Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Employees

All regular full-time, part-time and temporary faculty and staff are eligible to submit suggestions. Employee eligibility is based on employee status on the date the suggestion is submitted. Any question of eligibility for participation will be decided by the Program Administrator and the Review Council.

All time spent working on suggestions outside the employee's normal work schedule is considered voluntary unpaid time, unless otherwise expressly approved in advance by the suggester's immediate supervisor.

Eligible Suggestions

An eligible suggestion is a feasible, constructive proposal which applies to UK internal operations and explains how to:

• improve methods, equipment or procedures
• eliminate waste
• reduce time or cost of work operation
• create a safer work environment
• increase or generate revenue
• improve relationships with or services for UK students and public

The suggestion shall be submitted on the official UK Make The Difference suggestion form, accompanied by exhibits or illustrations as needed. One suggestion form shall be used for each suggestion to accurately identify the problem or opportunity and present detailed information concerning the proposed change. It shall include a plan of action describing how the change would be accomplished and defining what benefits would be realized by the University or department, particularly in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, quality, safety, economy, conservation of resources or student/public relations.

If the same suggestion is submitted by two or more persons separately, the first one received is eligible. Other suggestions having the same purpose as a prior suggestion shall be considered duplicates which are not eligible.

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Ineligible Suggestions

• Suggestions that require state or federal legislative or regulatory changes for implementation.
• A suggestion deemed patentable per the decision of the UK Intellectual Property Committee.
• Suggestions that fall within the scope of duties of the suggester and which the suggester has the authority to initiate without other administrative approval. "Scope of duties" shall include a specific set of tasks as set forth in the position description of the faculty or staff member at the time the suggestion is submitted.
• Suggestions that result from or are related to a particular problem given to a faculty or staff member to solve within the scope of his/her duties and responsibilities.
• Suggestions made by a member of the Make The Difference staff or Review Council.
• Suggestions which include a proposal to perform routine maintenance operations or follow manufacturer's recommendations.
• Suggestions already documented in writing as under consideration or implemented by those administratively responsible.
• Suggestions which correct an error or condition that exists because established procedures or policies were not followed.
• Grievances or complaints that do not represent improvement areas.
• Compensation, classification or pay issues.
• Suggestions concerning the IRIS project will not be eligible until six months after a component goes live (e.g., six months after HR Benefits component is up and running in SAP, suggestions concerning that component would be eligible for consideration).
• Suggestions having the same purpose as a prior suggestion shall be considered duplicates which are not eligible.
• Suggestions which do not contain accurate, substantiated, or sufficient information, or fail to present a constructive, clear plan of action are ineligible, and shall be returned to the suggester for further investigation and development.

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Types of Awards

This program is intended to compensate persons who make suggestions that result in actual monetary savings or gain to the University. Make The Difference is not intended to replace the usual or customary processes of making improvements to University programs or documents, such as the Governing or Administrative Regulations.

If an adopted suggestion has a clear, measurable financial impact, the individual who submitted the suggestion is eligible for a Tangible cash award equivalent to 10% of net savings during the first year of adoption, up to a maximum of $2,500.00. The total tangible suggestion award will not be less than $25.00 and will not exceed $2,500.00

Suggestions that do not have a specific monetary value, such as those related to general safety or employee morale, may be entitled to an Intangible cash award ranging from a minimum of $25.00 up to a maximum of $250.00.

All awards are subject to federal, state and local taxes which shall be withheld according to government regulations.

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Evaluation Process

After a suggestion is submitted for review, it is evaluated with regards to the eligibility criteria (stated above). If the preliminary review determines that the suggestion meets eligibility requirements, it is forwarded to the proper evaluator (department at UK that would be responsible for implementing the suggestion). The evaluator will determine if the suggestion is feasible and implementable.

While every effort will be made to make a timely determination, the need to fairly and thoroughly consider each suggestion may extend the time required for evaluation beyond the standard 30 to 60 day period. The occasional need for review by a subject matter expert outside of the department may delay the final decision.

Once submitted, the suggestion and accompanying attachments become the property of the University of Kentucky. Decisions on if and how to use the suggestion, award eligibility and award amount shall be at the complete discretion of the University.

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Notification Process

Every effort will be made to keep the employee who submitted the suggestion informed of the status of the evaluation. This includes when the suggestion has been officially screened against the eligibility requirements and when the suggestion has been submitted for evaluation. Evaluators will review the suggestions and report back to the Program Administrator within 30 to 60 days. If more time to evaluate the suggestion is needed, evaluators will advise the Program Administrator, who will advise the suggester that their suggestion is under consideration for an additional 30 to 60 days. When a final determination has been made, the employee who submitted the suggestion will be notified by the Program Administrator of the outcome and his/her eligibility for an award.

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Team Suggestions

A team of employees may work together to develop a suggestion, and may wish to share any cash award received. While team suggestions are encouraged, there must be one point-person who will submit the suggestion. The point person is responsible for ensuring that the names of all the members of the team submitting the suggestion are on the form. Names cannot be added or removed after the suggestion has been submitted. Cash award distribution amounts shall be determined by the team members.

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Exclusive Rights

The University has the exclusive right to set award policy and structure and may change the program at any time. Any situation not covered by these rules will be considered by the Make The Difference Review Council and the Associate V.P. of Human Resources on a case-by-case basis.

The use of employee suggestions by the University of Kentucky shall not be the basis of further claims of any kind by the suggester or the suggester's heirs or assigns. The University of Kentucky retains the right to change or terminate the Make The Difference suggestion program at any time.

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