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SECTION: Human Resources
SUBJECT: Employment Hiring Process – Offer Letter Process Documentation
APPLIES TO: All Regular Staff Members (Excludes Temporary Employees)
Offer Letter Process Overview
The objective of the offer letter process is to ensure salary, conditions of employment and other commitments
are clear, documented and appropriate.
Offer Letter Process
Activity
Responsibility
Reference/Comments
If the position is a bargained-for position, refer
to the appropriate contract for process
activities.
FBS Client
For information on Unions and
Contracts: http://www.hr.umich.
edu/staffhr/unions.html.
If the position is a Regent-approved position,
refer to the Regents Bylaws and Regents
Communication Manual for process activities.
FBS Client
Regents Bylaws can be found at
http://www.regents.umich.
edu/bylaws/.
Regents Communication Manual
can be found at http://www.hr
.umich.edu/acadhr/manual/index.
html.
Determine appropriate compensation package,
based on the local compensation philosophy, to
be presented to preferred candidate in the
extension of an offer. This may include a range
for the hiring manager to be able to negotiate
with the candidate if appropriate.
FBS Client
For guidance on wage setting:
http://hr.umich.edu/compclass/sc
hedules/index.html.
Review department’s
Compensation Philosophy, if
available.
Approval should be done by
someone with higher level
authority.
SPG 201.22, Recruitment and
Employment
Extend verbal contingent offer to candidate.
This offer is contingent on the successful
completion of a background screening, which
is performed by University HR.
FBS Client
MY LINC - In the Catalog
Search box, type “eRecruit” and
start
eRecruit: User Resources.
After acceptance of the verbal contingent offer
by the selected candidate, notify SSC of
selected candidate as well as candidates
interviewed but not selected.
NOTE: If there were RIF candidates in the
applicant pool who were not selected for the
position, document in the offer comments
FBS Client
For information on how to assign
status (disposition) to job
bidders: MY LINC. In the
Catalog Search box, type
“eRecruit” and start
eRecruit:
User Resources.
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section as to why they were not considered.
SSC will update the disposition of all seriously
considered candidates to “Interview” if not
previously updated. SSC will complete the
“Offer” page in eRecruit with appropriate unit
required approvals via the eForm.
SSC
University of Michigan Contingent Offer is
emailed to candidate outlining next steps of the
employment process including successful
completion of the background check(s). After
completion of the background check(s), SSC
notifies FBS client of completion of
background check and verifies New Employee
Orientation (NEO) and start date.
SSC
Reminder: eRecruit does not
presently send a Contingent Offer
to internal candidates, therefore if
additional contact is needed, unit
should communicate with
internal candidate.
SPG 201.95, Background
Screenings
System-generated email sent to all non-selected
candidates the Monday after the start date of
the selected candidate.
SSC
Contact the International Center for assistance
in applying for proper employment-related visa
status for staff, if required.
FBS Client/FBS
SPG 201.18, Employment of
Non-U.S. Citizens
Once a job offer is accepted, ensure federal I-9
form Section 1 is completed by the employee
on or before the first day of employment.
Section 2 must be completed at a Regional I-9
Center within three days of the employee’s
start date.
NOTE: If the employee attends New Employee
Orientation on day one, the I-9 form will be
completed during that event. Otherwise, make
arrangements for new employees to visit one of
the University’s Regional I-9 Centers to
complete the form in the timeframe established
by federal law: within 3 days of hire.
Expiring I-9’s must be completed prior to
expiration.
FBS Client
Ensure new hires complete I-9
process by reporting to one of the
Regional I-Centers, located in
Wolverine Tower, the Student
Activities Building, Pierpont
Commons, and North Campus
Administrative Complex
(NACA).
For additional information
regarding I-9s, see: http://www.
uscis.gov/ i-9-central.
Ensure a valid working permit is secured on or
before the first day of work for every minor.
Minors are individuals under the age of 18,
whether in employee or volunteer status, who
have not graduated from high school. The
minimum age for legal employment is fourteen
(14).
FBS Client
SPG 201.20, Employment of
Minors
Discuss all actual and potential conflicts of
interest or commitment with candidate and any
FBS Client
SPG 201.65-1, Conflicts of
Interest and Conflicts of
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disclosures as necessary. Have employee
complete your unit disclosure statement.
Commitment
If staff members are furnished maintenance of
significant value, such as room and board, then
wages paid will be reduced from the regular
rate by the fair market value of the
maintenance.
FBS Client to notify
employee and FBS
SPG 201.42, Perquisites
If providing moving and/or relocation
expenses, notify FBS, which will determine
appropriate forms to complete (PeoplePay).
Payment of moving and relocation expenses
may be provided for staff members who are
employed in difficult to recruit occupations and
those who are transferred from one University
geographic location to another.
FBS Client/FBS
SPG 201.68, Moving and
Relocation Expenses
For more information, see:
Q#15 in the PeoplePay https://
peoplepay.umich.edu/faq.php?q=
15#15
Confirm with the Office of General Counsel
that job offers comply with applicable
employment laws for any employee working
outside of Michigan or outside of the United
States.
FBS Client
For more information, see http://
hr.umich.edu/remote.
Ensure an agreement is in place for remote,
telecommuting, and alternate work schedule
employees.
FBS Client
For more information, see http://
hr.umich.edu/worklife/workflex.
Notify FBS if providing new hire payment
(recruitment initiative/hiring bonus) prior to
new candidate starting work.
FBS Client
For more information, see Q15 in
PeoplePay: https://peoplepay.
umich.edu/faq.php?q=15#15.
Definition is available on
summary of earnings code (row
37): http://www.finance.umich.
edu/finops/payroll/forms/earning
scodedefinitions.
If providing new hire payment, complete
PeoplePay form only if payment is to be made
prior to candidate starting work.
FBS
MPathways: PeoplePay
If providing new hire payment after the
employee begins working, complete the online
Personnel Action Request (PAR) e-form.
FBS
For more information on PAR,
see: http://ssc.umich.edu/
services/human-resources/par-
transactions/
If the candidate has a relationship to another
individual employed by the University, ensure
this relationship constitutes neither an
advantage nor a deterrent to appointment by
the University, provided the individual meets
and fulfills the appropriate University
appointment standards.
FBS Client
SPG 201.23, Appointment of
Relatives or Others with Close
Personal or External Business
Relationships; Procedures to
Assure Equal Opportunity and to
Avoid the Possibility Of
Favoritism (Nepotism)
Ensure external candidates are aware of 6
FBS Client
SPG 201.43, Probationary Period
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Other related information:
Key Contacts:
• Additional employment resources for departments can be found on the Recruiting and Employment
Services website at http://hr.umich.edu/empserv
.
• Contact FBS for eRecruit access questions.
• For University HR assistance contact FBS.
Related Standard Practice Guides:
• In accordance with SPG 201.65-0, Employment Outside the University
, University employees may be
employed outside of the University, but the outside employment must not detract from the performance
of the duties and responsibilities of the University position, nor may it create a conflict of interest.
• In accordance with SPG 201.35, Non-Discrimination, the University, in its employment and human
resource policies and practices, will not discriminate against any individual because of race, color,
religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientations, gender identity,
gender expression, disability, special disabled veteran and Vietnam-era veteran status, and height or
weight, except as allowed by the need for bona fide occupational qualifications. Reasonable
accommodation will also be provided to persons with disabilities, to disabled veterans, and to
accommodate religious practices.
month probationary period, where applicable.
Ensure reduction in force candidates are aware
of the 90 day assessment period.
FBS Client
SPG 201.72, Reduction in Force
Annually review unit Continuity of Operations
Planning (COOP) and identify critical services
and employees.
Inform employees of their critical status
designations.
SPG 201.27, Emergency
Reduction in Operations
Both the COOP Template and the
Critical Employee Designation
Letter are available on the
Division of Public Safety &
Security website. The link to the
DPSS Emergency Management
page is
DPSS Emergency
Management. Once there, the
user will need to go to the
Resources section on the left-
hand side and click either
“COOP Template” or “Critical
Employee Letter”. Access to
these documents will require a
valid Kerberos login.
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• In accordance with SPG 201.46, Personnel Records - Collection, Retention and Release, the collection,
availability and disclosure of the contents of personnel files is governed by regulations established by the
University and applicable laws. The Faculty and Staff Records Office, the Medical Center Staff Records
Office and the custodian of personnel files or records in various departments, schools, colleges or other
University offices are subject to these regulations.
• Refer to SPG 604.01, Department Record Retention For Business and Financial Records, to determine
the proper record retention period relating to the job posting process.
• In accordance with SPG 201.53, Security Clearance, The University may require a security clearance of
its staff members, as a condition of employment in certain positions. Such clearance may be necessary
for incumbents or applicants for employment, if their work requires access to information classified by
the Federal Government. The determination of need for security clearance for specific positions or
projects will be mutually determined by the University and the responsible Government Agency.
• In accordance with SPG 201.95, Background Screenings, a pre-employment background check must be
conducted before a candidate may receive a firm offer of employment to a faculty, postdoctoral research
fellow, or staff position at the University of Michigan.
• To ensure the proper internal controls are in place when paying faculty, staff and independent
contractors, please refer to SPG 518.1, Payroll Controls
.
• In accordance with SPG 201.43, Probationary Period, during the initial six months of regular
employment, employees are considered probationary. There is no obligation to continue employment
through the probationary period.
Record of Revisions:
Date of Issue Description of Change
Page(s)
Affected
Approved By
7/11/2007 Original template created All
11/20/2008
All
1/26/2010
2,3
6/18/2010
2,4
11/13/2012
2
1/20/2013 Added Background Screening SPG 2,4
1/15/15
outside of MI, Telecommuting agreements, New
10/3/2016 Adopted new template for FY17. All
11/20/16
1,2,3,5
12/2016
2-4
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09/2016
are correct; added final row regarding annual
2, 4
08/2018 Updated link to Recruitment and Employment 1
Document Owner: Fleming Business Services (FBS) supported departments and FBS
Administrative Owner: FBS