Questions about:
Q. Can I hire someone on contract instead of as an employee?
Q. Can I hire my wife/son/daughter?
Q. What paperwork does HR need upon the hiring of an employee?
Q. I want to hire a student to do some casual work for me? Do I pay them student rates? What is the current student rate?
Q. I wish to create a new position that is not funded from base budget. Is this a research position? Do I have to post it? Can I offer whatever compensation I want?
Q. Do all CUPE employees receive two additional days off with pay at Christmas? I thought CUPE employees had to make up these two days.
Q. What are the procedures to be followed regarding interview expenses for candidates for faculty positions?
Q. Can I hire someone on contract instead of as an employee?
A. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) defines the Employer-Employee relationship as: an agreement in which an employee agrees to work on a full-time or part-time basis for an employer for a specified or indeterminate period of time, in return for salary or wages. The employer has the right to decide where, when and how the work will be done.
The party who hires an individual must establish the type of relationship which will exist. The CRA provides guidelines to assist in the determination of whether a relationship is an employee-employer relationship or whether an individual can be hired on a contract. For more information please refer to Canada Revenue Agency’s website.
Q. Can I hire my wife/son/daughter?
The University has a Fair Employment Practices Policy that should be considered before hiring of a relative. Such hiring is allowed, but only as per the University's policy and procedures.
Q. What paperwork does HR need upon the hiring of an employee?
A. Documentation should be completed and forwarded as outlined in the Recruitment Guide, Section 4.1.
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Q. I want to hire a student to do some casual work for me? Do I pay them student rates? What is the current student rate?
A. If the student is employed by a faculty member in a role of academic support or in support of the student’s academic program, the student should be appointed as a student assistant. Duties allocated to such student assistant may include work in classrooms and laboratories, fieldwork, marking and supervision of course assignments, assisting with research projects, and other types of work related to their academic programs.
Rates vary depended on the student’s year of their university program. See the Student Assistant Rates for specifics.Casual student employees of the College of Kinesiology who are not academic student assistants, are known as Casual Facility and Program Assistants. These positions perform work primarily with the Physical Activity Complex and are members of the CUPE Local 1975 bargaining unit. Rates vary depending upon the type of work performed and the years of experience in the position.
Q. I wish to create a new position that is not funded from base budget. Is this a research position? Do I have to post it? Can I offer whatever compensation I want?
A. Base budget alone does not determine whether the person is an employee of the University and hence, whether the position is “research”. Research positions at the University are normally employees of a Principal Investigator. As they are not University employees, they are not subject to posting or compensation requirements of a collective bargaining unit. See the Guide for Principal Investigators for more information on research employees and contact your HR advisor to discuss the employment status of these types of relationships before proceeding in the hiring process.
There are also many positions at the University that are neither paid from base budget nor from research grants but are in-scope of a bargaining unit. Contact the HR Posting Assistant or your HR Advisor to enquire about posting these positions.
Q. Do all CUPE employees receive two additional days off with pay at Christmas? I thought CUPE employees had to make up these two days.
A. Full-time permanent employees who work 38 hours per week (or 40 hours per week to earn an EDO) receive the two additional days off with pay, which is usually taken during the Christmas season.
Q. What are the procedures to be followed regarding interview expenses for candidates for faculty positions?
A. Please take a look at the Expenses Associated with Interviews and Recruitment and Procedures for Obtaining Reimbursement for Interview Expenses for more information.
Q. How do I post a position?
Q. I need to make a short-term appointment. Do I have to post this position vacancy?
Q. For the past 4 months an employee has been in an unposted term position and I need to keep the person in this position for at least another 2 months? Can I just extend the term?
Q. A posted term position in the department is coming to an end and I wish to extend the term of the current incumbent. Do I have to repost this position?
Q. I have a CUPE employee in a term position and would now like to make this position permanent. Do I have to post it?
Q. I have an ASPA employee in a term position that has just received permanent status. Does that mean I have to now post this position?
Q. I have a new position which I want posted as soon as possible. Will it get posted next week?
Q. When can I make an appointment decision (upon posting a position)?
A. The hiring manager should submit a job posting to HR utilizing the current Job Posting template, as per the posting deadlines, via the e-mail address of hrd_job_postings@usask.ca. (See Step 5: Posting your position).
Q. I need to make a short-term appointment. Do I have to post this position vacancy?
A. That depends on how long the “short-term” appointment is. Temporary vacancies of 4 months or less do not have to be posted.
Q. For the past 4 months an employee has been in an unposted term position and I need to keep the person in this position for at least another 2 months? Can I just extend the term?
A. Consult your HR Advisor on this matter. Normally, this is not allowed and the position must be posted.
Q. A posted term position in the department is coming to an end and I wish to extend the term of the current incumbent. Do I have to repost this position?
A. If the position was originally posted with the words “with the possibility of extension”, the term can be extended without posting the position. The department simply needs to give a new letter of offer to the position incumbent and forward a copy of this letter and a completed Job Information Form to HR by the appropriate payroll cut-off dates.
If the position was posted with a clear length of term, i.e. a one-year term, this position needs to be reposted. However, this posting can be posted with the words “the purpose of this position is to extend the term of the current incumbent”.
Q. I have a CUPE employee in a term position and would now like to make this position permanent. Do I have to post it?
A. If the position was originally posted with the wording “with the possibility of becoming permanent”, a posting is not required though you do need to submit a Position Request Change form to change the status of the position to permanent.
Where the position posting did not include the words “with the possibility of becoming permanent” the position will need to be posted. The posting can include the phrase “The purpose of this posting is to make an existing term position permanent.”
A JIF and a new letter of offer to the employee should be completed and forwarded to Human Resource by the appropriate payroll cut-off date for both scenarios.
Q. I have an ASPA employee in a term position that has just received permanent status. Does that mean I have to now post this position?
A. NO. If a permanent employee in a term position receives permanent status the employee’s status becomes permanent and the job status remains as term. You do not have to repost the position to extend the term nor do you have to repost the position if the position becomes permanent. However, you must submit a JIF and provide the employee with a letter of offer in the event of an extension of the term.
If the department wishes to establish permanent funding for the position submit a Position Request Change form. Changing the job status to permanent is a financial decision made by the department.
Q. I have a new position which I want posted as soon as possible. Will it get posted next week?
A. It depends. Submit your posting request to HR by the posting deadline - Friday noon. Your position will be reviewed by a committee and if the position is deemed to be a “clone” to other existing positions on campus, the job posting template is complete, and the posting arrives by the posting deadline, the answer is – it can be posted as early as the following Wednesday.
Effective January 1, 2010, the job posting deadline will be changing from Friday at noon to Thursday at noon.
If this is a “new” position to the University, with no “clone” or other positions in the bargaining unit that are substantially similar, it will have to go through the new positions process for agreement from the unions on union jurisdiction which will delay the posting by a week or more. Normally, after union jurisdiction has been determined, the position is posted at the first available opportunity.
Q. When can I make an appointment decision (upon posting a position)?
A. You should begin the selection process for filling your vacancy upon the close of the posting period. After the close of the competition period, HR will forward ASPA and CUPE 1975 competition packages and notify the hiring manager when they are available for pick-up. (Refer to Section 3.3 Making the Hiring Decision, in the Recruitment Guide)
Q. Do I have to interview all the applicants?
Q. Do the casual employees on the transfer list also have bidding seniority?
Q. Do I have to hire the most senior applicant (for CUPE 1975)?
Q. Do all CUPE employees have bidding rights?
Q. Do applicants from within my department have priority over others across campus?
Q. Do I give preference to a candidate who has self-identified in one of the employment equity groups?
Q. Do I have to interview all the applicants?
- For ASPA– the internal applicants?
- Only those applicants who meet the qualifications posted must be interviewed.
- For CUPE 1975 – all those on the transfer lists?
- After a careful review of the resumes submitted, hiring managers should interview the 3 or 4 applicants with the greatest seniority that meet the required posted qualifications. Seniority is identified on the transfer lists prepared and submitted to you from HR together with the applicants’ resumes.
Q. Do the casual employees on the transfer list also have bidding seniority?
A. No, casual employees do not have bidding seniority.
Q. Do I have to hire the most senior applicant (for CUPE 1975)?
A. Selection is based on 3 factors, greatest seniority, required qualifications, and demonstrated efficiency, all of equal weight. The most senior applicant should be hired only if they also meet the basic required qualifications and have demonstrated efficiency in their employment with the University.
Q. Do all CUPE employees have bidding rights?
A. Permanent, Seasonal, Term, and Recurring Relief employees have bidding rights.
Q. Do applicants from within my department have priority over others across campus?
A. Effective March 1, 2006, departmental applicants no longer have priority when applying for positions within their own department. Seniority privileges are now applied campus-wide.
Q. Do I give preference to a candidate who has self-identified in one of the employment equity groups?
A. The University of Saskatchewan is an equal opportunity employer, committed to the hiring, advancement and fair treatment of individuals without regard to race, colour, age, ancestry, place of origin, creed, ethnic origin, sex, or any other legally protected status. It is the responsibility of every leader to value and secure diversity in their work unit by employing high-calibre individuals who differ from one another culturally, intellectually, and experientially.
If your department's goals include a representative workforce strategy, it is important that due consideration be given to self-identified individuals. Where two equally qualified applicants are being considered for a position, your selection should be matched to your diversity goals which may include preference to self-identified candidates.
Q. What benefits is my new employee eligible for?
Q. When do I send the successful applicant to HR to sign up for benefits?
Q. What benefits is my new employee eligible for?
A. For ASPA employees, see Benefit Eligibility in the ASPA Collective Agreement, Table 12.
For CUPE employees, permanent and seasonal CUPE employees are eligible for benefits as per Article 19.11 and term employees who have occupied the same term position for one year become eligible for benefits per Article 19.12.
Q. When do I send the successful applicant to HR to sign up for benefits?
A. The Benefits Office will contact the employee regarding setting up a benefit documentation time.
For more information on benefits, please go to the Benefits and Pension section of this website.
Q. Can I offer a salary to a new ASPA employee above the minimum of the salary range for the designated family and phase?
Q. What salary can I offer my new research assistant?
Q. What is the going rate for a Post-doc Fellow?
Q. Can I offer a salary to a new ASPA employee above the minimum of the salary range for the designated family and phase?
A. Salary should be discussed with your HR Advisor prior to making the offer. Qualifications and experience are taken into account when arriving at a new employee salary offer.
Q. What salary can I offer my new research assistant?
A. See Information for Principal Investigators and their Research Personnel for assistance in this regard.
Q. What is the going rate for a Post-doc Fellow?
A. Post-doctoral fellows (PDF’s) are registered through the College of Graduate Studies and Research. Awards to PDF’s vary considerably depending on the source of funds. Please see the College of Graduate Studies and Research website for more information.
Q. What is a reference check and why should I bother doing one?
Q. Should I check references for all final candidates?
Q. The applicant has a number of written references, will this not do?
Q. Who should and who can I contact for a reference check? Can I contact the immediate supervisor if their name is not on the applicant’s resume?
Q. What should I consider when planning my questions?
Q. Should I have the reference check completed before offering a position?
Q. What is a reference check and why should I bother doing one?
A. Employment References are about gathering information on past work performance from former employers or supervisors, or others familiar with the applicant’s work. They are essential to making an informed hiring decision. As applicants will present themselves in the most positive light in interview, you must attempt to verify information provided by the applicant.
See Section 3 for more information about completing reference checks.
Q. Should I check references for all final candidates?
A. Yes. The process should be handled consistently and thoroughly for all applicants who are under serious consideration in the interview process. Obtain several references for maximum objectivity. Plan and ask the same questions of each reference source. Documentation should be maintained on all reference checks as part of the selection process materials.
Q. The applicant has a number of written references, will this not do?
A. A telephone or a face-to-face reference are more reliable and a more effective approach than using written references because you have the opportunity to probe for additional information applicable to the job you are interviewing for. Writing to the reference contact is usually not effective and typically yields little information or no response.
Q. Who should and who can I contact for a reference check? Can I contact the immediate supervisor if their name is not on the applicant’s resume?
A. You should contact the references provided by the candidate, including their current or former immediate supervisors and the person above the applicant’s immediate supervisor, project colleagues and peers. If the candidate has not listed these people as references, you should notify the candidate you are going in order to obtain additional information, if warranted.
Q. What should I consider when planning my questions?
A. Use the Reference Check Form, which contains most of the questions that you need to ask to insure consistent questioning. However, based on the determined job competencies, and information obtained during the interview, you may want to create additional to target the issues you seek to clarify.
Q. Should I have the reference check completed before offering a position?
A. Yes. The best practice is to check at least 3 references before making a job offer.
Q. Do I need to give notice to an employee that I need to lay-off? How much notice?
A. Yes. When any employee of the University is be laid off or terminated, written notice, as required by law and/or the collective agreement, should be given as soon as possible. Contact your HR Advisor for assistance in this regard.
Q. Do CUPE employees have rights to their current job if they move into another CUPE position?
Q. Can Reversion Rights be extended?
Q. Do CUPE employees have rights to their current job if they move into a position into another bargaining unit, such as ASPA?
Q. Do CUPE employees have rights to their current job if they move into another CUPE position?
A. Yes. Permanent or seasonal employees who bid into a posted term position have reversion rights to their previous permanent or seasonal position for up to 6 months, allowing flexibility and movement for both the employee and the department.
Q. Can Reversion Rights be extended?
A. Yes, if agreed.
Q. Do CUPE employees have rights to their current job if they move into a position into another bargaining unit, such as ASPA?
A. It depends. If a CUPE employee is moving into a term ASPA position, they may request a leave of absence from their CUPE job for the term of the other position.
Q. Is there a probationary period for my new employee, and what is this?
Q. Can I extend a Probationary or Provisional period if I’m just not sure whether the employee is the right fit for the job?
Q. Is there a probationary period for my new employee, and what is this?
A. New and current employees, placed, bumped, recalled, hired or who accept a transfer or promotion, have one of a probationary, provisional, or an assessment period equivalent to a probationary period.
ASPA employees - Appointments into permanent or seasonal positions shall be probationary as per Table 8.1. Declining Balance. For new members, this is a 12 month period.
Term employees do not have a probationary period; however, it is strongly recommended that term employees by provided with timely and constructive feedback during a period equivalent to a probationary period. Performance should be discussed with the member and documented, and a proposed action plan should be developed where appropriate. Also See 8.4 Final Probationary Assessment.CUPE employees – CUPE appointments have a complex array of probationary, provisional and assessment periods, according to the status of the employee and of the position.
Term employees – Employees who are not permanent or seasonal and who are hired into term positions are considered term employees. They have an assessment period, equivalent to the length of a probationary period (4 months). It is vital to conduct appropriate evaluations, give feedback and document all information during this 4 month period. Term employees have bidding rights into permanent positions and term employees status can be changed to permanent automatically after 36 months of continuous services.Permanent or seasonal employees – Permanent or seasonal employees who are placed, bumped, or who accept a transfer or promotion into another permanent or seasonal position have a provisional period of 3 months. Performance shall be appraised and discussed with the employee during this time.
Those who bid into a posted term position will also have a provisional period of 3 months as well as reversion rights for 6 months.New or first appointments of employees into permanent or seasonal positions who are not already permanent or seasonal employees shall be on probation for a 4-month period.
Q. Can I extend a Probationary or Provisional period if I’m just not sure whether the employee is the right fit for the job?
A. Yes. Probationary and provisional periods may be extended for up to 3 months, if mutually agreed by all parties, including the Union. Contact HR for assistance.
See the list of FAQs for Sessional Lecturer Appointments here.