Purpose

Human Resources (HR) Temporary Employment (formerly known as STEPS) provides temporary staffing for the University. HR Temporary Employment offers assistance with human resource planning and allows qualified applicants to gain University work experience while seeking regular staff employment and allows administration of temporary services from a central location within the University.  HR Student Employment provides a free job posting, screening, and referral service to assist University departments, Lexington businesses and private employers with hiring employees.

Policy

1) Certain temporary positions are exempt from being hired through HR Temporary Employment; exemptions may be granted by the Associate Vice President of Human Resources.

2) Students currently enrolled at the University are eligible to seek employment referral through HR Student Employment.

3) University departments must contact HR Temporary Employment for assistance in filling temporary employment needs.

1. Only HR Temporary Employment may utilize the services of an external employment agency.
2. Charges for services rendered through an external employment agency must be approved by HR Temporary Employment.

4) HR Temporary Employment shall interview, screen, hire, compensate and provide management oversight of temporary staff.

5) HR Temporary Employment shall evaluate assignments, establish pay rates, and assign the temporary employees to appropriate positions.

6) HR Temporary Employment employees normally shall be compensated based on a pay rate determined by HR Temporary Employment. HR Temporary Employment employees shall be on the HR Temporary Employment payroll.

7) Departments shall be billed for the wages of any HR Temporary Employment employee plus an established service fee that covers payroll taxes, miscellaneous fees and administrative fees.  However, any department employing a student employee referred through Student Employment must either pay that student through their departmental student wage line (G/L Account in the 513000-513990 range; Pre-SAP it was object code 1300-1399) or pay the HR Temporary Employment service fee.

8) HR Temporary Employment temporary employees shall not be eligible to participate in the following University benefits programs:

1. Basic and Optional Life Insurance,
2. Accidental Death and Dismemberment,
3. 403(b) Mandatory Retirement program, and
4. Long Term disability.

9) HR Temporary Employment temporary employees are not eligible for paid leaves such as

1. Temporary disability leave,
2. Vacation leave, or
3. Official University holidays.

10) HR Temporary Employment temporary employees may be eligible to participate in

1. One of the University’s health care plans (under certain circumstances),
2. The Health and Wellness program (after 6 months of employment), and
3. Those activities currently provided for regular employees at all of the University’s facilities.

11) HR Temporary Employment temporary employees are covered under the University's Workers' Compensation Program.

12) With prior approval, HR Temporary Employment temporary employees may be granted unpaid leave for the following:

1. Court appearance,
2. Jury Duty,
3. Attendance to funeral matters, and
4. Voting.

Note: Job assignments may or may not be available upon the employee’s return from leave. If the employee’s previous assignment is not available, an attempt will be made to reassign the employee to another position as soon as possible.

13) HR Temporary Employment temporary employees may obtain an appropriate, temporary University parking permit upon employment.

14) Human Resources files for active HR Temporary Employment temporary employees are maintained by the Human Resources Records Office.

Process

Human Resources is responsible for oversight of the HR Temporary Employment Service Center.

1) Departments in need of temporary staffing shall complete a Temporary Employee Job Order Form and forward it to HR Temporary Employment. If the staffing need is immediate, a telephone conversation may initiate the action, with the completed form to follow.

2) Upon receipt of the Temporary Employee Job Order Form, HR Temporary Employment shall match the assignment to existing job descriptions to determine the appropriate pay rate and title.

3) An initial search shall be made of the HR Temporary Employment applicant pool to identify a suitable temporary employee for the assignment.

1. If HR Temporary Employment determines that contracting with an external employment service is necessary, it will consult with the hiring department for approval to fill the position through an external service. If approved, HR Temporary Employment will make the arrangements.
2. HR Temporary Employment shall advise the external service to send the bill directly to HR Temporary Employment.
3. HR Temporary Employment shall, after authorization, forward the bill to the appropriate department.

4) HR Temporary Employment shall complete the required employment and payroll documents.

Departmental Billing

HR Temporary Employment shall bill each department for services. The hourly cost shall be the HR Temporary Employment temporary employee’s hourly rate plus a service fee to cover payroll taxes, miscellaneous fees and administrative costs.

Compensation

1) HR Temporary Employment temporary employees shall be compensated based on the HR Temporary Employment established pay rate for the assigned position. If the HR Temporary Employment temporary employee is placed on different assignments, they shall be compensated based on the HR Temporary Employment established pay rate for each assignment.

2) Any time worked by a HR Temporary Employment temporary employee in excess of 40 hours per week shall be compensated at one and one-half times the employee’s wage rate.

3) Any time worked by a HR Temporary Employment temporary employee in excess of 40 hours per week in two or more concurrent assignments shall be compensated using an average weighted overtime rate.

4)  HR Temporary Employment temporary employees shall not work overtime unless specifically authorized in advance to do so by the line supervisor and HR Temporary Employment. If a HR Temporary Employment temporary employee holds more than one position, the supervisor who authorized the employee to work more than the normally scheduled hours is responsible for paying the overtime.

Placement

To be considered for employment, HR Temporary Employment applicants shall

1. Have a current application on the Online Employment System (OES),
2. Meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and
3. Complete any required testing and/or screening administered by HR Temporary Employment.

Performance Appraisal

HR Temporary Employment temporary employees shall be evaluated at the end of each assignment by the department supervisor.

Conduct

HR Temporary Employment temporary employees shall be subject to the same standards of conduct that apply to regular staff employees. Corrective action may or may not be used to address performance issues with HR Temporary Employment temporary employees.

Note: A HR Temporary Employment temporary employee or an appropriate department representative who encounters work-related problems shall contact a HR Temporary Employment Specialist for resolution. 

Eligibility for Regular Staff Employment

1) A HR Temporary Employment temporary employee who satisfactorily meets the requirements of the temporary assignment(s) may be eligible to apply for regular staff employment.

1. HR Temporary Employment temporary employees hired from a temporary position into a regular staff position shall be considered new hires for purposes of compensation, benefits and pre-employment screenings.
2. HR Temporary Employment temporary employees going into regular positions paid on a bi-weekly basis cannot start the new positions until the beginning of a bi-weekly payroll period.

Time Records

Time records shall be maintained a minimum for the period of time required by the State Archives and Records Commission’s Record Retention Schedule U0311.

1) Original time records shall be forwarded to HR Temporary Employment within the designated deadlines and with proper signature(s).

1. Departments shall keep copies of all HR Temporary Employment temporary employee’s timesheets.
2. HR Temporary Employment shall bill the appropriate department.

2) The departmental supervisor of the HR Temporary Employment temporary employee shall review the time sheet prior to its submission to HR Temporary Employment.

1. The supervisor, or designee shall be responsible for submitting the original timesheet to HR Temporary Employment.
2. Under no circumstances shall a HR Temporary Employment temporary employee be the last employee in the department to handle the time sheet before it is submitted to HR Temporary Employment.

Form

Temporary Employee Job Order Form

Temporary Employment Timesheet

Temporary Employment Evaluation Form

Temporary Employment Exemption List

Related Policies

HRP&P 12.0 Separation from Employment

HRP&P 93.0 Health Care Plans

HRP&P 96.0 Workers' Compensation