To provide more opportunity and offer greater flexibility to staff and departments, the University has updated the provisional period and transfer procedures for all staff, effective March 1, 2022.

These changes were due to feedback and considerations posed to a working group of Responsibility Center (RC) and department administrators with regards to the previous procedures, which prohibited current employees from applying for a new job at the University until they have performed in their current position for twice the length of their provisional period.

These updates have resulted in changes to the University’s Staff Handbook and can be found in the Provisional Period and Transfer sections on the Employment Status for Staff Positions page. The changes include:

• All staff positions have a six-month provisional effective March 1, 2022: Previously, positions could have either a 3-month or 6-month provisional period, depending on the position type. This only affects people who are put on a new provisional period on or after March 1, 2022. Employees that were put on a 3-month provisional period prior to March 1, 2022 will not have their provisional period extended to 6 months.
• The transfer rule has been reduced to the length of the provisional period, which is six months for everyone: Previously, employees had to wait twice the length of their provisional period before they were able to apply for a new position.
• The three existing exceptions to the provisional period transfer restrictions remain in the new guidelines: These scenarios include: 1) a position elimination, 2) a recommendation for a transfer by the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion or the Office of Compliance, Investigations & Ethics due to the result of a University investigation, and 3) an accommodation through the Office of Disability Resources and Services.
• One additional exception allows each RC to have greater flexibility: University areas have defined RC-specific rules for allowing or restricting employees from moving within the RC during their provisional period. The RC approver in Talent Center is responsible for applying their area’s rules consistently; staff are encouraged to contact their department administrator for questions about their area’s specific rules.
• An additional attestation is required in Talent Center if an applicant states that they are still in their provisional period.

For detailed information about the provisional period and transfer guidelines, please refer to the Staff Handbook.

For questions about this change, please submit an inquiry online.