Employee / Labor Relations

Performance Improvement Plans (PIP) & Action Plans

Staff Employees

For Staff Employees, a Performance Improvement Plan (鈥淧IP鈥�) will need to be developed following a performance evaluation rating of 2 (Meets Some Expectations) or lower.

The supervisor should work with the Employee Relations Team to draft the PIP. The goal of a PIP is to lay out the standards and expectations based on the duties, responsibilities, and requirements of the position that must be met to obtain an overall "Meets Expectations" rating by the end of the PIP. It is helpful for goals to follow a, and for the employee being placed on a PIP to understand the goals outlined.

PIP Requirements:

  • The minimum duration of a PIP is 60 calendar days; the PIP can be extended to a maximum duration of 6 months.
  • Supervisors are required to meet weekly or bi-weekly with the
    employee to discuss progress.
  • Written updates from these meetings must be sent to the Employee Relations representative working with the department, or, to employee-relations@usf.edu. 

Special Evaluation:

At the end of the PIP period, a follow-up Special Evaluation is prepared and:

  • Rating revised upwards or
  • Extension of improvement period requested or
  • If no improvement, the employee may be demoted to another vacant position (if available) or
  • The employee's dismissal can be proposed.

Probationary Staff Employees should follow guidance on the Probationary Employees page.

Administration Employees

For Administration Employees, an Action Plan, in coordination with the Employee Relations Team, may need to be developed to address opportunities, gaps, or deficiencies in performance and/or behavior.

Administration employees who receive an action plan for improving performance and/or behavior will receive a performance evaluation at or near the end of the improvement period.

Action Plan Expectations

An Action Plan should include the following details:

  • Established start and end date
  • List of areas of concern or opportunity
  • Specific asks (including details) to focus on during the Action Plan duration
  • Cadence of meetings to be held between supervisor and employee to discuss the status of assigned tasks
This list is not comprehensive, a full plan should be developed in coordination with 
Employee Relations.

Upon the conclusion of the Action Plan, the employee may be:

  • Delivered a special evaluation, appropriately rated, with the expectation that the employee will continue to adhere to the established standards within the plan; or
  • If no improvement, the employee can be demoted to another job; or
  • The employee's dismissal can be proposed.

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