Employment Services

Temporary Employees

If you are hiring a temp with "hard money", you will need to go through the hiring exemption process.

Classified temps are paid bi-weekly, professional temps are paid monthly. The duties they are being hired for determines if it's classified or professional. When in doubt, please contact Employment Serivces prior to the hire.

Generally, USM 'temporary' employees may be hired up to one year without going through the search process required of 'regular' employees. (You may not exceed six months for COLT Unit positions). If the employee will work from 7-12 months, the department may, at its option, decide to conduct a search and make it a regular position (usually for reasons of providing benefits to the employee). If the decision is to hire a temporary employee, the following applies:

1. You should first decide whether the temp will be a USM employee or provided from a temp agency. We have a negotiated agreement (see Manpower ) with a temp agency that gives us preferred rates and we are to use them if the temp is not being hired directly as a USM employee. Some factors to consider:

1. By using Manpower, you avoid things like finding a qualified person, filling out payroll and other forms, being potentially liable for Unemployment Compensation or Workers Compensation B less hassle.
2. On the other hand, Manpower (though their rates are good) does not work for nothing. The hourly rate you pay is higher than if the person were hired as a USM temp.
3. If you already have a qualified person in mind, you still have the option of 'payrolling' them through Manpower; they will give you a price break since you have saved them some advertising/screening expenses
   

2. If you decide not to use Manpower, the following applies:

1. If the duties are reasonably close to one of our classified titles, the new hire temporary is to be given the start rate of pay for that title. Contact Employment Services for the exception regarding retired University employees rehired as temporaries.
2. If no existing classified University title is close to the duties required, please provide a detailed description of the duties and an hourly rate that appears reasonable in relation to other University jobs and/or the external market. You may also refer to classified or professional job titles, to pick one that closely
3. If in doubt as to whether the position is classified or professional, reflect it as classified in order to avoid possible overtime pay problems under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
4. While not absolutely required, it is recommended that you do an appointment letter (classified/professional). Be sure the new employee completes all required new hire paperwork (such as the W-4, Individual Data Sheet, and the I-9) either at Human Resources, 128 School Street or a location in your unit on or prior to the first day of employment, and that a Temporary Hire Form is sent to Payroll as soon as possible. These actions are necessary to meet legal requirements and to get the new hire paid on time.
5. Students may not be on both student payroll and USM payroll. Call for advice on this situation.

For problems with this page, contact: Linda Boody