Onboarding New Employees

As a supervisor of a new employee, you should initiate the following activities. Keep in mind that not all of the following activities may pertain to your new employee. For more detailed information on the following, visit our New Employee Orientation Toolkit for Managers page on our web site.

Onboarding New Employees

For employees entering employment at Rutgers University through an assigned Rutgers position, the next step is to guide the employee through the Onboarding Process.  University Human Resources has provided the following guidelines to help facilitate easy processing of all new employees:

  • Candidates for employment whose positions require background checks, medical evaluations or additional screening must authorize the university to conduct such checks.  The employee’s final offer of employment by Rutgers University is contingent on the successful completion of these checks.
  • If the results of all contingency checks reveal no adverse results, the university can extend a final offer of employment to the candidate:
    • The final offer letter should contain a starting date, after consulting with the candidate about an appropriate start date for the university.
    • The final offer letter should also contain a date for New Employee and Benefits Orientation.  The HR preparer should ideally schedule the orientation within one week of an employee’s hire date, whenever possible.
    • The final offer letter should also contain a link to the Rutgers University New Employee portal, where the prospective employee will be able to complete many pre-employment tasks.
  • The prospective employee should be directed to bring the signed, final offer letter, in addition to any paper forms or employee self-certification found on the New Employee portal, with them on his or her first day of work.  These forms will be filed in the employee’s personnel file within the department.

Onboarding New Employees (For Legacy UMDNJ Positions)

For employees entering employment at Rutgers University through an assigned legacy UMDNJ position, the next step is to guide the employee through the Onboarding Process.  University Human Resources has provided the following guidelines to help facilitate easy processing of all employees:

  • Candidates for employment whose positions require background checks, medical evaluations or additional screening must authorize the university to conduct such checks.  The employee’s final offer of employment by Rutgers University is contingent on the successful completion of these checks.
  • If the results of all contingency checks reveal no adverse results, the university can extend a final offer of employment to the candidate:
    • The final offer letter should contain a starting date, after the HR Generalist consults with the candidate about an appropriate start date for the university.
    • The final offer letter should also contain a date for New Employee and Benefits Orientation.  The HR Generalist should ideally schedule the orientation within one week of an employee’s hire date, whenever possible.
    • The final offer letter should also contain a link to the Rutgers University New Employee portal, where the prospective employee will be able to complete many pre-employment tasks.
  • Once the final offer letter is prepared, the HR Generalist should forward all employee processing information to Data Administration to complete the employee’s record in the system.  For the purposes of completing an employee record, Data Administration requires the following items:
    • Staff Position / Transaction Form
    • Personal Data Sheet
    • Signed Contingent Offer Letter
    • Unsigned Final Offer Letter
    • Background Check Clearance
    • Medical Evaluation Clearance
    • Additional Screens as Applicable to the Position
  • The prospective employee should be directed to bring the signed, final offer letter, in addition to any paper forms or employee self-certification completed on the New Employee Portal, with them on his or her first day of work. These forms will be filed in the employee’s personnel file within University Human Resources.

Prior to the First Day of Employment

You should coordinate these activities before the new employee arrives on campus:

  • Place new employee on payroll through the RIAS HCM Payroll System or work with your Human Resources representative to have the new employee onboarded in Legacy UMDNJ positions (NOTE - this must be completed 3 business days prior to the employee's first day of work to ensure timely processing of ID Card requests and facility access);
  • Schedule attendance at the New Employee Welcome and Benefits Orientation and submit motor vehicle information to the Department of Transportation Services to initiate 30-day temporary parking for employees in Rutgers positions;
  • Send out a 1-day temporary parking pass for employees reporting to work at RBHS facilities;
  • Order employee’s business cards (if applicable);
  • Schedule employee’s attendance at Defensive Driving workshop (if mandated);
  • Ensure work area is prepared and equipment is in working condition;
  • Notify unit/department of new employee’s arrival and arrival date;
  • Confirm that the new employee received his or her final offer letter and NetID, and can access the New Employee Portal to complete pre-employment tasks.

First Day/Week

These are activities that you should engage the new employee in during his/her first days of employment:

Payroll/Benefits

  • Ensure employee has completed electronic I-9 Form by the end of his or her first day of employment (invitation to complete the first part of the I-9 process should have been sent to the employee during pre-employment);
  • Ensure employee has scheduled a session with University Human Resources to provide proper documentation for part 2 of the I-9 process.  Assist employee in attending their appointment with UHR;
  • For employees in Rutgers positions, receive ethics self-certificates for personnel files (receipt of “Staff-Faculty Employee Expectations and Resources Manual,” “Ethics Code” and “Plain Language Guide to Ethics;” completion of ethics training and Unlawful Harassment Training);
  • Place new employee on applicable payroll system (if not done previously);
  • Explain hours of work and pay schedules;
  • Enter new employee into timekeeping system (if applicable);
  • Show employee where to punch and/or sign in (if applicable).

Safety/Parking/Access/ID’s/Emergency Procedures

  • Provide building access card or key;
  • Explain key and access card policies and procedures;
  • Direct employee to Department of Transportation Services Parking website to apply for permanent parking;
  • Direct new employee to RUconnection Card Printing Location to receive their official university ID Card (NOTE - employee record must be completed in the PeopleSoft payroll system 3 business days prior to requesting an ID card);
  • Provide an emergency numbers/contacts list (RUPD, RUES);
  • Provide divisional ID badge (if applicable);
  • Provide duty key ring or pager (if applicable);
  • Explain mandatory training (if applicable); e.g., lock-out/tag-out, asbestos awareness, harassment prevention, certificate programs, Right-to-Know;
  • Explain telephone chains and/or essential personnel status (if applicable) for weather emergencies;
  • Provide a copy of the Workplace Violence Policy.

Introduction to Department/Co-workers/Management

  • Review division/department/unit mission and goal statements (if applicable);
  • Provide divisional organization chart;
  • Provide temporary uniform or advise employee about dress code;
  • Give new employee tour of work area:  personal space, break areas, supplies, etc. Explain acceptable use of telephones, computers, university property; mail procedures; clerical support;
  • Introduce new employee to coworkers;
  • Ensure a discussion between new employee and immediate supervisor; review expectations;
  • Review mandatory divisional/office/staff meetings; share dates for upcoming meetings;
  • Assign a departmental buddy to help new employee for first week at work;
  • Arrange to have someone take new employee to lunch.

Working Conditions

  • Explain work hours, schedules, breaks;
  • Explain probationary period (if applicable);
  • Provide a copy of job description for employees in Rutgers positions (employees in legacy UMDNJ positions should have already received their job description from Human Resources);
  • Discuss performance standards and expectations;
  • Explain Pay-for-Performance program (if applicable) for employees in non-classified MPSC Rutgers position titles;
  • Show the Absence Reporting System and explain how to request time off;
  • Explain how to call in cases of sickness/emergency;
  • Provide any resources needed if employee is disabled;
  • Explain procedure for reporting workplace injuries.

Office/Computer

  • Arrange the new employee’s email account;
  • Explain personnel policies found in the University Policy Library;
  • Provide information about maintaining office confidentiality (if applicable);
  • Explain computer use policies and confidentiality (if applicable);
  • Provide new employee with a Faculty/Staff Directory.