Preparing for Start Date

Expand All | Collapse All
Two Weeks Prior to Employee Starting
Register New Employee For Benefits Orientation

The University Human Resources New Employee Orientation (NEO) is designed specifically for new full-time employees to learn more about Rutgers and help them to successfully acclimate to the University. Participants will also receive information on the array of benefits afforded to them as a Rutgers employee, including but not limited to, health plans, paid time off, and pension programs. This orientation is designed to enhance and support departmental orientation.

Ensure your new employee attends benefits orientation (if applicable). They will need to be registered for orientation using the below link by the Hiring Unit Representative. (This needs to be completed on-campus or through VPN and may have been completed when drafting the written offer letter.) To allocate sufficient time for New Employee Orientation in the employee’s onboarding schedule, the time for New Employee Orientation may also be found at the below link.

New Employee Orientation (NEO) Registration

New employees should submit completed benefits forms to the Benefits and Wellness team via the OneSource Self-Service Portal within 30 days from date of hire.

Enter New Employee Into PeopleSoft (HCM)

Contact your department’s HCM Preparer or HR Generalist to initiate the submission of the employee into the Human Capital Management (Peoplesoft) system. Supporting documentation (i.e., offer letter, background check clearance, job description, resume/ROCS application, immunization verification, etc.) is required for submission.

To ensure timely access to IT systems, refer to the HCM Cutoff Schedule to determine the latest date the new employee’s information should be submitted.

The following resource/instruction guides are available below to assist with entry of your new hire into PeopleSoft (Human Capital Management System - HCM).

Additional resources for the Template-Based Hire Process can be found on the HCM Blog.

Note to HCM Preparers: Template-Based Hires cannot be submitted for internal hires, promotions, and transfers. To initiate the submission into HCM, please contact your Hiring Unit Representative. (Should be changed to “you will be contacted”) If HCM Preparer access is needed, access can be requested at the following link https://hrapps.rutgers.edu/PARS.

Questions/Support

For support with HCM transactions, please contact your department's HR liason or submit an inquiry to HCM via ServiceNow.

Schedule and Complete New Employee's I-9 and E-Verify

Federal law mandates that employers must complete an I-9 Form for all employees within prescribed timelines, and E-Verify electronically verifies the employee’s information with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA). Successfully completing the I-9 Form and E-Verify confirms the employee is legally authorized for employment.

Newly hired employees and rehired employees (any prior employee who had a one-day or longer break in service) must complete a new I-9 Form. All remote and in-person I-9 Forms are completed electronically via the Guardian system. Section I of the I-9 Form must be completed no later than the end of their first day of employment. Additionally, Section II of the I-9 Form must be completed within three business days of the first day of employment (if the employee starts on Monday, the I-9 Form must be completed no later than Thursday). If the position is for less than three days, Section II must be completed no later than the first day of work for pay.

Provided the employee has successfully completed all pre-employment screenings, the Hiring Unit Representative may schedule the employee to complete an I-9 Form in one of the following ways:

  1. Section I remotely via an email link and then section II in person before, on, or within three days of the employee’s first day
  2. Sections I and II in person on the employee’s first day
  3. Section I in person on the employee’s first day and Section II in person within three days of the employee’s first day
  4. If the employee is not able to travel to any Rutgers offices to complete Section II, the Remote Hire process may be used with an I-9 Remote Agent. Please contact UHR for more details on this process if needed.

The employee must provide the Hiring Unit Representative or I-9 Remote Agent with original unexpired identity and employment authorization documents to complete Section II of the I-9 (please see list of acceptable documents).

Once Sections I & II are completed, the Hiring Unit Representative marks the I-9 completed and approved in Guardian and confirms the E-Verify portion of the process is completed successfully. Should an issue arise with the E-Verify case, contact your HR Compliance Coordinator immediately for next steps. The E-Verify case must be resolved before the I-9 Form is successfully completed and confirms the employee is authorized for employment. The employee can continue to work while E-Verify issues are being resolved.

Useful Resources:
  1. List of Acceptable Documents for the I-9 Process
  2. Guardian Training Materials
  3. Guardian Access Request Form
Manager and Supervisor Responsibilities

Department Managers and Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that their newly hired employees comply with the entire I-9 process and monitor the current status of a department's I-9s. Managers and Supervisors have an obligation to ensure that their employees meet all deadlines as outlined under federal law. Hiring departments who have employees out of compliance with the deadlines for I-9 employment eligibility verification are exposed to significant risk of substantial financial penalties for failing to comply with this federal mandate.

Questions/Support

For I-9 & E-Verify support please contact a HR Compliance Coordinator for assistance. Contact information can be found on our directory under “Talent Acquisition.”

One Week Prior to Employee Starting
Communicate Relevant First Day Information

Reach out to your new employee to welcome them to your team! University Human Resources has prepared a New Employee Welcome Guide that helps new employees navigate the New Hire Process and provide valuable links to resources and community information. This guide should be communicated to your new employee during your department/unit's Onboarding Process alongside the following items:

  • Start Date
  • Arrival Time
  • Office Location
  • Where to meet you or your designee the first day
  • NetID Setup
  • Parking Registration
  • Employee ID Card

Questions/Support

For Onboarding support please contact your department’s HR Liaison or the appropriate staff member on our directory:

  • RBHS Staff: HR Generalist under Employment Services
  • New Brunswick Staff: HR Consultant under HR Consulting
  • Camden and Newark Staff: HR Representative under the appropriate UHR Office
Compile Applicable Information to Review With New Hire

Compiling the following information will assist in preparing for an effective onboarding experience with your new employee:

  • Review of department and unit organizational charts
  • Department/Unit’s mission and goals
  • Job description
  • Individual performance goals and expectations
  • Process guides and training manuals
  • Description of the roles of team members and key colleagues the employee will be interacting within their role
  • Major job duties and performance expectations
  • Schedule of recurring meetings he/she will participate in
  • Draft of the welcome communication to department announcing the new employee
  • Forms for system access, confidentiality agreements, and IT agreements.
  • Review applicable Collective Negotiation Agreements for aligned Staff and Faculty positions please visit the Collective Negotiation Agreements Library.
  • For Rutgers University Human Resources Policies, please visit the Human Resources Policy Library.
  • Review FlexWork@RU flexible work arrangements, if applicable, with the Department Needs Assessment and Team Agreement

If the new employee will supervise or manage other employees, include:

  • Management tools e.g., ARS, timekeeping system for non-exempt employees
  • Job descriptions for direct reports
  • Performance and development plans for direct reports
  • Key team projects in progress and planned
NetID Setup

All employees are assigned a unique Rutgers identifier known as a NetID (comprised of initials and a unique number e.g. jqs23), which is used to access most electronic services at Rutgers. Your new employee must activate their Rutgers NetID, and their NetID activation request will be issued to their personal e-mail address. If they have not received it by their start date, please have them go to NetID Management & Service Activation to attempt to activate their NetID. They will need a NetID to obtain their e-mail address, gain access to the computer system, obtain their Rutgers University ID (RUID) card, and purchase their parking permit.

Please note, in order for your new employee to receive a NetID they must be processed in HCM.

Parking Permit

New employees may purchase parking permits around two business days after their NetID is activated, and they may access parking information here.

If an employee is unable to purchase a parking permit prior to starting, departments may register their new employee's vehicle by completing a request form at RU DOTS Help. Their vehicle and license plate information is required.

Employee ID Card
In order for a new employee to receive an RUID card, they must have a completed employee record in the PeopleSoft payroll system three business days prior to their start date. Departments can complete a new employee's record prior to the employee's first day of work. The ID card system relies on data from the payroll system and automatic data feeds to populate the appropriate ID card data. New hires at the University will be asked to upload an ID card photo prior to requesting an RUID card on their first day.
Coordinate Meet & Greets

Schedule in-person or virtual meet and greets with members of the department/unit and outside members of departments/units that the employee will work closely with.

Coordinate Training Schedule

Organize a training agenda for the first two weeks. The training agenda can include the name and title of the team members who will conduct the training(s), the room number/meeting links, and the topics covered. The training agenda should also contain upcoming meetings and/or recurring meetings.

Coordinate Workspace

Coordinate a workspace and request for IT to set up the computer, phone, and system access (shared inboxes, drives, etc.). Ensure the employee will have necessary office supplies, and perhaps a welcome message. Add employee to meeting distributions and e-mail lists.

Please review OIT Policy Requirements, Policy #70.1.7 – Rutgers Provisioning/Deprovisioning Policy, which outlines the rules, regulations, and procedures for provisioning and deprovisioning accounts and access rights on University systems.

Establish An Onboarding Buddy For The New Employee

An onboarding buddy is an employee who is matched with a new hire to educate them about day-to-day processes, introduce them to the rest of the team, bridge social connections, and answer questions as they arise.

New Employee Orientation Locations
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Employee Orientation sessions will be held each Monday from 9 a.m. to noon in the University Human Resources Community Room, ASB II on the G.H. Cook Campus. During the months of August and September, sessions may be held twice weekly. Parking is available in the main lot at ASBII.

Rutgers University-Camden

New Employees Orientation sessions for Rutgers–Camden will be held on the first available Monday of each calendar month, from 9:00am to 4:30pm at the Rutgers University–Camden Welcome Center at 330 Cooper St., Camden NJ 08102. Questions regarding the Rutgers University–Camden NEO can be directed to hr.camden@rutgers.edu.

Rutgers University-Newark

New Employee Orientation sessions for Rutgers–Newark will be offered every other Monday. Orientation sessions are scheduled from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in the Human Resources Training Room, 45 Bleeker Street, Newark, NJ 07102.Contact the Rutgers–Newark Human Resources Office at (973) 353-5500 for information regarding program scheduling and details.

RBHS-Newark

New Employee Orientation sessions will be held every other Monday from 9 a.m. to noon at RBHS–Newark. Orientation sessions will be held in the Administrative Complex (ADMC), Building 1, Room 101 located at 30 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ 07107.