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UC Riverside

Human Resources

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Rewards & Recognition

Rewards and Recognition Programs

Rewards and recognition provide an effective way of encouraging higher levels of performance from employees. Taking time to recognize employee achievements lets them know that they are valued and are an important part of UC Riverside. Recognition is a great esteem builder and can help create workplace loyalty and build a sense of community.

UCR recognition programs have been created to give managers and supervisors the tools they need to effectively recognize and reward the accomplishments of their staff.

Staff Assembly Awards
Retirement Gift Orders
Quick Links

Programs

The administration of the program is a collaborative effort. Human Resources coordinates the program for staff while Academic Personnel coordinates the program for faculty and other eligible academics. 

Chancellor’s Recognition of Staff & Faculty Service Program

The Chancellor’s Recognition of Staff & Faculty Service Program recognizes the dedication and service of staff, faculty and other eligible academic personnel (all non-student academic title series that accrue service credit are eligible). The program offers meaningful awards, which recognize the commitment and contributions made to our students, the mission of the university and the community. In addition, each service award bears the insignia of the University of California, Riverside and is exclusive to each service award level.

Staff Service Award

Each eligible staff member will receive the following:

  • An award based on their years of service — review the Staff Recognition Awards Levels
  • A gilded emblem with the UCR insignia
  • A letter from the Chancellor
  •  A service award certificate presented at a general Staff Assembly meeting

For questions regarding the Staff Service Award, contact Demetrius Patrick at demetrius.patrick@ucr.edu.

Faculty & Eligible Academic Personnel Award

For those in non-student academic titles who accrue service credit. Each eligible faculty/academic member will receive the following:

  • An award based on their years of service — review the Staff Recognition Awards Levels.
  • A gilded emblem with the UCR insignia
  • A letter from the Chancellor

Service Awards will be delivered to the faculty/academic member's department chair or supervisor in the month that they reach their service award level.

For questions regarding eligibility, please contact academicpersonnel@ucr.edu.

Awards Luncheon

Those staff, faculty and eligible academics reaching 30, 35, and 40-year service award levels*, will also be invited to attend an annual service award luncheon.

*Number of eligible months is calculated based on employment service credit which includes the total number of qualifying months of employment service at the University, its DOE Laboratories, and the State of California. Amount of UC Retirement Program (UCRP) service credit may be different from employment service credit. UCRP service credit can be found by logging in to the At Your Service website.

Employment Service Credit (ESC) is calculated in a different manner as compared to Retirement Service Credit (RSC), as follows:

  • ESC is automatically calculated by the Payroll/Personnel System (PPS) based on pre-defined logic. Employees who are on pay status for 50 percent or more in a month automatically accrue one month’s service credit.
  • RSC is calculated at UCOP based on actual hours on pay status. If an employee is on pay status 100% during the month, they/them will receive 100% RSC, but if an employee is on pay status 50% during the month, they/them will only receive 50% RSC.
Non-Cash Employee Recognition

Policy-covered and represented employees (including career, contract, per diem, limited and casual restricted appointments) may be provided non-cash awards in recognition of noteworthy work-related accomplishments. Non-cash employee recognition awards are meant to be occasional and therefore must be presented to an employee on an infrequent basis. An employee should not receive more than three such awards in a calendar year. Such awards must be presented on a basis that does not favor highly compensated employees. Examples include: 

  • Gift card/gift certificate up to $75
  • One-month parking permit up to $270
  • One-month transit pass up to $270

These awards are governed by UC Policy BFB-G-41 “Employee Non-Cash Awards and Other Gifts and are allowable under IRS regulations as non-taxable "de minimis" gifts if provided within the policy restrictions and limitations. 

Staff Assembly Sponsored Recognition

Staff Assembly sponsors both formal and informal recognition programs.  These programs allow the efforts of talented staff to be showcased.

Outstanding Staff and Staff Who Make a Difference Awards
Get Recognized Peer Recognition Program
  • Peers can nominate fellow staff members for anything they do that makes UCR a great place to work.  Each month a drawing will be held from all the submissions received and both the individual recognized and the person who made the submission will receive a free lunch at a campus restaurant and a $25 savings certificate for your new or existing Service Plus Credit Union savings account. Visit the Get Recognized Peer Recognition Program webpage.
People Helping People
  • In recognition of a UCR staff member, honoring outstanding or exemplary volunteer service within the county of Riverside, the Desert Communities and anywhere UCR reaches. Staff Assembly will present a donation of $250.00 to the charity of choice of the recipient. Staff may nominate themselves or a peer. Visit the People Helping People webpage.
R'Day Spirit Photo
  •  Send Staff Assembly your photos showing UCR Staff wearing blue and gold gear for R'day and win sweet treats for your group or department at UCR. Random winners will be selected each month.  Visit the UCR Traditions webpage.
Retirement Gift Program

The University of California, Riverside wishes to extend its appreciation to employees who have served the campus with pride and dedication. UCR celebrates their achievements and congratulates them in their new endeavors. In recognition of their valuable contributions to the University, retirees are offered the following retirement gift program.

Gift cards are excluded from the definition of tangible personal property, therefore the value of gift cards provided by the University to an employee for an employee achievement may be considered taxable wage income. For example, if an employee receives cash or cash equivalent awards (e.g., gift card, one month of parking, transit parking, etc.) for length of service then the value of the awards may be treated as wage income subject to federal income tax withholding and FICA.

The Staff Retirement Gift Program is available to all staff employees who retire with 5 or more years of University Retirement Service Credit. For a listing of retirement gifts, please visit the UCR Award Selection web page.

Procedure for Ordering

  1. The department will provide eligible retirees with the link to the UCR Select Retiree Award website to review the gift selections.
  2. The eligible retiree selects a gift from the UCR Select Retiree Award website and notifies their department administrator.
  3. May be purchased with the Procurement Card.
  4. The department will place the retirement gift order via email to orders@octanner.com. Please provide O.C. Tanner with the employee’s name, retirement date and department and billing contact and address. If needed, UCR's account number with O.C. Tanner is 476980.
    • If you have questions regarding ordering, exchanges/returns, billing, and shipment tracking, please contact the Award Center at (888) 708-7080 or by email at orders@octanner.com.
  5. Follow O.C. Tanner’s policy for any returns/exchanges.
Additional Information