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Probationary Period Guidelines

Probationary periods are used to determine if an employee’s performance meets the expectations of the position and if continued employment is warranted. 

New staff members must be informed of the existence and length of the probationary period at the time of the offer of employment.

Upon hire and/or within the first week of employment, the supervisor should:

  • Provide the employee with a copy of their position description and establish performance expectations for which the staff member will be evaluated on
  • Meet with the employee to discuss the job responsibilities, practices, performance expectations, policies and procedures
  • Ensure that the employee receives the appropriate orientation to the university, school/center/institute and department

Throughout the probationary period review process, the supervisor should:

  • Meet with the employee regularly to discuss performance and provide constructive feedback as to whether they are meeting the expectations for their position, determine if employee needs additional training and, if necessary, provide employee with a plan for improvement
  • Determine whether the employee meets the required performance expectations for continued employment
  • For Legacy-UMDNJ staff positions, complete the Probationary Assessment Form

If performance expectations have not been met and progress has not been made within the probationary period, the employee should be terminated before attaining the last day of probation. If you are considering extending the probationary period or considering the termination of a probationary employee please consult with the Office of University Labor Relations for aligned staff, or your HR Consultant , HR Generalist, or your human resources representative in Camden or Newark for non-aligned MPSC staff prior to moving forward with any such action.

Probationary Periods

For information related to the duration of an employee’s probationary period please refer to the appropriate collective negotiations agreement for aligned staff or applicable university policy for non-aligned MPSC staff. 

If you have questions regarding an aligned employee, you can contact the Office of University Labor Relations or a HR Consultant,  HR Generalist, or your human resource representative in Camden or Newark for a non-aligned MPSC employee.

For more information please refer to the applicable University Policy and collective negotiations agreement.