Tar Heel Temps Employee Handbook

Thank you for applying with Tar Heel Temps! We are the in-house temporary service for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a department in the University's Office of Human Resources. We began operations in January 1992 with the mission to provide quality temporary staffing services to the University in a timely manner in support of its teaching, research, and service programs. Temporary employees placed in assignments through Tar Heel Temps gain valuable hands-on University experience in a variety of departments. Although permanent hiring decisions are not made through our office, many Tar Heel Temps have been successful in obtaining permanent employment within the University.

Tar Heel Temps is located in Suite 1100 at 104 Airport Drive in Chapel Hill. Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can reach us by telephone at 962-2900.

What Happens After Your Interview

A Placement Specialist will read your application and evaluate your skills and interests. All three work references on your application must be verified and a criminal convictions check must be completed before you can be eligible for placement. Your application will be active for six months. You may update your application for an additional six months by using an update form. Applications expire after one year. To re-apply after one year, you must complete the entire application process again.

How Tar Heel Temps Fills Work Orders

As Placement Specialists receive work orders, they consider all qualified, active applicants for the position. A Placement Specialist then selects the applicant who has the specific skills, knowledge, and abilities that most closely match the work order. Other considerations include the applicant's availability, interest in the position, and work references. If you are selected, the Placement Specialist will contact you to discuss the assignment. You are not required to take every assignment offered to you, and turning down an assignment will not affect Tar Heel Temps considering you for other placements.

Important Information for First-Day Success

It is important that you have a detailed description of what will be expected of you on your assignment. You should note the following information when accepting an assignment:

• Department Name
• Location of Department
• Starting and Ending Dates of Your Assignment
• Hours of Assignment
• Name of Your Assignment Supervisor
• Rate of Pay
• Proper Attire

Professionalism on the job is important for every employee. This is especially true in a temporary position where you may only have a short period of time to make a positive impression. It is best to arrive at your assignment a few minutes early.

Parking Eligibility

We recommend that you plan your parking arrangements before your first day on assignment. Parking on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus can be difficult, and most departments do not have a parking pass available for your use. Parking options include Park-and-Ride lots or the free Chapel Hill transit system.

You may be able to purchase a campus parking permit, but permits are scarce. If you have questions about parking availability or costs, contact the University's Department of Public Safety, located in the Security Services Building just off Manning Drive. You can phone them at 962-3952, and their office hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Lateness, Absenteeism, and "No Show, No Call" Policies

Whenever you are not able to be at your assignment on time, or if you know you will not be coming to work as expected, you must contact the Tar Heel Temps office as soon as possible so that we may contact your department supervisor and make other arrangements. Our office opens at 7:30 a.m.

Tar Heel Temps has a "No Show, No Call" policy. If you do not contact us and do not report to your assignment as expected, your assignment will be ended and you will not be considered for future assignments with Tar Heel Temps. Excessive absenteeism may also result in termination.

Breaks and Meal Periods

Please ask your assignment supervisor about the department's policy for breaks and meal periods. Breaks are not required; however, most departments will allow breaks. Meal periods must be at least 30 consecutive minutes and do not count as work time. If your time for a meal is not at least 30 minutes, record the time as work time. Some offices have a set lunch schedule to cover the phones and reception areas. Please be flexible with your break times and meal periods.

Personal Communications

Personal communications, which include the personal use of the telephone, email, or Internet, must be kept to an absolute minimum. Please inform your supervisor if you need to make an emergency phone call on the job. All other personal contacts, including personal emails and Internet browsing, are allowable only with permission of your supervisor and only during your breaks or meal periods. It is our policy not to give out your work number at your assignment. If anyone contacts Tar Heel Temps in order to reach you, we will take a message and contact you directly. Under no circumstances should personal long-distance phone calls be charged to a University phone. Misuse of University property is grounds for dismissal at least from your current assignment and may result in your permanent dismissal from THT.

When Departments End Your Assignment Early

There are many reasons why departments are not able to supply Tar Heel Temps with definite assignment ending dates for temporary employees. Sometimes departments are recruiting to fill the position on a permanent basis and are not sure how long the process will take. Other times, departments need to end an assignment early due to budgetary constraints. If you learn that your assignment will end earlier than expected, please call Tar Heel Temps to let your Placement Specialist know your end date and whether you are still available for additional assignments. Do not assume that the department has notified us. Please note that Tar Heel Temps cannot guarantee that we will be able to place you immediately.

When You End Your Assignment or Your Availability

If you are hired by a University department, find employment outside the University, or otherwise cannot continue to work through Tar Heel Temps, please let us know your last day of availability as soon as possible. This allows us either to begin finding a replacement for your assignment or to know not to contact you for upcoming placements.

If you are hired on a permanent basis by the University, payroll changes must be made to ensure you will be paid correctly, so please let the Tar Heel Temps office know about your change of status as soon as you know.

Income Tax Statements

To ensure that you receive your W-2 forms for income tax filing, it is important that you update your address with the University if you move, and especially if you have already stopped working at Tar Heel Temps. If you move, call Tar Heel Temps at 919-962-2900.

The University Paycycle

All University staff employees, temporary and permanent, are paid on a biweekly basis. Like the University, Tar Heel Temps has 26 biweekly pay periods every fiscal year with a two-week processing period for paychecks. Therefore, when you receive a paycheck, it will be for hours worked in the previous pay period, not for hours worked in the current pay period. A schedule of the pay periods and their paydays is available in our office.

Picking Up Your Paycheck

Paydays are every other Friday, unless a holiday interferes. Checks may be picked up at the Tar Heel Temps office after 12 noon on payday Friday. You must show a photo I.D. in order to pick up your check. If you prefer, someone else may pick up your check for you, but you must let us know ahead of time, and that person must show proper identification when picking up the check. We will mail your final check at your request. Please note that it may take up to a week to receive your check through the mail. (For mailing direct deposit statements, see below.)

Direct Deposit

Direct deposit of paychecks into your bank account is mandatory for all University employees. Application forms are available in our office. Direct deposit usually takes three payroll cycles to activate (six weeks). Your paycheck will be available at the Tar Heel Temps office until your direct deposit has activated. With direct deposit, your check should be credited to your account before business hours on payday Friday. A deposit statement will be printed and available at the Tar Heel Temps office after 12 noon that day. We will mail any unclaimed direct deposit statements on the Tuesday following payday Friday to the home address that we have on file. Your final paycheck may not be direct deposited.

All Tar Heel Temps are required to fill out a Tar Heel Temps timesheet for each pay period in order to be paid. Tar Heel Temps employees cannot use permanent employee timesheets.

Your timesheet has three copies. The white copy must be returned to Tar Heel Temps. The yellow copy is for your department's records, and the pink copy is yours to keep.

A separate timesheet must be kept for each assignment worked in each pay period. If you have worked more than one assignment in a single pay period, you also must complete a summary timesheet that shows the total number of hours worked in that pay period. Be sure to submit the white copies of all the timesheets to Tar Heel Temps.

Each timesheet must be signed by you and your assignment supervisor in order to be processed. Tar Heel Temps will sign as the supervisor on the summary timesheet only. Be sure you know who in the department is the back-up signature for your timesheet should your supervisor be unavailable.

Tar Heel Temps can only accept original signed timesheets. Faxed copies are not acceptable.

All hours worked must be recorded in tenths of an hour, not in hours and minutes. Please use the conversion chart shown on the right side of your timesheet to convert minutes into tenths of an hour. All hours must be recorded on the actual days that they are worked.

Overtime is calculated on a weekly basis, not on a daily or biweekly basis. Any work time over 40 hours in one workweek is considered overtime and is paid at time and one-half. A workweek is always Monday through Sunday. You must have your assignment supervisor's approval in advance to work overtime. You may not work overtime in any week in which you have more than one assignment.

Meal periods less than 30 consecutive minutes are considered paid work time.

Be sure you write the pay period number in the upper right-hand corner of your timesheet. Be sure to ask if you do not know the pay period number.

Pay periods end on Sundays, and all timesheets are due by midnight Sunday after payday Friday. (Deadline dates may shift during holiday weeks. Refer to your pay schedule.)

Tar Heel Temps has a timesheet dropbox located outside on the lower level of the building, next to the job posting board. It is very important that you have your timesheets filled out completely if you drop them in the dropbox. If signatures or other important information is missing, we will return the timesheet to you or to your department, which may delay your paycheck.

Temporary employees do not receive paid holidays or paid leave.

Falsification of your timesheet will result in your immediate dismissal.

Tar Heel Temps is open 7:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Don't forget to pick up extra timesheets when you leave our office.

1. What are the benefits of working through Tar Heel Temps?

The University experience gained as a Tar Heel Temp has enabled many temporaries to obtain permanent employment within the University. As a Tar Heel Temp, you may have the benefit of working in a wide variety of departments in various settings on campus. Also, once you have worked one day as a Tar Heel Temp, you are eligible to take free online computer classes through Information Technology Services (ITS). You will need to get a University Personal Identification Number (PID) first. Unfortunately, Tar Heel Temps does not offer any health insurance or paid leave benefits to temporary employees of the University.

2. How do I let you know of my availability or change in status?

You may call our office one week after your interview to let us know your current availability or any change in your status.

3. How do I keep my application active?

If you have not been placed on an assignment, your application will become inactive six months after the date that you applied with Tar Heel Temps. If you have been placed on an assignment, your application will become inactive six months after the last day you worked.

4. When does my application expire?

If you have not been placed on an assignment, your application will expire one year from the date you applied. If you have been placed on an assignment, your application will expire one year from the last day you worked. To be considered for placement, you will need to complete the application/interview process again.

5. What do I do if I'm not happy on my current assignment?

If you are not happy on your current assignment, please call the Placement Specialist who placed you on the assignment to discuss alternatives. Please never walk off of your assignment.

6. What should I do if I am going to be out sick or late?

You need to call Tar Heel Temps as soon as possible when you are going to be out sick or arriving late. Our office opens at 7:30 a.m., and we ask that you call as early as possible so that we can inform the department. Remember that failure to call or to report to your assignment may result in your immediate termination, and you may not be considered for future placements.

7. Do I have to pay for parking?

Some departments may provide a parking permit for their temporary employees, but most cannot. Tar Heel Temps can provide you with a campus transportation guide and you may find the free Chapel Hill transit system meets your needs. If you have additional questions about parking availability or costs, you can reach the University's Department of Public Safety at 919-962-3952.

8. When are timesheets due?

Timesheets are due by midnight Sunday after payday Friday. Refer to your pay schedule. Timesheets must be submitted directly to the Tar Heel Temps office or placed in the dropbox outside our building. If a holiday occurs, please contact Tar Heel Temps to confirm deadline dates.

9. What should I do if I can't find my supervisor and my timesheet is due?

You should always have a backup person who is approved to sign your timesheet. Ask your assignment supervisor who this person should be. If you still need assistance, contact the Tar Heel Temps office.

10. Which copies of the timesheets do I need to turn in?

You need to turn in the white copy to Tar Heel Temps. The yellow copy should stay with your department and the pink copy is yours to keep.

11. Are meal periods required?

No, meal periods are not required. Your assignment supervisor determines your work schedule, including meal periods. Most schedules include at least 30 minutes for a meal. If you prefer a schedule that does not include a meal period, discuss your schedule with your assignment supervisor. If a meal period remains part of your schedule, remember that the meal period is not work time and is not paid time. Do not work during a scheduled meal period.

12. Are breaks allowed?

There is no state or federal law requiring breaks, and break policies vary from department to department. Please check with your assignment supervisor.

13. How am I paid if I work overtime?

Temporary employees who work over 40 hours in one week are compensated at a rate of time and one-half for any time worked over 40 hours. Workweeks are designated as Monday through Sunday.

14. What should I do if I am asked to work overtime?

Your assignment supervisor will try to give you as much advance notice as possible. Do not work any hours outside your assigned schedule without the advance approval of your assignment supervisor. If you cannot work the requested overtime and that creates a problem, contact the Tar Heel Temps office.

15. What happens to my timesheet if it is turned in late?

If your timesheet is turned in late, your check will not be processed until the next pay cycle.

16. If I am not a member of a local bank, where can I cash my paycheck?

You can cash your check at any branch of the State Employees Credit Union.

17. Does Tar Heel Temps have direct deposit?

Yes. Direct deposit of paychecks into your bank account is mandatory for all University employees.

18. Can temporary employees join the State Employees Credit Union?

Yes. There is a $25 minimum deposit. However, you will need to go to the Credit Union directly in order to join; you cannot complete a membership application through the Tar Heel Temps office.

19. Do Tar Heel Temps have access to the gyms and other departments on campus?

The public has access to all libraries on campus. Tar Heel Temps are eligible to use the computer labs on campus. However, if the computer labs reach their maximum capacity, UNC OneCards will be required for access. Temporary employees are not eligible to use the campus gym facilities.

20. Can Tar Heel Temps get UNC OneCards?

Temporary employees may request a UNC OneCard by filling out an application in the Tar Heel Temps office. The UNC OneCard Office determines whether a temporary employee will receive a UNC OneCard.

21. Am I eligible for training classes?

Yes. After you work one day as a Tar Heel Temp, you are eligible to take free computer classes through ITS. You must have approval from your supervisor to take a class during your scheduled work time. Some departments may allow you to take computer classes as work time, but departments are not required to do so. Upon completion of any ITS classes, please contact Tar Heel Temps so that your records can be updated.

22. Does Tar Heel Temps have "temp to perm" assignments?

No. If you are interested in permanent employment, you should search for a position of interest and apply online using the University's ApplicantWeb online application process for SPA positions. ApplicantWeb can be accessed at www.jobs.unc.edu.

23. Do I need to fill out a separate application to apply for permanent employment?

Yes.

24. As a Tar Heel Temp, do I have to work a "minimum number of hours" before I can be considered for permanent work?

No. Tar Heel Temps does not operate like a private temporary agency. If you are interested in permanent work, you need to fill out an online application using ApplicantWeb.

25. May I interview for permanent employment while on an assignment?

You may interview for permanent positions; however, this is not considered paid work time. You should receive your assignment supervisor's approval if you need to take time during your regular work hours to interview.

26. How much notice does Tar Heel Temps require if I find a permanent position and need to end my assignment?

We will need time to find another temporary to replace you on the assignment. Please let us know what your last day will be as soon as you know. Never assume that the department has contacted us.