Newly-hired Staff Members

The university attempts to match a new staff member's skills, knowledge, and abilities with the job requirements. Most new staff adapt to their positions without problems. The supervisor is generally responsible for providing the counseling and training necessary for the new staff member. The new staff member is responsible for making a concerted effort to adjust to employment conditions and demonstrate the qualifications, skills, and work habits that will result in successful performance. Although all employment is at will, to allow the department head to evaluate a new staff member's interest in the job and ability to perform the work effectively, and to allow the new staff member to assess the appropriateness of the job, a new staff member is subject to an initial evaluation period of six (6) work months.

Staff members serving initial evaluation periods may be terminated or may terminate their employment without advance notice at any time prior to the completion of the initial evaluation period.

Staff members in their initial evaluation periods do not have recourse to the appeal procedures for any purpose. Individuals serving extended evaluation periods may use the appeal procedures except to appeal corrective action taken due to not attaining the skill or performance levels specified when initial evaluation periods were extended.

Staff members cannot participate in the job posting program while serving initial or extended evaluation periods.

New staff members in regular positions are eligible for holiday pay and begin accruing vacation leave and sick leave hours starting on the date of employment.

Human Resources should notify the department head before expiring a staff member's initial evaluation period by sending the department head a performance appraisal form.

The department head should evaluate performance during the initial evaluation period to determine whether the staff member should be retained. The completed performance appraisal form should then be returned to Human Resources for review and inclusion in the staff member's personnel file.

The initial evaluation period may be extended for a maximum of three (3) work months. Extensions should be approved in advance by the department head in consultation with the Director of Talent Management or their designee. The staff member whose initial evaluation period is to be extended is notified, generally in writing, of the specific level of skills or performance, which must be attained during the extended evaluation period. The department head may also request an extension of the initial evaluation period if there has not been enough opportunity to evaluate the staff member's performance for other reasons. This kind of extension might be appropriate, for example, if either the staff member or the supervisor were absent for a significant period of time.

Promoted or Transferred Staff Members

If a staff member is transferred or promoted to a new position, a new evaluation period begins, again providing close support and feedback. The length of the evaluation period for promoted or transferred staff members is six (6) work months. Human Resources should notify the department head before expiring a staff member's evaluation period by sending the department head a performance appraisal form. Based on the department head's appraisal, the staff member may be retained in the position, transferred (if another position for which the staff member is qualified is available within the department), or terminated. The completed performance appraisal form should be returned to Human Resources for review and inclusion in the staff member's personnel file.

If a promoted or transferred individual's job performance in the new position does not prove to be satisfactory during the evaluation period, and if the staff member is transferred back to the former position (if such a position is available in the department), the staff member's salary will not be lower than that received (excluding overtime or shift differential) in the position held before the promotion or transfer.

Staff members who have completed initial evaluation periods as new members of the university staff and subsequently transferred or promoted remain eligible for benefits (including paid leave benefits) and may use the Complaint Procedures in this section of the manual.

The evaluation period for a staff member who has been transferred or promoted may be extended for a maximum of three (3) work months. Extensions should be approved in advance by the department head in consultation with the Director of Human Resources. The staff member whose evaluation period is to be extended is notified, generally in writing, of the specific level of skills or performance, which must be attained during the extended evaluation period. The department head may also request an extension of the evaluation period if there has not been enough opportunity to evaluate the staff member's performance for other reasons. This kind of extension might be appropriate, for example, if either the staff member or the supervisor were absent for a significant period of time.

Origination Date: 9/1958.
Revised: 1996, 4/2013.