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This resource describes the requirements and practices relating to temporary employment at the University of Washington. The information on this site applies to all temporary appointments at the University of Washington except for student hourly appointments and Compensation Office-approved professional staff temporary appointments.
Temporary appointments are used for limited duration project work, staffing shortages due to employee absences or turnover, workload peaks and, in certain cases, work that may be ongoing but is limited to fewer than 20 hours in a work week. Temporary appointments should not be substituted for the employment of regular staff when a unit has an ongoing need for a person to work half time or more, and should not be used as an extended trial period before a regular appointment is developed.
To fill a temporary appointment see the "Hiring Process Guide" for:
All temporary staff appointments are paid on an hourly basis unless HR specifically approves otherwise.
Temporary staff appointments are paid an hourly rate that falls within the salary range for the classified title that best fits the work (job class codes 2000 through 8999 in the University's compensation plan). In unusual cases, Human Resources may authorize use of the Temporary Staff Helper title (see below).
HR may approve the use of the job title “Temporary Staff Helper” if the work to be performed does not fit with any classified non-union class specification (e.g., working as an usher; conducting specialized training; performing "consulting activities" where paying the individual as a consultant is not possible or desirable), or if a student at another institution will be doing the same work in the department as a UW student helper is doing. HR will confer with the hiring manager to establish an appropriate pay rate. Use of the Temporary Staff Helper title cannot be approved to pay an hourly rate that is less than what the employee would be paid if a classified non-union title were used.
Managers may not assign or allow a temporary employee to work more than 950 hours during the 12-month period that begins with the employee's original University of Washington (UW) temporary employment date. Once this date is established, it does not change even if a person leaves UW employment and later returns to accept another temporary appointment with the same or a different department.
All hours worked in multiple and/or consecutive appointments, or worked for the UW through UTemp Staffing or an outside agency are combined and counted toward the 950-hour limit. Overtime hours worked are not included in calculating time worked toward the 950-hour limit.
As approved by the Washington State Department of Personnel, temporary hourly (“per diem”) Registered Nurse 2 and 3 employees at University of Washington Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center are not subject to the 950 or 1050 hour limit.
A unit's appointing authority (dean, vice president, etc.) may approve individual exceptions to the 950-hour limit on a case-by-case basis, but in no case may a temporary employee be allowed to work more than 1050 hours. There are no exceptions to the 1050-hour limit which is set in the Washington Administrative Code.
Managers are responsible for monitoring all hours worked by temporary hourly employees hired directly, and for ensuring that the temporary employees do not exceed the 950-hour limit. If a temporary hourly employee was placed in the unit via UTemp Staffing, then UTemp Staffing will monitor the hours.
Temporary employees are responsible for not knowingly working beyond the limit established by University policy.
Some units impose their own, lower limits on the number of hours that a temporary employee may work. Managers and employees are responsible for knowing and complying with your unit's policy.
HR coordinates all hiring of temporary employees unless otherwise authorized by the Vice President for Human Resources. An employing unit may not place a temporary employee on the payroll, or start a temporary employee working without advance HR approval.
A Temporary Employment Form must be completed for each temporary appointment or reappointment. Proper completion and distribution of the Temporary Employment Form is an essential part of the temporary employment process for the following reasons:
Benefits & Work/Life uses the Temporary Employment Form to establish initial benefits eligibility. Questions about completing the Temporary Employment Form should be directed to your unit's HR Operations Office.
Temporary employees who meet eligibility criteria can participate in enployer-provided medical, dental, life and long term disability insurance plans, and in state retirement plans.
Temporary employees do not accrue paid leave. However, temporary employees may be eligible for unpaid time away from work because of a disability or serious health condition, to care for a family member with a serious health condition, or for military leave.
Your unit's Human Resources Consultant can assist with questions relating to temporary employee leaves of absence.
All hourly paid temporary staff are subject to the overtime payment requirements described in the Overtime Eligibility and Compensation for Non-Academic Staff web page.
For detailed information about what positions are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, see Temporary Employees in Bargaining Units.
For direct hire temporary appointees, download the Temporary Employment Form, complete the employer section and have the temporary employee complete the employee section. Distribute copies of the form according to the form’s instructions.
For direct hire temporary appointees, the employing unit is responsible for monitoring temporary employment hours worked to ensure compliance with the 950-hour limit on temporary employment.