02.A.36 – New Staff Orientation and Processing

Section: Human Resources

Area: General

1. PURPOSE

This document defines the University of Houston System's guidelines for acquainting newly hired employees with their job environment and for obtaining paperwork required for placing an employee on the System payroll.

2. POLICY

2.1. All employees must complete certain forms and authorizations to be placed into the automated payroll system.

2.2. Each new employee must sign, as a condition of employment, the university's certification form acknowledging receipt of the following information:

2.2.1. That their employment is not prohibited by state laws governing the holding of more than one office or position of honor, trust or profit;

2.2.2. That their employment is not prohibited by state laws governing nepotism;

2.2.3. A copy of Texas Government Code Sections 572.051 and 2113.014 relating to a state employee’s standards of conduct;

2.2.4. A copy of the Code of Ethics in Board of Regents Policy 57.01.2 and a copy of System Administrative Memorandum (SAM) 02.A.29 – Ethical Conduct of Employees; and

2.2.5. A copy of the university policy on drug and alcohol abuse prevention.

2.3. Orientation

2.3.1. Each newly hired regular staff employee is expected to attend an orientation session conducted by the university's human resources department. The university's human resources department will establish a schedule for orientation sessions, and the employee will be informed of the schedule.

2.3.2. Orientations for regular staff employees will include general information about the System and its universities, relevant policies and procedures, information security topics, benefit programs and services available to all benefits-eligible employees.

2.3.3. In addition to the orientation session conducted by the university's human resources department, the employing department will at a minimum introduce the new staff member to the work area, to fellow employees and job duties, and to the department's rules and regulations. The immediate supervisor is also responsible for providing continuing instruction and guidance so that the new staff member will adjust to the work situation.

2.4. The new employee's relevant payroll information will be added to the automated payroll system and related paperwork will be placed in the employee's personnel file, in whatever method is maintained by the university.

2.5. An employee's personnel file and payroll records must be maintained throughout the individual's employment within the System and retained in accordance with the official System Records Retention Schedule following termination of employment. For more information, refer to SAM 02.A.31 - Access to and Maintenance of Personnel Files and SAM 03.H.01 – Records Retention .

2.6. The policy of the University of Houston System and its universities is to ensure equal opportunity in all its educational programs and activities, and all terms and conditions of employment without regard to age, race, color, disability, religion, national origin, ethnicity, military status, genetic information, or sex (including gender and pregnancy), except where such a distinction is required by law. Additionally, UH System prohibits discrimination in all aspects of employment and educational programs on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. For the UH System's Official Non-Discrimination Statement, see SAM.01.D.05 – Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Statement .

REFERENCES

Issued: 01/22/1996
Last Reviewed/Revised: 12/26/2023
Responsible Office(s): Human Resources