Human Resources will provide a letter with the basic information already completed when they give approval to hire Staff and Administration employees. Templates for Temporary (formerly OPS) letters of offer are listed below. 

Staff

• Staff Regular – Link to Letter - A continuing appointment for which a search was completed.  Needs to have a search or waiver of search.  Must meet minimum qualifications.  The initial probationary period is 6 months.  When employees successfully complete the specified probationary period, they attain permanent status, that is retained throughout continuous employment at USF.  When employees move to a new classification they begin a new probationary period on that appointment.

• Staff Emergency – Link to Letter – An appointment for up to 3 months while a search is conducted to fill the job on a regular basis.  Since it is not expected that the entire job will be performed, the employee need not meet minimum qualifications and may be paid below the minimum pay of the class.  Not to exceed 10% below the range.  Emergency Appointments are one-time appointments and may not be extended.  Time served on an emergency basis does not count towards probationary period or anniversary date.
• Staff Short Term (formerly “temporary”) – Link to Letter - Short Term is used when a person is appointed to a position when the regular employee is on a leave of absence, the position can’t be filled through the normal advertising process, or the hiring authority is unsure if the position is needed long term.  However, the hiring authority must advertise at the end of the appointment period.  Appointment must be approved by HR, cannot exceed 12 months and the incumbent must meet minimum qualifications.  Time served may count toward probationary period and anniversary date.
• Staff Trainee –  Link to Letter - An appointment when the person is not fully qualified, but is expected to acquire such qualifications in a short period of time.  May be hired below the minimum of the pay grade.  Time served as a trainee does not count towards probationary period.  Appointment is made for the time period needed for the incumbent to acquire the needed qualifications and generally is not extended if the incumbent does not become fully qualified by the end of the appointment.  If the incumbent does attain the needed qualifications by the end of the provisional appointment, the appointment is changed to Regular.
• Staff Time Limited (formerly “grant funded”) - Link to Letter  and  Link to Time Limited Agreement - An appointment on this position which is entirely or partially funded by grant, contract, auxiliary or local funds.  The employee must complete the Time Limited Agreement prior to the commencement of the appointment.  Must be advertised as time limited.  Time served counts towards probationary period and anniversary date.

Administration

• Administration Regular – Link to Letter and Link to PA/ARNP Letter - A continuing appointment for which a search was completed.  Needs to have a search or waiver of search.  Must meet minimum qualifications.
• Administration Acting -  Link to Letter - Acting status is used to fill an Administration position with a current USF employee when another employee is on a leave of absence (paid/unpaid) or under circumstances where the position can’t be filled through the normal advertising process.  The position should be advertised at a later date.  Employees with this status must meet the minimum qualifications for the class and be approved through Human Resources prior to being appointed.  Acting status may be used to appoint an employee for up to one year.
• Administration Visiting  - Link to Letter  and  Link to PA/ARNP Letter- Visiting status is used to fill an Administration position with an outside employee when the current employee is on a leave of absence (paid/unpaid) or under circumstances where the position can’t be filled through the normal advertising process.  Typically, the appointment should not exceed 12 months.  The Diversity and Equal Opportunity Office must approve visiting appointments over one year.  Employees with this status must meet the minimum qualifications for the class and be approved through Human Resources prior to being appointed.
• Administration Provisional - Link to Letter -  An appointment of a person who is not fully qualified, but who is expected to acquire such qualifications in a short period of time.  Appointment is made for the time period needed for the incumbent to acquire the needed qualifications and generally is not extended if the incumbent does not become fully qualified by the end of the appointment.  If the incumbent does attain the needed qualifications by the end of the provisional appointment, the appointment is changed to Regular.
• Administration Grant Funded – Link to Letter  and  Link to PA/ARNP Letter - An appointment on a position which is entirely or partially funded by grant, contract, auxiliary or local funds.  This appointment is conditioned upon the loss or reallocation of funds.

Temporary (formerly OPS)

  Academic

• Hourly Student - Link to Letter - A time limited appointment of a student employee who is enrolled at USF at least half time and whose primary purpose is to be a student. It is advantageous to appoint this way because neither the student nor department will pay FICA taxes (7.62% of wages).

·         Federal Work Study (FWS)  - Link to Letter - An hourly, time limited appointment of a student who has been awarded FWS financial aid.

·         Graduate Assistants - Link to Letter – An hourly or salaried (depending upon the type of job, e.g., Graduate Assistant, Graduate Research Associate) appointment of a student who is enrolled full time in a master’s or doctoral program at USF.  Depending on the job code used, duties will include teaching, conducting research or performing other tasks that contribute to the student’s professional development.

    Non-Academic

·         Hourly  - Link to Letter -  A time limited appointment to a job that is non-exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (e.g., can earn overtime pay). Employee does not meet the criteria for an hourly student appointment due to not being enrolled as a student.

·         Salaried  -  Link to Letter - A time limited appointment to a job that is exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act. A Duties and Responsibilities form must be included at the time of appointment and will be reviewed by HR to determine if the duties meet the criteria for exemption from overtime.

Related Links for Offer Letters

    Faculty – Link to USF Health Office of Faculty Affairs