UK Staff Hiring Freeze Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the effective date of the freeze?
January 9th, 2008
2. Are all jobs frozen?
No. It is dependent on position type and fund source:
Only regular staff (full-time and part-time) positions with a funding source of State, Mandated, or Recharge (EVPFA area only) are frozen.
Use the following steps to determine if a position is frozen:
A. Job Type
a. Faculty – not affected
b. Temporary (STEPS, non-STEPS, students) – not affected
c. Regular staff (full-time and part-time) – may be frozen, dependent on fund source (see below)B. Regular staff positions will be frozen dependent on fund source:
a. Auxiliary – not affected
b. Clinics – not affected
c. Endowment – not affected
d. Federal -- not affected
e. Grant -- not affected
f. Hospital -- not affected
g. Income -- not affected
h. KMSF -- not affected
i. Mandated – yes, frozen
j. Pass-thru – not affected
k. Recharge (service centers) – not affected unless within EVPFA area; if within EVPFA area, position is frozen
l. State (General Fund) – yes, frozen
3. What happens to the positions currently in the hiring process (position posted, applicants referred, salary recommendation approved, offer currently made, PAR completed)?
HR will send a list of the posted jobs (subject to the freeze) to deans and unit administrators for confirmation to continue with the search. Approval/decisions by the deans and unit administrators are to be made by Thursday, January 17th. Deans and unit administrators will notify HR Employment.
There will be four groups of job status for review:
a. positions off the OES posting and applicant referrals made,
b. positions off the OES posting and awaiting applicant referrals,
c. positions presently on the OES posting, and
d. positions requested for posting and waiting for approval.
The dean or unit administrator will determine if the position is frozen or if the search in process should continue.
4. If my initial candidate declines my offer, can I offer to another applicant from the existing pool of applicants?
Yes, if you have received approval for this position.
5. Can we repost a job without additional approval?
No
6. In moving forward on new positions and job postings (exclusive of #3 above), can I ask for an exception to the freeze for a critical hire?
Yes; follow the process below:
a. Verify that the fund source for the position falls in one of the three categories as identified above (2,B) (i, k,or l).
b. Provide justification for the critical nature of filling the position to the Dean, Vice President, or appropriate comparable unit administrator. (A person in each of the major units may be identified to act on behalf of the Dean, Vice President, etc.)
c. Approval by Dean, Vice President, administrator (or designee) is forwarded to Kristen Cheser (EVPFA and President’s Areas) or Karen Combs (Provost Area) for review and subsequent approval.
d. Dean, Vice President, etc. or appropriate designee will be notified of decision with a copy sent to the HR Employment office.
e. All of the above steps in the process should be accomplished through e-mail (with appropriate attachments) if possible.
7. How long will the freeze last?
We do not know at this time.
8. How will I be notified when the hiring freeze is lifted?
An announcement will be made by the President and communicated through the Area Fiscal Officers.
9. Are position reclassifications (upgrades) affected by the freeze?
No.
10. Is the creation of new staff positions affected by the freeze?
JAQs for staff positions on state, mandated, or recharge (EVPFA area only) funds will continue to require the Provost or appropriate EVP approval.
11. Will there be merit increases this year (2008-2009)?
We do not know at this time.
If you any any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact either of the individuals below.
Sarah Bowes
Assistant Manager
HR Employment
(859) 257-9184
Jon Gent
Adminstrative Support Associate I
HR Employment
(859) 257-2608
