Appointment Auto-Termination for BX/BR Employees
Timesheet Compliance and Third Approver Update
Resources | FAQs
Appointment Auto-Termination for BX/BR Employees (Effective Fall 2025)
Overview
Starting Fall 2025, Academic Student Employees (ASEs) and Graduate Student Researchers (GSRs) in the BX/BR bargaining units will have their appointments automatically set for Auto-Termination at the end of their assignment in UCPATH.
Why Auto-Termination?
Auto-Termination is UCM’s response to UCPATH and system-wide efforts to increase compliance to:
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Ensure timely separation
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Ensure timely final pay processing
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Avoid overpayment and inaccurate payments
Monitoring Auto-Termination Appointments
Recommendation:
- Units review the following COGNOS reports for their unit: R-103 Jobs with Approaching End Dates and R-384 Escalation Reminder of Approaching Job End Dates beginning Summer 2024 to monitor for 90-day, 60-day and 30-day interval before the expiration of an appointment.
- Units submit any necessary reappointment requests for the next semester in accordance to established Payroll deadlines and before the appointment auto-termination occurs.
What Happens Next?
If a Reappointment is Submitted Before Auto-Termination:
- Payroll Services will place the employee on Short Work Break to cover any gap in employment periods to avoid a Break in Service and eliminate the need to complete re-hire on-boarding in-take.
If a Reappointment is NOT Submitted on Time:
- The employee will experience a break in service and must be treated as a re-hire for the next semester.
- Hiring units must submit a Re-Hire Intake Request, and employees must complete new Work Authorization documents before starting work.
- Supervisors are responsible to ensure that re-hired employee(s) DO NOT begin performing services until they have visited the Workforce On-Boarding Hub Office in KL122G and completed all necessary onboarding documents.
Roles & Responsibilities
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Review the following COGNOS reports for their unit: R-103 Jobs with Approaching End Dates and R-384- Escalation Reminder of Approaching Job End Dates beginning Summer 2024 to monitor for 90-day, 60-day and 30-day interval before the expiration of an appointment,
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Ensure re-appointments are timely and accurately submitted to Payroll Services by established deadlines and in advance of an employee’s auto-termination.
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Note: If a re-appointment is not received timely or after Auto-Termination, a break in service will occur and the employee will be treated as a re-hire for the next semester.
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Ensure all applicable employees have an active record in UCPATH before being allowed to perform services for the University.
Payroll Services"
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Establish Auto-termination on BR/BX Represented records.
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On-board re-hire employees based on in-take requests received.
Timesheet Compliance & Third Approver Update (Effective Fall 2025)
Why Are Timesheets Now Required for BX/BR Employees?
Academics Student Employee (ASE) and Graduate Student Researchers (GSR) classifications are now provided leave provisioned under their bargaining agreements. As a result, Leave Taken or LWOP (Leave Without Pay) is required to be reported via timesheets.
What’s Changing?
Starting Fall 2025, the School Dean will be added as the Optional Supervisor (Third Approver) on timesheets.
This ensures better oversight and reduces out-of-compliance timesheets.
Understanding the Approver Roles in TRS
- A Primary Supervisor (mandatory) is assigned to an employee and is the person directly responsible for overseeing the employee's work schedule, making sure the hours reported by the employee are accurate. Primary Supervisors are also responsible for reviewing and approving timesheets submitted by the employees to whom they are assigned in TRS.
- A Backup Supervisor (mandatory) may also oversee an employee's work schedule and approve the employee's timesheets in the absence of the Primary Supervisor.
- In TRS, an Optional Backup Supervisor can be also be assigned to oversee/approve in the absence of both the Primary and Backup Supervisors. At UC Merced this backup supervisor is called Third Approver.
Why Add a Third Approver?
- Reduces late or missing timesheets
- Allows Deans to track and approve timesheets
- Improves payroll compliance and processing
Timesheet Submission Deadlines
Timesheets are due by the 5th of each month for the previous month’s work. Supervisors must approve all submitted timesheets to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
What If a Timesheet Is Missing?
The Primary Supervisor, Backup Supervisor, or Optional Supervisor (Third Approver) must create and submit the timesheet based on department records.
If the Primary Supervisor is asked to approve a timesheet for a previous semester for which the Primary Supervisor was not the Instructor of Record, a comment can be added to the timesheet that they were not the Instructor of Record at the time, but are approving the timesheet based on department records only.
Resources & Contact Information
- UC Timekeeping System (TRS):
- TRS Login (SSO required)
- TRS Supervisor Training (via UC Learning Center)
- TRS Employee Training (via UC Learning Center)
- Union Bargaining Contracts:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is changing with BR and BX Grad Student Timesheets?
Starting Fall 2025 the Dean will be the Optional Supervisor (Third Approver) on timesheets
When establishing timesheets for Grad Student Titles with timesheet requirements: 3276 - GSR's, 3266 - GSR's, 2300 - Teaching Fellows, 2310 - Teaching Assistants, the School Deans will be added as the TRS Optional Supervisor (Third Approver) on timesheets.
What is a Primary, Backup, and/or Optional Supervisor?
A Primary Supervisor (mandatory) is assigned to an employee and is the person directly responsible for overseeing the employee's work schedule, making sure the hours reported by the employee are accurate. Primary Supervisors are also responsible for reviewing and approving timesheets submitted by the employees to whom they are assigned in TRS.
A Backup Supervisor (mandatory) may also oversee an employee's work schedule and approve the employee's timesheets in the absence of the Primary Supervisor.
In TRS, an Optional Supervisor (Third Approver) can be also be assigned to oversee/approve in the absence of both the Primary and Backup Supervisors. At UC Merced this optional supervisor is called Third Approver.
Why establish the Dean as the Optional Supervisor (Third Approver)?
The timesheet has both a Primary Supervisor and Backup Supervisor assigned, but there continues to be a high rate of out-of-compliance timesheets for this population. By establishing the Dean as the Optional Supervisor (Third Approver), they will be a point of escalation to resolve issues and ensure compliance.
With the Optional Supervisor (Third Approver) Role, the Dean will be:
- Able to Opt-In for Timesheet Reminders for Specific Supervisors for which they serve as the Optional Supervisor (Third Approver)
- Able to Create Timesheets for Employees for which they serve as the Optional Supervisor (Third Approver)
- Able to Approve Timesheets for Supervisors for which they serve as Optional Supervisor (Third Approver)
How do I address late or missing timesheets?
Approvers for BR and BX employees are setup based on their GLAAS appointment information. Typically, this population is subject to reappointment at the start of each Semester.
When reappointment occurs, TRS Supervisors will be updated when new Appointments are received in Payroll Services.
Requirement:
Primary Supervisors are required to review and approve timesheets in TRS each month to ensure compliance with Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state wage-hour laws, employees must be paid for all time worked, and employers are responsible for creating and maintaining accurate records of time worked and other records on which wage calculations are based (such as work schedules and incentive pay plans).
If an employee has a timesheet for a prior period that is outstanding/missing, the newly appointed Primary Supervisor (Backup or Optional Supervisor) acts as an agent of the University and has an obligation to ensure timesheets are completed and approved.
Notes can be added to the timesheet to reflect that they were “Not the Instructor of Record" for that reporting time, but completing timesheet based on department records only.
Where do I find the link to sign into for the timekeeping system (TRS)?
You can use the following website link: https://trs.ucmerced.edu/
Is there any kind of training available for TRS?
If you need additional TRS training, there is training available in UC Learning Center Login (UC Merced NetID required). After logging into the UCLC, search for "TRS Supervisor Training". It is an optional training in the "Business and Operations" Library.
Where can I find Timekeeping/Leave Requirement FAQ for GSR/ASE?
Use this document: Graduate Student Researcher and Academic Student Employee Timekeeping FAQ to address the mostly commonly asked questions related to Timekeeping/Leave Reporting Requirements. This document includes detailed scenarios, links to bargaining unit contracts, and screenshots of TRS (Time Reporting System).
Do all grad student titles have to do timesheets?
GSRs falling under the Fellowship, Paid Direct or Trainee titles below will not be required to complete timesheets in TRS:
- 003142 GSR-FELLOW-PAID DIR-NO REM
- 003143 GSR-FELLOW-PAID DIR-TUIT REM
- 003152 GSR-TRAINEE-PAID DIR-NO REM
- 003153 GSR-TRAINEE-PAID DIR-TUIT REM
- 003144 GSR-FELLOW-NO REM
- 003145 GSR-FELLOW-TUIT REM
- 003154 GSR-TRAINEE-NO REM
- 003155 GSR-TRAINEE-TUIT REM
- 003160 GSR-SUPPLEMENTAL APPOINTMENT
2301 - Teaching Fellow-Non GSHP and 2311- Teaching Assistant-Non GSHP Summer Session that are only appointed in the Summer have no timekeeping requirement. Please note however: During the Academic Year these titles will require timesheets.
The employee forgot to submit their timesheet - now what?
Under FLSA employers such as UC Merced need to do everything reasonably possible to have employees submit timely, accurate records of hours worked. If an employee does not submit their timesheets, the Primary Supervisor (employer) will need to take steps to reasonably determine what days and hours the employee worked so that payroll for that employee can be processed in the required time frame. One option is to refer to the employee's scheduled work time. Even if the employee is not scheduled to work, the timesheet reflecting work hours or no leave taken needs to be submitted. Again, it falls to the employer's responsibility.
Where can I get step-by-step instructions on using the Time Reporting System?
Visit our Job Aids section of the Payroll Services website. The team continues to add Job Aids periodically to meet
