Probationary Period for University Staff

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Policy Number:

UW-5016

Old Policy Number:

7.01

Responsible Office:

Office of Human Resources

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

This policy outlines the university’s support, training, and assessment of university staff during the probationary period.

Definitions:

Date of Appointment

The effective date of appointment to a position.

Fixed-term Terminal Appointment

An appointment type limited to two years or less. Employees in a Fixed-term Finite University Staff appointment have no expectation of continued employment or renewal.

Probationary Period

An extension of the employee recruitment, interview, and selection process that provides supervisors the opportunity to verify that the new employee can satisfactorily meet performance expectations of the position before granting ongoing status. The probationary period also provides employees the opportunity to verify that the position and responsibilities of the position meet their expectations. This time also allows new employees to demonstrate, that they have the skills necessary to perform the duties and responsibilities for which they were hired and/or they are able to acquire those skills within a reasonable period within the probationary period.

Temporary Work Adjustment

When an employee’s health care provider has identified short-term/temporary restrictions the university may offer a temporary work adjustment (TWA). A TWA is defined as modifications and/or duties that meet both the temporary medical restrictions and operational need. TWAs are intended to assist the employee in returning to their position with or without a reasonable accommodation. A TWA is not a reasonable accommodation.

University Staff

An employee who is non-exempt from the overtime provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and therefore is eligible to receive overtime for all hours worked over 40 in a pay period. University Staff appointments may be ongoing or Fixed-term Finite.

Scope:

This policy applies to full- or part-time University Staff employees. This policy does not apply to employees hired into temporary employee positions.

Policy:

Policy Detail

1. Probationary Periods

   1. A new employee serves a probationary period after they are appointed to a University Staff position. An employee does not serve a probationary period when:
      1. Re-employed in a position in the employee’s division after layoff
      2. Assigned different or additional duties in the current appointment,
      3. Transferring to a different multi-shift position within the same title within the same division, or
      4. The employee’s position is retitled or reallocated.
   2. During the probationary period, the employee should be evaluated in accordance with the university and the college, school, or division performance management policy. During this time, the supervisor will evaluate the employee’s:
      1. Ability to learn and progress to successfully perform necessary job duties and other written standards, job requirements, and expectations specific to the employee’s position and/or identified in the employee’s position description
      2. Quality of work
      3. Work habits
      4. Attendance and punctuality
   3. The employee and supervisor are encouraged to communicate frequently during the probationary period.

2. Supervisor Responsibilities during Probationary Period

   1. During the probationary period, the supervisor has a responsibility to provide the employee with performance expectations, feedback, resources, and support to assist the employee in meeting the goals and expectations of the position.
   2. Progress toward these goals is to be reviewed during discussions between the supervisor and employee. A manager/supervisor should, at a minimum, conduct a mid-point feedback and coaching conversation approximately midway through a new employee’s probationary period.

3. Duration

   A probationary period of not less than six months is required for new University Staff appointments, unless exempted as outlined in I. Probationary Periods, Section A. 1 – 4. For select titles, the probationary period may be approved by the Office of Human Resources (OHR) Workforce Relations to be greater than six months. The employee will be notified, in writing prior to hire, of the requirements for the probationary period and its length. Divisions have the option to waive any portion of the last six months of a probationary period lasting one year or longer.

4. Extension of Probationary Period

   A probationary period may be extended only when there has not been an adequate opportunity to evaluate the employee in significant aspects of job performance. Prior to the probationary period expiration, the division may extend the probationary period by a time increment not to exceed one year. All extensions, except due to absence, must be approved by OHR prior to the start of the extension. A probationary period may be extended for any of the following reasons:

   1. Extension due to inability to fully evaluate performance. A probationary period may be extended when the supervisor has not had adequate opportunity to fully assess the employee’s performance or the employee has not had adequate opportunity to demonstrate successful performance (e.g., an employee who displays a substantial change in performance during the probationary period).
   2. Extension due to absence, disability accommodation, or temporary work adjustments (TWA).
   1. A probationary period may be extended for division-approved absences due to an employee or immediate family member’s serious health condition (see UW-5051 Sick Leave for more information). A probationary period must be extended by the division for absences in excess of 20 work days (160 hours) during the probationary period.
   2. A probationary period may be extended by the division if an employee has received a disability accommodation during the probationary period. The probationary period may be extended as needed in this case to allow for the interactive process and for any approved reasonable accommodation to be implemented. An extension is intended to provide the manager or supervisor sufficient time to review the employee’s performance with the reasonable accommodation in place.
   3. A probationary period may be extended in the event that an employee is assigned a temporary work adjustment due to short-term/temporary restrictions and the modified assignment does not constitute a majority of the essential job duties for which the employee was hired.
   4. In the written request for an extension, a manager or supervisor shall provide their Division HR Office the period of time during which the employee was absent from the workplace or not fully performing the duties of the position, and the proposed new probation end date.  The Division HR office will consult with the OHR Workforce Relations.
   3. Approval for probationary period extensions other than absence. Probationary period extension requests for reasons other than absence must be submitted to OHR Workforce Relations at least two weeks before the probationary period is scheduled to expire. If the extension is approved, the division must notify the employee, in writing, of the extension and justification before the employee’s probationary period expires.

5. Failure to Meet Expectations during Probationary Period

   1. If an employee fails to meet job requirements, performance or behavioral standards during the probationary period, the supervisor must issue a written performance improvement memorandum as early in the probationary period as possible. The memorandum must contain, at a minimum, the following:
   1. The nature of the problem(s) observed, including specific examples where possible.
   2. The steps the employee must take to correct the deficiencies and the timeline for improvement, if applicable.
   Note: The employee must be given a reasonable amount of time to demonstrate the employee’s ability to meet job requirements, performance standards, or correct inappropriate behavior.
   3. Notice that the employee’s failure to correct the performance problems will result in termination of employment on or before the end of the probationary period.
   2. If the employee does not achieve sustained satisfactory performance in the period identified in the performance improvement memorandum, the supervisor may terminate the employment relationship at any time during the probationary period.
   3. Unless employee actions are serious in nature, as identified below, termination cannot occur unless the employee first receives notice and an opportunity to correct the performance deficiencies, as identified above.
   4. Immediate termination without a performance improvement memorandum can occur if the employee’s actions are serious in nature (e.g., employee no call, no show, insubordination, threats, workplace violence, etc.). Division HR offices are to be consulted in these circumstances.

6. Right to Return

   1. University Staff appointed to a new position will not have the right to return to the position they left if they fail the probationary period in the new position. However, if an employee is appointed to a new position within UW-Madison in the same title as the employee’s previous position, they will have 30 calendar days from the date of the appointment to return to the previous (or equivalent) position within the division they left. Beyond 30 calendar days from the date of the appointment, but while still serving their probationary period, employees who have left their previous University Staff position for a new University Staff position (including Fixed-term Finite positions) may return to their previous position by mutual agreement between the employee and the Dean or Director (or Designee).
   2. A supervisor should provide an employee with an assessment of the employee’s performance prior to the end of the 30-calendar day period. The purpose of this discussion is to enable the employee to make an informed decision as to whether they should remain in the new or return to their former position.
   3. The 30-day right to return provision does not apply to employees in University Staff Fixed-term Finite appointments.

7. Determining if the Employee Passes the Probationary Period

   1. Before the end of the probationary period, the supervisor must evaluate the employee’s performance and determine if the employee successfully completed the probationary period or failed to meet expectations.
   2. If the supervisor fails to notify the employee of an extension in the probationary period and/or fails to complete the final probationary period performance review by the end date of the probationary period, it will be assumed the University Staff employee has passed their probationary period.

8. Release during Probationary Period

   1. During the probationary period, an employee has no guarantee of continued employment. If the university determines at any time during the probationary period that an employee is not suited for the position, that employee may be released prior to the end of the probationary period. The employee must first be informed of performance deficiencies and provided with an opportunity to improve performance, unless the behavior warrants immediate termination (e.g., serious in nature).
   2. An employee who has held a previous position(s) at UW-Madison, within the University of Wisconsin System or the State of Wisconsin, and is appointed to a new position at UW-Madison, UW System, or the State of Wisconsin, may be released at any time during the probationary period without rights to return to the previous position (except for the 30-calendar day right of return provision identified above).
   3. The employee shall receive, in writing, the reason(s) for the release during the probationary period and the effective date of the release. A probationary employee is not subject to or protected by just cause or progressive disciplinary steps required for non-probationary employees.

Responsibilities

Table 1. Responsibilities

Office of Human Resources (OHR)	Serves as the campus expert on probationary period policy and consults with colleges/schools/divisions as needed Provides template probationary period templates and other pertinent information
College/School/Division HR	Monitors compliance with this policy and supports employee and supervisor needs Consults with OHR as needed
Supervisor	Understands the probationary period policy Fully participates in the probationary period policy as outlined in this policy, and/or divisional guidelines
Employee	Participates in the probationary period in a timely and constructive manner

Related UW-Madison Policies:

UW-5015 New Employee Onboarding

UW-5018 Performance Management for Managers and Supervisors

UW-5020 University Staff Appointment Types

UW-5036 Workplace Violence

Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources:

University Staff Probation Extension Template

University Staff Performance Improvement Memorandum Template

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:

Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration

Policy Manager:

Associate Vice Chancellor/Chief Human Resources Officer

Contact:

Employment Relations Director -- Megan Dzyuba, wr@ohr.wisc.edu, (608) 890-3663

Effective Date:

06-24-2015

Revised Dates:

03-02-2020, 12-05-2024

Retrieved:

04-27-2025 01:03:02