Purpose:

To define temporary employment, procedures for compensation, and guidelines for employees who transfer from temporary to regular status.

Policy:

A job is considered temporary if the position is expected to continue for less than twelve (12) months. A temporary employee cannot work for the University for more than 1,000 hours within a year from the anniversary of their initial date of hire, excluding University of Chicago students. A temporary employee is ineligible for paid allowances (e.g., holidays, personal holidays, vacation, or sick leave) and is ineligible for participation in the University's benefit plans.

Guidelines:

1. 1. If the duration of assignment is expected to continue for less than twelve (12) months and less than 1,000 hours, a hiring manager may hire a temporary employee through one or more of the following options:
   
   Through the Temporary Pool Administrator:
   
   
   1. Email the Temporary Employment Form (UPP 161T) to University Human Resources Management (UHRM) Temporary Pool Administrator who will select and place a qualified temporary employee into a temporary position. The Temporary Pool Administrator will complete all interviewing, testing, reference checking, and new hire paperwork.
   
   
   Hiring a temporary employee directly
   
   
   2. Hire a temporary employee directly by emailing the Temporary Employment Form to receive approval which will include the number of hours temporary employee is eligible to work. Upon receipt of hiring approval:
   • Submit the appropriate paperwork to UHRM-Wage and Salary Administration (Records Office) to establish the individual’s job in the payroll system.
   • If recruitment assistance is needed, the HR administrator and/or hiring manager may request a position to be posted by UHRM on the online employment site (UChicago Jobs).
   • The HR administrator and/or hiring manager should conduct a search for a temporary employee using the same guidelines as searches conducted by UHRM, which include Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity (AA/EEO), record keeping, interviewing, testing, and reference checking.

When a temporary employee’s assignment ends and the hiring manager wants to fill the position permanently:

Prior to expiration of a temporary employee’s assignment and if the Department/ School/ Division wishes to fill the assignment permanently, the Department/School/Division must follow the recruitment and selection processes to fill a regular, benefits-eligible position. This includes advertising the open position for at least seven (7) calendar days through UChicago Jobs.

In most cases, a regular, benefits-eligible position will be posted. A temporary employee’s pay rate is not guaranteed to remain the same upon transfer to a regular benefits-eligible position. The departmental budget, the level of the position, internal equity, bargaining unit provisions, and the applicant’s credentials (i.e., certifications test scores, relevant experiences) will determine the appropriate salary. If the temporary employee is hired, the hiring manager may request the service to be bridged to a date prior to the employee having attained regular full-time status, provided the following conditions are met:

• The regular benefits-eligible position represents the same assignment as was performed in the temporary capacity within the same department, for the same supervisor(s).
• There must not be a break in service of more than seven (7) calendar days, either during periods of temporary employment or between them and the beginning of regular benefits-eligible employment; in the event that such a break occurs, paid allowance accruals shall be made retroactive only to the first day of continuous employment.
• The temporary employee must have maintained minimum weekly schedules of twenty (20) hours; in the event that the employee worked fewer than twenty (20) hours per week, service bridging and paid allowance accruals should be made retroactive only to the first continuous employment period where weekly schedules of twenty (20) hours or more were maintained.
• Probationary periods will be adjusted to begin with the dates of bridgement; the Department/ School/ Division should be aware that retroactive bridgements will shorten or may entirely negate a probationary period

Cross reference:

U202 Recruitment and Selection Process.