the University.

Administration
The Employee Relations office along with Employee Records in the Department of Human Resources is responsible for ensuring and maintaining accurate service award dates for faculty and staff. The Employee Relations office will also be responsible for administering the Service Award Program, which includes ordering awards and coordinating the annual reception.

AU REVOIR/DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

This award acknowledges the dedication and service of retirees to The University of Memphis. The University chooses to demonstrate appreciation to these individuals for a lifetime of commitment and allegiance to the community.

Eligibility and Award
All regular faculty and staff employees who retire from the University are eligible to receive recognition for this award. Each employee will receive a congratulatory card from the President and a distinguished pyramid award.

Administration
The Employee Relations office in conjunction with the Benefits department in the Department of Human Resources will maintain an updated list of retirees in order to administer the Au Revoir/Distinguished service awards.

E-mail Employee Relations for further questions.