Managers & Supervisors

• Submit an Exemption Request
  • An approved exemption request and ERF is necessary to start the hiring process for all job class requests. Department heads are responsible for submitting a HR Exemption Request. 
• Complete the Classification and Recruitment Form (CARF)
  • Supervisors and/or department heads must complete the following Classification and Recruitment Form  for new hire requests. 

• DoCS HR is responsible for submitting all open staff positions into the UHR Recruitment, Onboarding and Classification System (ROCS).
• Upon approval jobs posted through ROCS are fed to Indeed.com, Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC), HigherEdJobs.com, and the State of New Jersey's Job Bank at no cost to the department.
• Additional Recruitment: Please contact DoCS HR to inquire about additional recruitment. 

• Hiring managers must submit a request with the applicant’s name to DOCS HR for those they wish to interview. DOCS HR will then submit the request to UHR/OEE for review and approval. DOCS HR will follow up with the hiring managers once a decision is made on whether the interview can proceed.

• The University is committed to providing affirmative action and equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants. We encourage supervisors to review Rutgers Commitment To Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity.
• After completing all interviews and reference checks (if applicable), select the candidate who is the best fit for the position. Then, contact DOCS HR via the DoCS HRM ticket system and provide the finalist’s name. DOCS HR will generate a disposition list for the position, which the department should complete. Once finalized, DOCS HR will move the candidate to the finalist stage.
• When extending a verbal offer to the finalist, it’s crucial to clearly state that the offer is contingent on the candidate’s successful completion of all pre-employment screenings.
• Additionally, DOCS HR will need the finalist’s tentative start date, starting salary, work hours, and in-office/remote dates.

• All new hires must receive a formal written offer letter outlining the terms of employment. The offer letter must be signed and returned by the candidate to confirm their acceptance.

• Once the finalist signs and returns the offer letter, they will proceed with the required pre-employment screenings, such as a background check and 1-9 process.
• A finalist who completes all pre-employment screenings is cleared to move forward with the onboarding process.

• Submit an Exemption Request
  • An approved exemption request is necessary to start the hiring process for all job class requests. Department heads are responsible for submitting a Hiring Exemption Request. New hire requests should specify the desired number of hires and compensation (hourly rates/salary range)
• Complete the Classification and Recruitment Form (CARF)
  • Supervisors and/or department heads must complete the appropriate CARF for new hire requests. 

• All students interested in employment opportunities within your department must apply through the University job posting system Handshake. DoCS HR will create the draft posting for department review based on the class 5 position CARF. Postings will be active 60 days, and extended upon request. 
• Additional Recruitment:
  • Student Centers: Through the Student Center and Activities Portal departments may book chalking tables, contact tables, and reserve banners/posters to advertise job postings. We recommend reviewing the Student Center Policies.
  • Student Clubs: Engage with various student clubs through Rutgers getINVOVLED to advertise job postings. Connect with the club's Student Involvement Advisor for assistance. 

• While departments have the flexibility to devise their own interview questions, a general template has been provided for assistance: Student Interview Guide.
• The University follows a policy to provide affirmative action and equal employment opportunity to all its employees and applicants for employment. We encourage supervisors to review Rutgers Commitment To Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity
• Once supervisors have selected a candidate for employment, they should notify DoCS HR, to begin the student verification process.
• After DoCS HR confirms the student verification, the hiring manager may give the student candidate a verbal offer subject to the successful completion of all pre-employment screenings

• DoCS HR will draft the appointment letter for supervisor review and approval. Please note the estimated start date is a tentative date pending when all hiring process are completed. Candidates will receive an email from DoCS HR to complete the necessary new hire paperwork and employment eligibility I-9 prior to beginning any work as follows:
• New Hire Documentation
  • New Employee Hire Form
  • Appointment Letter signed and dated prior to start date.
• I-9 Completion Requirements
  • I-9 appointments must be completed in-person for class 5 student hires.
  • Students with no active record with the university must complete their I-9 by no later than their start date.
  • Students with an active record are not required to complete the I-9. However, they must provide their SSN to the DoCS HR department.
  • International hires without an SSN have 90 days (about 3 months) from their start date to obtain one and require an on-campus verification letter. International hires who fail to obtain SSN within the 90 days will be automatically terminated.
• IT Email Account Set Up
  • DoCS HR will notify ITACS of new student hires to generate their docs email account. Supervisors are responsible for notifying ITACS if additional access is needed.
• Once all necessary paperwork has been received and the I-9 is completed, DoCS HR will submit the appointment into PeopleSoft. Once the appointment is approved, the student will receive e-mail notification from DoCS HR confirming their appointment is approved and they may start submitting hours in DoCS HRM.
• Supervisors are responsible for connecting with the student to begin scheduling and onboarding.

• DoCS-HR will notify supervisors to submit job descriptions for each Fall and Spring semester periods in April. Managers must submit the Federal Work Study Worker - Job Description form and inform DoCS HRM of non-renewals. DoCS-HR will review and submit the request(s) into the FWSP portal

• Job descriptions are reviewed by the Student Employment Office (SEO). Managers along with DoCS-HR are notified of student placements mid-August.
• Prior FWSP employees who do not indicate they would like a new job will automatically be renewed in that job again as long as they remain in the program.

• DoCS-HR will reach out to supervisors once a student is placed with their department, and work them on the following hiring process:
  • Supervisors must reach out to each placement to conduct an interview, and notify DoCS HR if they would like to move forward.
  • Students will complete the new hire process with DoCS-HR and may begin working once they receive DoCS HR confirmation.

For any questions or inquiries regarding volunteers, please don't hesitate to contact the DoCS-HR team at docshr@docs.rutgers.edu. We are here to assist you with any volunteer-related matters and provide support.

If your department or team is interested in hosting interns, please be aware of the university's requirements for internships to qualify as learning-focused experiences. Before proceeding, you must contact DoCS HR at docshr@docs.rutgers.edu.

For more information about internships and co-ops, including earning academic credit and hosting unpaid opportunities, please refer to Rutgers University’s Internship Guidelines.

Forms: 

Class 1 Classification and Recruitment Form (Class 1 CARF)

Class 3 Classification and Recruitment Form (Class 3 CARF)

Class 4 Classification and Recruitment Form (Class 4 CARF)

Class 5 Classification and Recruitment Form (Class 5 CARF)

Resources: 

Multiple Assignment Matrix

Recruitment, Hiring and Onboarding Roadmap for Managers

Flexible Work Arrangement

Navigating the Interview Process Hiring Manager's Guide

Flexible Work Arrangement 

• If the new employee may be eligible for a Flexible Work Arrangement, review the Department Needs Assessment and Team Agreement and advise them to enter their schedule into the FlexWork@RU system, accessible in the myRutgers portal.

Probationary Period

• Review with your employee the applicable probationary period information for their position. This information should be reflective of what was included in the employee's offer letter.
• Set the expectation that throughout the probationary period, you will regularly engage in performance discussions with employees, offering constructive feedback on their job performance, evaluating expectations, identifying training needs, and providing improvement plans if needed.

Benefits

• https://uhr.rutgers.edu/benefits/home

Collective Negotiation

• https://laborrelations.rutgers.edu/staff/labor-contracts 
   

Full Time Employee Onboarding

• DoCS Full-Time Onboarding Checklist

Time and Labor

• Class 4 Casual: This appointment should be used for temporary assignments of less than 20 hours per week. Class 4 Casual employees may work a fixed, varied or intermittent schedule, and are paid on an hourly basis. 
• Class 4 Seasonal: This appointment should be used for seasonal assignments. Class 4 Seasonal employees are not restricted in the number of hours worked per week. Seasonal employees receive overtime compensation for time worked over 40 hours per week. 

Part-Time Onboarding Checklist

• DoCS Part-Time Onboarding Checklist

Time and Labor

• Regular Student Employees:
  • Fall & Spring Semester: up to 20 hours per week
  • Summer & Winter Terms: up to 35 hours per week
  • Employment during the breaks is not a requirement and is contingent upon the needs of the department.
• Federal Work Study Student Employees:
  • Fall & Spring Semester: maximum of  20 hours per week
  • Summer & Winter Terms: FWS students may only work with department approval.

Student Employee Onboarding Checklist

• https://hrcs.rutgers.edu/student-employee-onboarding

Guide

• Supervisors Guide to Managing Student Employees

• Acting Appointment Policy
• Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Overtime
• Retirements and Terminations
• Salary In Grade Adjustment
• Staff Salary Schedules

Reappointment

Under the Class 4 Employment policy, all Class 4 Casual, Class 4 Seasonal employees must be provided with an appointment letter defining the terms of their new appointment. An approved hiring exemption request is necessary to reappoint any class 4 employee.

• Class 4 Casual: Before the end of their contract, DoCS HR will begin the reappointment process.
• Class 4 Seasonal employees: After the end of their six (6) month contract, class 4 seasonal employees may not work for Rutgers during their three (3) month break in service required per their contract. 

Hourly Rate Increase - Process and Timeline

To initiate an hourly rate increase, an approved hiring exemption request is required. This request should clearly specify ‘Salary Increase’ along with a justification that outlines the additional duties and responsibilities warranting the rate adjustment. Supervisors must also provide an updated CARF that reflects the expanded job duties and responsibilities. 

Please note that hourly rate increases are not retroactive; the increase will only be effective from the date of approval onward, not for past work. 

• Class 5 Hourly Rate Increases:
  Approval Level: Hiring exemption request. The exemption request can be submitted for individual students or groups of students with the same job description. Students should not be notified of a change of salary before approval is received.

   

• Class 4 Hourly Rate Increases:
  Approval Level: UHR approval. Class 4 hourly rate increases require both a hiring exemption request and UHR approval. The effective date of the hourly rate increase is determined by UHR. 

Process: 

• Once all approval(s) are received, DoCS HR will draft a change in terms offer letter for supervisor review and approval.
• Once the employee returns the signed offer letter, DoCS HR processes the hourly rate increase.
• The supervisor and employee will be notified once UHR has approved the increase and payroll has been updated.

Timeline: 

• Class 4 Hourly Rate Increases: Supervisors should make every effort to request Class 4 hourly rate increases well in advance, as the approval process can take several months. It is highly recommended that supervisors plan ahead, especially when considering reappointments, to avoid delays.

When significant changes occur within your department—such as the introduction of new non-credit programs, shifts in staffing due to retirements or terminations, or changes in resources like new or lost funding—it may be an excellent time to review your staffing structure for potential adjustments. Department reorganization can enhance efficiency and help optimize efforts with the resources available.

Reorganization Process:

1. Gather all CARFs and job duties for current staff.
2. Compile the current organizational chart.
3. Create a reorganization proposal (optional).

Access manager guidelines, hiring and onboarding tools, performance management resources, take advantage of professional development opportunities and more:

OneRED: High Impact Leadership Program

OneRED Leader Coaching Program (Pilot)

Rutgers Competencies and Professional Development

Self-Paced Learning

Supervisor Development

At Rutgers, Performance Management is an on-going partnership between supervisors and employees to accomplish university and departmental goals. The process focuses on aligning employee roles and goals with the university’s mission and supporting development and performance. Essential elements of this approach include:

• Clarifying job responsibilities, agreed-upon goals, and performance expectations
• Communicating regularly by giving and receiving feedback throughout the year on performance, goals, and expectations
• Seeking and supporting continuous learning, professional growth, and development
• Celebrating achievement and rewarding exemplary performance

Below are the associated performance management programs and tools to guide you through the performance management process at Rutgers University. Click the tile that reflects your area of the university.

Aligned Performance Management

Non-Aligned Performance Management

Part-Time Employee Performance Management Process

1. Goal Setting and Expectations
   1. At the start of employment or the performance cycle, establish clear performance goals and expectations with the part-time employee. This includes outlining key responsibilities, objectives, and any relevant metrics. Performance period should be 12 months.
2. Ongoing Feedback and Support
   1. Provide regular feedback throughout the performance period to address strengths, areas for improvement, and any adjustments needed. This keeps the employee on track and ensures continuous development.
3. Mid-Point Review (Optional)
   1. Conduct a mid-point review, if applicable, to formally assess the employee’s progress towards goals. This is a good opportunity to realign objectives and offer additional support if necessary.
4. End-of-Cycle Performance Review
   1. At the end of the performance period, complete a formal evaluation. Use the Part-Time Employee Performance Review Form to document:
      1. Achievements related to established goals
      2. Strengths and areas for improvement
      3. Overall performance rating
5. Employee Feedback
   1. Allow the part-time employee to provide feedback on their experience, challenges they faced, and any support they need going forward.
6. Discussion and Sign-Off
   1. Meet with the employee to discuss the performance evaluation. Ensure transparency and encourage open dialogue. Both the supervisor and the employee should sign the performance review form to acknowledge the discussion and any next steps.
7. Document and Retain
   1. Submit the signed performance review form to DoCS-HR for record-keeping and ensure that a copy is retained within the department.

Class 4 employees are at-will employees. As such, there is no guarantee of continued or renewed employment. An appointment may be terminated with or without cause, at any time without prior notice, at the employee’s or the University’s discretion. Should supervisors consider terminating a class 4 employee prior to their contract end date, for any reason, they must consult DocS HR prior to initiating any termination action. 

Class 5 student employment is ‘at-will’. The University reserves the right to terminate a student’s employment with or without cause, and with or without notice, at any time at the employees or the University discretion. Supervisor completion of the Student Employee Exit Checklist is mandatory for all student terminations.

Supervisors are responsible for notifying DoCS HR immediately of student resignations and provide email communication stating the students last day worked.