Hiring

Extra Help

The process for hiring extra help is as follows.

1. Department submits a position request, including job description, in PeopleAdmin on the orange "Positions" side.
2. Human Resource Services (HRS) receives and classifies the position, then works with the department to recruit qualified candidates with the following methods:
   • Posting of position.
   • Referral of candidates from a hiring pool. To be included in the pool, candidates apply to the posting on the HRS website.
   • Referral of candidates interested in part-time employment from existing civil service registers.
3. Once approved, if the position needs to be posted, HRS creates a posting for review in PeopleAdmin on the blue "Hire" side. The department reviews the posting.
4. Position is posted for at least three days. HRS reviews applicants and refers qualified candidates to the department.
5. Department interviews applicants and selects the person they want to hire. Department changes the applicant's status to "Recommended for Hire" and submits a hiring proposal. The proposal is routed to the department head and college/unit for approval before it comes to HRS.
6. Department asks applicant to complete the background check form.
7. After background check is complete, department asks applicant to complete required new hire paperwork.

Requirements

Extra help employees must:

• Have an application on file for each position they're hired or rehired for.
• Pass a criminal background investigation. Read the background check policy.
• Submit Declaration of Status and DCFS Mandated Reporter forms every time they're rehired.

In addition, they may need to have a pre-employment medical check if the position has physical demands, such as lifting, moving or carrying requirements. The HRS extra help coordinator can help with this process.change should apply.

Faculty

Departments seeking to fill faculty positions should refer to the Provost's Office Guidelines for Justification for Filling Faculty Positions. They will provide this justification in PeopleAdmin.

Search Process

Departments seeking to fill a tenure or tenure-track faculty position must use a search committee, as outlined in the Faculty Searches and Appointments Guidelines. Search committee members should be submitted in PeopleAdmin. Human Resource Services (HRS) and the Office of Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity and Education can help train new committees.

If a full search is deemed unnecessary, inefficient, or time or cost prohibitive, the department may submit a search waiver request in PeopleAdmin. The request must include the justification for the request. The Office of Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity and Education can help with the search waiver process.

Position Approval and Posting

Positions are posted by HRS on the HRS website. Before a position can be posted, two tasks must be completed in PeopleAdmin:

• Approval by the president: All positions must receive presidential approval, except for those that are 100% grant funded.
• Creation of position posting: A posting describing the position qualifications must be developed. For assistance, contact the Office of Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity and Education

Offer of Employment

Once the final candidate has been selected and approved by HRS in PeopleAdmin, an offer of employment can be made. The offer is contingent on completion of a background check. Read the background check policy.

Faculty employment contracts follow the academic year with few exceptions.

Blackboard Access

To set up Blackboard access for the new hire, visit IT Forms to complete the Computing Access Resources (CAR) form to "extend primary account."

If HRS has the needed paperwork on file (PAF, Personal Data Form, Mandated Reporter and signed offer letter), they'll enter the position information, provided no additional information is needed.

If HRS does not have the needed paperwork, volunteer agreement paperwork must be completed and submitted to HRS.

Retirees

SURS retirees must be out of the payroll system for at least 60 days before they can be rehired as extra help. They must provide a copy of their final Certification of Retirement Annuity from SURS in order to be rehired. This must be the final document and include the highest year's earnings, retirement date and earnings limitation.

Retirees must complete the DCFS Mandated Reporter and Declaration of Status forms. The entire Declaration of Status form must be filled out before they can be hired. They must list all earnings from all SURS employers for each SURS year (Sept. 1-Aug. 31) after retiring, or since Sept. 1, 2013. Earnings must be broken down into SURS years.

Read the Return to Work policy for a State Universities Retirement System (SURS) annuitant.

Your Human Resource Services Employment Contact is available to assist you with any of your human resource needs.

Relevant Policies

• Return to Work of a State Universities Retirement System (SURS) Annuitant Policy
• Pre-Employment Criminal Background Investigation Policy and Procedures

Students

Students can be hired as employees or interns for on-campus jobs, or as graduate assistants.

On-campus Employees and Interns

1. Create a job description. Departments wanting to hire an intern should use the internship job description template.
2. NIU departments should use Huskies Get Hired to advertise on-campus student employment opportunities. Request a free Huskies Get Hired account to get started. 
3. Review applicants' resumes.
4. Interview selected students. The same individual should interview all the candidates and ask them the same questions.
5. Select a student and hire them. Submit the Personnel Action Form and required hiring documents to Student Employment before the student's start date. If you don't submit completed paperwork by the payroll deadline, the student will be paid late.
6. Notify the students who were not selected.

Please note: If the position is designated as security sensitive under the Campus Security Enhancement Act, a pre-employment criminal background investigation is required.

Graduate Assistants

1. Create a job description. Duties for graduate assistants are documented on the Graduate Assistant Assignment Approval Form.
2. NIU departments should use Huskies Get Hired to advertise on-campus graduate student employment opportunities. Request a free Huskies Get Hired account to get started. 
3. Interview students. The same individual should interview all the candidates and ask them the same questions.
4. Select the graduate student and make sure they're eligible for employment.
5. Hire the student. Submit the Personnel Action Form and the required hiring documents to HRS before the student's start date. If you don't submit completed paperwork by the payroll deadline, the student will be paid late.
6. Notify the graduate students who were not selected.

Please note: If the position is designated as security sensitive under the Campus Security Enhancement Act, a pre-employment criminal background investigation is required.

Supportive Professional Staff (SPS)

Search Process

Departments seeking to fill a supportive professional staff position must use a search committee, as outlined in the Guidelines for Supportive Professional Staff Searches and Appointments. Search committee members should be submitted in PeopleAdmin. Human Resource Services (HRS) and the Office of Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity and Education can help train new committees.

If a full search is deemed unnecessary, inefficient, or time or cost prohibitive, the department may submit a search waiver request in PeopleAdmin. The request must include the justification for the request. The Office of Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity and Education can help with the search waiver process.

Position Approval and Posting

Positions are posted by HRS on the HRS website. Before a position can be posted, two tasks must be completed in PeopleAdmin:

• Approval by the president: All positions must receive presidential approval, except for those that are 100% grant funded.
• Creation of job description: An up-to-date job description is needed. It must include a breakdown of duties by percentage of time. HRS can help develop the job description.

External Search Firms

The hiring department can use an external search firm for the recruitment of the president and other highly skilled administrators, with approval from the Board of Trustees. Read the external search firms policy (PDF).

Offer of Employment

Once the final candidate has been selected and approved by HRS in PeopleAdmin, an offer of employment can be made. The offer is contingent on completion of a background check. Read the background check policy.

SPS employment contracts follow the fiscal year with few exceptions. Under certain circumstances, the contract may follow a different timeline (when a position is funded from a grant with a different fiscal year, for example, or if the appointment follows the academic year).