Policy Manuals

The Boston University Employee Handbook offers comprehensive details about Boston University’s non-represented/non-faculty policies. The manual provides supervisors and staff with uniform information in order to assure equitable and consistent application of policies. It incorporates the changes that have been made by the University, as well as changes that have been made in response to recent laws enacted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the federal government.

The Boston University Faculty Handbook is a collection of policies that apply specifically to faculty members, related to their unique role(s) in the University. Unless otherwise stated, these policies apply to all full-time faculty employed by Boston University, regardless of tenure-track, tenured, or non-tenure-track status. Faculty at the Medical Campus including those who are compensated through Faculty Practice Plans, are subject to different policies regarding continuance or non-continuance and/or benefits.

Policies in the Employee Handbook apply to regular employees who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement and who are not members of the faculty. In specific terms, only regular, full-, and part-time employees (those with assignment durations of nine months or more) are covered by the policy statements, including exempt administrative staff, exempt research staff, non-exempt administrative support staff, non-exempt research support staff, and teachers.

The provisions of the Employee Handbook are informational and do not constitute an employment contract. Further, the provisions of this Employee Handbook are not conditions of employment and may be modified, revoked, or changed at any time by the University with or without notice. Questions regarding the policies should be directed by campus to the Human Resources Business Partner responsible for your department.  Certain policies and procedures contained in this manual do not apply to teachers at the Boston University Academy and the exempt staff of the Boston University Physical Therapy Center (BUPTC).

Nothing contained in this Employee Handbook alters the term (duration) of employment of any employee. Unless covered by a specific employment agreement in writing approved by the appropriate Dean, Vice President, or higher level University official, employees of the University are at-will employees, without a specific guaranteed term of employment, whose employment may be terminated with or without cause. No written or oral representations to the contrary by hiring or supervisory personnel can alter the employee’s status as an at-will employee, and any term of employment greater than one month’s duration and any promise of renewal of employment must be in writing approved by the appropriate Dean, Vice President, or higher level University official.