Support Staff
Support staff support the day-to-day operations of the University and are represented by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, Local 052 (AUPE).
Select the Support Staff category you plan to hire
Support staff hiring at UCalgary follows two distinct processes depending on the type of position: Salaried Support Staff and Casual/Student Support Staff. Each process outlines the required steps, approvals, and documentation needed to bring a new employee onboard. Use the categories below to identify the correct appointment type and follow the appropriate hiring process.
The hiring process recognizes the following position categories:
Operating Funded
Roles are paid through base operating funds and may or may not have an anticipated end date.
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) is equal to the number of hours a full-time employee works for the University of Calgary. Depending on the role, 1.0 FTE could be 35 hours, 37.5 hours, or 40 hours per week.
Project Funded (Research or Non-Research)
Roles are paid through research funds and will have an anticipated end date (maximum 5 years initial term).
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) is equal to the number of hours a full-time employee works for the University of Calgary. Depending on the role, 1.0 FTE could be 35 hours, 37.5 hours, or 40 hours per week.
Resources
AUPE Collective Agreement
For more information on the AUPE Compensation Framework and salary ranges, please review the AUPE Collective Agreement (Schedule A on pg 51).
AUPE Job Placement Manual
The AUPE Job Placement Manual defines the Families and Phases within the AUPE Compensation Framework. Each AUPE role will be evaluated into one of the families and phases.
Guidelines for Writing Job Profiles
Job profiles are a requirement of job evaluation, the process where the family and phase of a job are determined. Guidance on writing job profiles can be found in the Guidelines for Writing Job Profiles.
Job Funding Rules
The following information is designed to help hiring managers understand employee job types and how the different types are funded within the UCALG and UCALT business units. Fund Codes are the first two digits of a financial chart field and denote the purpose of the fund (e.g. Fund 10 = general/base operating funds).
In general, a job that is being funded from base operating funds (Fund 10) is hired under the UCALG business unit. Jobs being paid from project funds (e.g. Fund 11, 12, 60 or 70) are hired under the UCALT business unit. However, in certain rare situations it may be appropriate for an employee to be hired under UCALG with a recovery from project accounts. For more information on whether that is the correct option for your hire, contact your Finance Partner.
Related links
- Funding Rules Matrix (PDF)
| Type of fund | Business unit | Allowable Employee Classifications |
|---|---|---|
| 10* (Operating Budget) | UCALG | - Regular *Fund 15 is an allowable fund code for jobs in Ancillary Services |
| 11, 18, 60 and 70 – Project Funds (Research) | UCALT | - Fixed Term (Research Associate, Research Assistant, Research Lab Support, Research Other) - Recurring Part-Time - Casual or Student Job |
| 12, 19 and 70** – Project Funds (Non-research) | UCALT | - Support Staff Limited Term (Project) **Fund 14 is an allowable fund code for jobs in Information Technologies |
Hiring Process for Support Staff
Support staff hiring includes two employment types: Salaried and Recurring Part-time Support Staff and Casual and Student Support Staff. Each type follows a distinct hiring process based on the nature of the role, duration of employment, and funding source.
Salaried and recurring part-time
Salaried support staff are hired into ongoing or term positions with defined hours and responsibilities and follow a structured hiring process that includes job posting, selection, and formal approval.
Casual and student hourly
Casual and student support staff are hired for short-term, variable, or project-based needs and follow a streamlined hiring process designed for temporary or hourly work.
Salaried and recurring part-time
Salaried and recurring part-time hiring process
The salaried and recurring part-time support staff hiring process outlines the required steps for Hiring Leaders, from planning and approvals through recruitment, selection, and onboarding.
Getting Prepared
Confirm the business need, funding, and job details, and ensure the job profile and approvals are in place before starting the recruitment process.
Submit a Job Opening Request Form
Submit a Job Opening Request to obtain formal approvals, post the role and attract qualified candidates.
Review Applications & Candidate
Review applications, conduct interviews, and complete reference checks in accordance with AUPE requirements and hiring best practices.
Making an Offer
Complete a verbal pre-offer and issue a formal offer once approvals are finalized and the candidate accepts.
Onboard New Employee
Prepare for the employee’s start by completing onboarding tasks, system access, and required documentation.
Hiring Manager Toolkit
The Toolkit is a comprehensive resource that provides a detailed description of the recruitment and selection process, best practices, and sample documents.
Step 1: Getting Prepared
The hiring process begins by seeking approvals to hire, and understanding what kind of role you need to fill. Upfront conversations to discuss budget should be held with the budget owner, senior leaders and Finance Partner and/or Research Support. Information on the budget available and the proper accounting will be required to complete the Job Opening Request form (Step Two).
All Support Staff roles require a job profile. When filling an existing vacancy a job profile should already be in place and may only require review or minor edits. When creating a new role a job profile will need to be written using available job profile guidelines and resources.
Step 2: Submit a Job Opening Request Form
The purpose of the Job Opening Request form (JOR) is to collect the information required to post the job and formally obtain the necessary financial approvals.
When submitting a request for a new or changing role you will begin the Job Opening Request by submitting the job profile for review by the Compensation Analysts. Once reviewed a classification and Job Code will be assigned to your role, and you will receive a notification to return to the Job Opening Request and enter the remaining job details.
Once approved, the job is posted by the Processes and Solutions Team and the recruitment process begins. The notification email you receive will contain instructions for completing your recruitment so be sure to retain it for future reference.
Related links
Operating Funded
Project Funded
Step 3: Review Applications and Select a Candidate
After a job has been posted, the Hiring Managers can log into the myUCalgary portal and navigate to My work > People management > Manage applicants to view and manage applicants. For step-by-step instructions, see the Managing Applicants in PeopleSoft guide.
Hiring managers should be aware that internal employees with AUPE seniority have entitlements related to job opportunities. As per Article 42.05 of the AUPE Collective Agreement, the employee with the most AUPE seniority who meets the minimum qualifications and who applies for a posted position shall be given an interview.
The hiring manager(s) and/or selection team can move forward with shortlisting applicants, conducting interviews and finally conducting reference checks. Reference checks are used to confirm your decision and should only be conducted for your final candidate.
The Hiring Manager Toolkit contains more information on best practices, as well as templates for phone screens, interviews, and reference checks.
Step 4: Making an Offer
Once you have selected a candidate for the role it is time to prepare a verbal pre-offer. When deciding the salary amount ensure you are following relevant salary guidelines, and be sure to stay within approved budget limits.
With this information confirmed, present the candidate with the verbal pre-offer and discuss all terms of employment. The Verbal Pre-Offer Checklist found in the Hiring Manager Toolkit provides a detailed overview of the items to discuss.
If the candidate accepts, submit an offer letter request through the Job Opening. For step by step instructions on how to submit the request, refer to the job aid. The request is used to obtain the candidate’s information, final salary, start date, and other offer information required to produce a formal offer letter. Note, the candidate being hired must be in the applicant list. If they are not please email their application to hrhire@ucalgary.ca to be added to the job opening.
Anyone listed as a Hiring Manager in the Job Opening Request can submit this request; should someone else needs access to do so please email hrhire@ucalgary.ca.
The offer letter is then sent to the Reports to Manager to review and forward on to the candidate. Once the candidate accepts, a copy of the offer letter signed by both the manager and the candidate must be sent to hrhire@ucalgary.ca for processing into the HR system.
Related links
Step 5: Onboard New Employee
When the person and job record are created in the Human Resources PeopleSoft system the new employee’s Reports to Manager will receive a confirmation email. The email will include their Employee ID number (UCID), appointment details, and a link to the Onboarding page which includes a guide for managers on the actions required to successfully onboard a new hire.
This process is supported by the Onboarding Coordinator in your department who will have their own list of tasks to perform.
Done well, onboarding helps to ensure your new employee is set up with the access and tools they need to become a productive and successful member of your team (e.g. email account, computer access, etc.).
Related links
Casual and Student Hiring
Casual and student hourly hiring process
The casual and student support staff hiring steps guide Hiring Leaders through a simplified process for hiring temporary or hourly support staff.
Getting Prepared
Confirm the short-term or temporary staffing requirement, funding source, and eligibility for a casual or student hire.
Select the Candidate
Identify and confirm a suitable candidate, ensuring they meet the role requirements and any student eligibility criteria.
Submit a Template-Based Hire (TBH)
Complete the required hire form or Template-Based Hire to initiate approvals and HR processing.
Onboard New Employee
Complete onboarding requirements and ensure the employee has access, systems, and information needed to begin work.
Step 1: Getting Prepared
Prior to moving ahead with the recruitment process discussions should be had with the Department/Project Budget Owner, to ensure they are supportive of the hire, and with the Finance Partner or Research Support to ensure budget is available and the proper account is being charged. Ensuring they are aware of the hire upfront will help avoid surprises/delays in the hire process.
Job profiles are not required for casual or student jobs, however development of a job profile is recommended for all roles to ensure clarity with respect to accountabilities and tasks.
Related links
Step 2: Recruit and Select a Candidate
Often when hiring a casual or student employee a candidate has already been selected. However if that is not the case, casual and student jobs can be posted to the UCalgary Careers site. To request a job posting submit a Job Opening Request (JOR) form with the relevant job information, such as a job profile or job description, to advertise the role.
There is no formal offer letter for casual or student jobs, but it is important to clearly define what the employee is hired to do and then assign an appropriate job phase and family for the accountabilities and duties of the role.
All student employees fall in phase 1 of the AUPE job families.
Step 3: Submit a Template-Based Hire (TBH)
Once you have identified the placement of the role and agreed on a start date and salary with your selected candidate, you are ready to hire the employee via the Template-Based Hire form. See the step-by-step job aids that outline this process in detail under related links.
The online TBH form will automatically flow to all applicable approvers. Once the hire is processed in PeopleSoft an automatic email notification is sent to the reports to manager
Related links
Operating Funded
- Hire a Casual Employee (PDF)
- Hire a Student Employee (PDF)
Project Funded
- Hire a Casual Employee (PDF)
- Hire a Student Employee (PDF)
Step 4: Onboard New Employee
Once the person and job record have been created in the HR PeopleSoft system the new employee’s reports to manager receives a confirmation email. The email includes appointment details and a link to the Onboarding page.
Use the manager guide to ensure that your new employee is given an IT account, a university email address, and other system access including additional PeopleSoft roles in both Finance and HR. This process can be supported by the Onboarding Coordinator in your department.
Project funded employees are required to enter chartfield information on timesheets. As part of onboarding be sure to provide the following specific chartfield information.
a. Fund Code (2 digits)
b. Department (5 digits)
c. Account (5 digits)
d. Project/Grant (8 characters)
e. Activity ID (5 digits)
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about recruiting and hiring support staff, including funding, classifications, and process steps.
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