2.5 Offer of Employment

2.5.1 Extending an Offer of Employment

After discussion between supervisors and Human Resources, an offer of employment is made to a candidate by the supervisor or by Human Resources. The offer should specify the job title, salary or rate of pay, length of appointment, hours per week or percentage effort, background checks (if applicable); other information may be included regarding any pertinent Institute procedures (such as completion of employment eligibility forms), and, if required, medical approval. This offer should be formalized in writing by the department according to its practices.

2.5.2 Establishment of a Starting Salary

The supervisor has the responsibility to make the final decision on which applicant to hire. Before offering a salary, the supervisor should consult with the Compensation Office or the Human Resources Officer to ensure that the salary is consistent with the classification or salary range of the position and education and experience of the candidate. See Section 7.1.6, Determination of Individual Salaries. Salary comparisons are made within the appropriate unit, the department, school, or payroll. A salary offer should not be made to a candidate prior to this evaluation by Human Resources.

2.5.3 Establishment of a Starting Date

After the offer of employment has been accepted, a mutually agreeable starting date should be determined.

2.5.4 Probationary Period

At the time a job offer is extended to an applicant, the probationary period should be defined for the new employee. The probationary period is the first six months of active work, during which a new employee's performance is compared with the job requirements and expectations. Regular feedback, as described in Section 3.2.1, is encouraged during this initial time of employment.

If performance is satisfactory, near the end of the probationary period, the supervisor should review the employee’s performance and inform the employee that the performance is satisfactory. Supervisors are encouraged to note this in writing; if so, a copy of any documentation should be given to the employee and the employee should be informed that a copy is being placed in their personnel file.

If a supervisor determines that work performance or conduct is unsatisfactory at any time during the probationary period, a discussion should be held promptly with the employee pointing out the deficiencies and the measures that should be taken to correct the deficiencies. Written documentation of the discussion and corrective measures is encouraged. Where written documentation exists, a copy of any documentation should be given to the employee and the employee should be informed that a copy is being placed in their personnel file.

If the employee continues to perform at an unacceptable level, the local HR representative and the Human Resources Officer should be consulted to assist in further corrective action and, if necessary, in determining whether termination is warranted. Reasonable notice should be given to the employee when the decision to terminate their employment has been made. If an assessment of performance does not warrant immediate termination, the probationary period may be extended for a specified period to allow the employee more time to meet the job standards. The employee must be notified of such an extension, and the extension should be in writing. If the employee is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, any extension must be discussed beforehand with Labor Relations in the Human Resources Department.

After successful completion of the probationary period, employees remain subject to the continued expectation of maintaining acceptable standards of performance throughout their employment at the Institute. It is also expected that employees will continue to receive regular feedback and performance evaluations by supervisors (see Section 3.2).