SUBJECT: CONTRIBUTIONS TO CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS

APPLICABILITY: ALL FACULTY AND STAFF

1. Purpose:

To support charitable causes and activities through the State Employees Charitable Campaign (SECC).

2. Policy:

It is the policy and practice of the University of North Texas to support charitable causes and activities such as the State Employees Charitable Campaign; however, no faculty or staff member shall be required to contribute to charitable organizations. All such contributions shall be purely voluntary. The State Employees Charitable Campaign, however, is the only campaign during which faculty and staff members may authorize payroll deductions for charitable contributions. This campaign is conducted annually in the Fall of each year.

3. Eligible Charitable Organizations:

Eligible charitable organizations under the State Employees Charitable Campaign are determined by Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. Art. 6813h. An employee may designate either a charitable organization(s) or federation(s) (groups of charitable organizations).

4. SECC Campaign Year:

The campaign year (for deduction purposes) is December 1 through November 30. Deductions are
taken from paychecks received on the first working day of January through the first working day of
December. An employee may choose no more than three monthly deductions for the purpose of charitable contributions with the minimum deduction for each contribution being set at two dollars ($2.00). If the employee chooses a charitable organization, it will receive the entire amount designated. If the employee chooses a federation, the federation will divide the contribution between its participating organizations.

5. SECC Deductions:

Deductions may be authorized only during the charitable campaign. An authorization form must be completed and returned to the local campaign manager and received by the Payroll Office by November 15th of each year.

5.1 Changes to the amount being contributed may be made at any time during the campaign year by contacting the Payroll Office and the contribution may be canceled at any time taking into consideration payroll deadlines.

5.2 Changes to the organization or federation being contributed to may be made only during the annual campaign. All changes must be made by completing an authorization form.

5.3 New employees may authorize SECC deductions not later than the thirtieth day after their first day of employment. Employees who transfer to the University from other state agencies must re-authorize their SECC deduction by the thirtieth day after the first day of employment. Changes to the contribution may be made only as described above.

5.4 It is the employee's responsibility to ensure that there will be sufficient wages to support the deduction. No partial deductions will be made.

6. The University does not allow coercive activities in connection with any charitable endeavors undertaken by the University or its employees.

6.1 Coercive activities include:

a. pressuring an employee to participate in a charitable campaign;
b. a representative of the University inquiring about whether an employee has chosen to participate in a charitable campaign or the amount of an employee’s deduction except as necessary to administer the deduction;
c. establishing a goal for 100% participation or establishing a dollar contribution goal or quota for an employee;
d. the University or a representative of any other group using or providing to others a list of employees who made or did not make donations during a campaign for any purpose other than making deductions or transmitting donations;
e. using the participation in a charitable campaign of a particular department or individual as a factor in a performance appraisal.

6.2 Coercive activities do not include:

a. the President or his representatives’ participation in customary activities associated with charitable campaigns or the demonstration of support through newsletters or other routine communications.

REFERENCE: See 659 Sub Chapter I, S 659.131 – 659.153 Charitable Contributions, Texas Government Code.