This policy identifies employing unit responsibilities during an employee’s probationary period and explains associated administrative procedures.
As noted in the State Universities Civil Service System Rule 250.90 the probationary period “shall be utilized by the employer for close observation and evaluation of the employee’s work, for obtaining the most effective adjustment of a new employee to his/her position, and to determine whether an employee demonstrates the ability and qualifications necessary to furnish satisfactory service. Periodically, throughout the probationary period, the employer should discuss with the employee his/her progress on the job.” The probationary period provides time for the employee to adjust to the position while enabling the hiring unit to assess the employee’s ability to provide satisfactory service.
This policy applies to all civil service employees of the University of Illinois who are serving a probationary period following either initial appointment or reclassification. It governs employing unit supervisory responsibilities, employee status changes, and dismissal actions that may occur during the probationary period.
Illinois Human Resources
Background
SUCSS Layoff Rule 250.110 requires that an employee who is being laid off receive a written notice at least 30 calendar days in advance of the effective date of the layoff. The least senior person in the classification must be laid off first. University Policy and Rules further state that “an employee who is laid off after completing probation may have retreat rights to another position in the employee’s current class or to a position in another job class in which the employee holds seniority.” (https://nessie.uihr.uillinois.edu/pdf/policy/rules/pr2r07.pdf
The probationary period is required by the State Universities Civil Service Statute and Rules (SUCSS) and is intended to support effective onboarding, evaluation, and employment decisions.
All civil service employees, both Overtime Eligible and Overtime Exempt, serve a probationary period whenever they are first employed in a classification. The probationary period is either six (6) or twelve (12) months, specific to the job classification.
Eligibility for Dismissal in Probation
SUCSS rules allow the University to determine if an employee can be dismissed during the probationary period. Eligibility for dismissal during the probationary period at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign are determined as follows:
Probationary Period Completion
A probationary employee automatically becomes a status employee in the classification upon completion of the probationary period. Employees who work in the classification on the last day of the probationary period have completed the probationary period and have attained status in that classification. No departmental action or paperwork is required when a probationary employee successfully completes probation.
Notification of Probationary Period
Illinois Human Resources Data Operations issues a Notice of Probationary Period to the employee and the employing department (with a copy to the College/MAU HR) upon hiring or reclassification.
This notice identifies the length of the probationary period and the date on which the employee will automatically achieve status unless dismissed before the effective date.
Employing Unit and Supervisor Responsibilities:
Dismissal During the Probationary Period
Dismissal during probation is dependent on the employee’s eligibility as determined by the classification and whether the employee holds seniority to a different classification:
Employees who are dismissed during probation must receive written notice stating the reason(s) for dismissal. Supervisors have a responsibility to provide training and coaching to give the employee ample opportunity to be successful. However, departments are not required to retain an employee eligible for dismissal for the full probationary period when performance remains unsatisfactory and unlikely to improve in a timely fashion
All requests to dismiss an employee in the probationary period must be reviewed by the hiring unit’s College or MAU HR, who will either deny the request or if in agreement, forward the request to Illinois Human Resources Civil Service Operations via submission of the Dismissal in Probation Request. The request must include copies of either the evaluation form (Overtime Eligible) or documentation of other feedback provided to the employee denoting performance concerns (Overtime Exempt). Appropriate documentation includes, but is not limited to, either an employee signed evaluation form or email documentation of performance conversations, as well as other evidence of unsatisfactory performance or misconduct.
IHR Civil Service Operations must make a decision on dismissal requests approved by the College/MAU. Upon approval of the dismissal request for an employee with continued employment rights, the dismissing unit must place the employee in a position in the appropriate prior classification, pay the associated rate for that classification and assign job duties aligned with the classification until the employee is placed. This may require the unit to create a position in that classification.
Placement of Overtime Eligible Employees with Continued Employment Rights In accordance with the current Placement Procedures, Illinois Human Resources Civil Service Operations will advise dismissed Overtime Eligible employees who have continued employment rightsand oversee placement activity. In general, the placement Procedures will first look to place an Overtime Eligible employee with continued employment rights into a vacancy for a defined period of time before forcing a placement that would displace the least senior person in the classification. Placement procedures may be updated from time to time and placements are subject to the current procedures at time of dismissal.
A dismissed Overtime Eligible employee who does not accept a placement offer, whether into a vacancy or a position held by the least senior employee, will be separated from university employment. Separation must occur within one business week of their documented decision.
Further questions concerning this policy should be directed to the Illinois Human Resources Civil Service Operations, @illinois.edu, (217) 333-2137.
Continued employment rights: An employee accumulates seniority upon successfully completing a classification probationary period. Continued employment rights are seniority-based rights that may allow an employee dismissed in probation to return to a previously held classification, subject to Civil Service Rules.
Discharge: The formal process used by an employer to separate a status employee for cause.
Dismissal In Probation: The formal process used when an employee has not successfully completed their probationary period.
Overtime Eligible / Overtime Exempt: Designations under the Fair Labor Standards Act and University policy.
Probationary Period: A designated period following hire or reclassification during which an employee’s performance and suitability for ongoing employment are evaluated. The length of the probationary period is proscribed by the State Universities Civil Service System for each classification.
Resources
SUCSS Procedures Manual, Dismissal
SUCSS Procedures Manual, Discharge
Policy 16: Conduct and Discipline, 16.08 Discharge
Policy 16: Conduct and Discipline, 16.09 Dismissal in Probation
Illinois Human Resources, ihr@Illinois.edu, (217) 333- 2137