Introductory Period of Employment

New employees will have an introductory period. The introductory period is a time for when a new employee gets accustomed to their position or new role and the expectations of their supervisor. The supervisor will evaluate and provide appropriate feedbacks to ensure a successful completion of the introductory period. During this time, employees are considered “at will". The length of the introductory period varies according to the employee classification.

Progressive Discipline

Temple University's Rules of Conduct provides a progressive discipline process. The goal of discipline is to provide feedback on unacceptable behavior and improve performance, not to punish the employee. Guidelines supervisors should consider the following before disciplining employees.

• Thoroughly investigate the situation, which includes obtaining the employee’s explanation or response prior to administering discipline.
• Document the process and results of your investigation.
• Review the employee’s employment history, including years of service, discipline record and PDP.
• Be consistent with the level of discipline given.

If there are any concerns about the discipline process, contact the Labor and Employee Relations team at 215-926-2290.

Flexible Work Arrangements

Departments may choose to allow Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA) for employees in roles conducive to alternative scheduling. Flexible work can come in many forms including remote or hybrid work and compressed work weeks. University guidelines allow departments to create an approach that works best to accommodate their employees while ensuring a high level of service and productivity as well as compliance with university policies. The decision to offer alternative work arrangements is in the sole discretion of departments, schools and colleges. Supervisors who are considering offering flexible assignments should review the following documents and ensure that their processes and decisions are aligned with the guidance.

• Flexible Working Arrangement Guidelines: School/College/Department Template
• Flexible Working Arrangement: Sample Questionnaire
• Request Flexible Working Arrangement and Agreement: Sample

The documents are accessible via the University Forms channel under the Staff Tools tab in TUportal. Using the search function, you can search by form name, office, department, school/college and/or category. Learn more about the University's flexible work arrangements policy.

Remote Work Policy

Temple University supports remote working where there is an operational need, or there is potential for center savings. This policy applies to all employees. All employees who telecommute must have an approved Remote Work Agreement form on file with Human Resources. Learn more about the University's remote work policy.

Weingarten Rights

The right to union representation known as Weingarten Rights affords a union-represented employee with the right to union representation when attending an investigatory interview that might result in discipline. If representation is requested, allow reasonable time to secure that representation prior to conducting the meeting. Failure to do so is considered an unfair labor practice. If the employee has trouble locating a representative, Labor and Employee Relations can assist.

Separation From the University

Voluntary Separation

• When an employee resigns, the department should forward the resignation letter or email to Labor and Employee Relations. The department can also attach the letter when submitting the termination Electronic Personnel Action Form (EPAF).
• The department should gather all Temple property and remind the employee to participate in an exit interview either by fax or via TUportal.

Involuntary Separation

• The Rules of Conduct provides guidance on what offenses may warrant termination, but is not all inclusive. The termination of an employee in a bargaining unit requires just cause. Prior to terminating an employee, the Rules of Conduct and Labor and Employee Relations must be consulted.
• An employee terminated for cause will be issued a disciplinary report (bargaining unit employee) stating the work rule violated or a memo (nonbargaining employee) stating why they were terminated and the work rule violated.
• The department must follow the termination checklist for exiting the employee.
• A copy of the discipline letter should be forwarded to Labor and Employee Relations.
• The department must collect/retrieve all Temple University property including, but not limited to: keys, phones, OWLcard, credit and purchase cards, and electronic equipment and digital devices (e.g., computers, laptops, tablets, etc.).
• If computer access needs to be terminated immediately, send a request to Labor and Employee Relation at 215-926-2290 or elrel@temple.edu.

EPAF

• All terminations must be submitted through an electronic workflow called EPAF. If you need assistance, call 215-926-2290, email elrel@temple.edu, or submit a help ticket.
• If any employee is terminated prior to an existing termination date such as an adjunct faculty, Labor and Employee Relations must be notified directly via email at elrel@temple.edu. In this instance, the EPAF process cannot be used.

Termination/Separation Process

When an employee is separating from Temple University, the termination checklist should be followed. This ensures that the separation process is properly completed. During the separation process, please encourage the employee to complete the voluntary online exit questionnaire. If the employee prefers, an in-person meeting can be set up with Labor and Employee Relations.

To access the termination checklist, login and navigate to TUportal > Staff Tool tab > University Forms channel. Using the search function, you can search by form name, office, department, school/college and/or category.

Unemployment Compensation

Under certain circumstances, an employee separating from the university may qualify for unemployment compensation. Temple University is required by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry to provide employment documentation used to determine eligibility. Eligibility and receipt of unemployment compensation benefits are completely determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry; therefore, Temple does not determine if the employee will be granted unemployment compensation. Employees who engage in willful misconduct and/or are unemployed through fault of their own will not receive unemployment compensation.

To Apply

To apply for unemployment compensation, contact the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and/or reach out to their local Philadelphia office.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, call 215-926-2290 or email elrel@temple.edu.