Temporary Appointment Policy
About This Policy
- Responsible Office
- Human Resources
Temporary appointments are impermanent by definition and may only be used where the need for the position is strictly limited for a specifically defined project or relatively short period of time. The following are some examples of acceptable temporary appointments:
- To substitute in a position that has become vacant until a permanent replacement can be appointed and where the need to keep the position filled is critical.
- To fill a seasonal position, that is, one that is only needed, for example, in the summer months or for the months of October or November, or some other specific period of relatively short duration.
- To work on a specifically defined project, such as the writing of a report or the development of a software application.
- To provide additional effort to address a short-term, unusually heavy workload in a unit.
Many short-term assignments requiring specialized professional skills, for example, those requiring writers, computer specialists, directing or other performance disciplines, may be more appropriately accomplished by independent consultants than by temporary employees. The decision to hire a consultant or a temporary employee should be based on the nature of the assignment and the ability to acquire the best talent for the assignment most cost effectively. For information concerning consultants and the procedures to be used for engaging them, please refer to the attached memorandum.
A unit that seeks to hire a temporary employee must have adequate funding within the unit’s budget for the salary and all applicable fringe benefits. Where the need for temporary employees can be anticipated, the unit’s temporary employment plan should be submitted as part of the annual budget call. Where the unanticipated need for temporary employees arises during the course of a year, additional requests may be made as these needs become known.
Employment in a temporary position does not provide any guarantee of continued employment, and these positions can be terminated at any time. Under no circumstance may a temporary employee begin working prior to approval of the position by the Division of Human Resources.