Hiring People to Work on Your Sponsored Project

Overview

Sometimes a new award necessitates hiring new staff or re-allocating existing staff. Here are hints on how to navigate the hiring process.

  • All hiring must be conducted and approved in accordance with University policy.
  • If a current Appalachian staff or faculty member is being paid from a sponsored program, the work must first be approved by that individual's direct supervisor (in many cases, a department chair).
  • Additionally, any funds being paid to Appalachian staff or faculty from a sponsored program will be processed through Payroll and, as such, are subject to tax, fringe benefits, and social security. 
  • IMPORTANT: All salaries charged to a grant must be for work that happens within the grant period.

As you think about your hiring needs, please complete the following steps:

  1. Obtain authorization approvals before the work commences.
  2. Determine the type of classification for the position: faculty, researcher, staff (EPA/SPA), graduate assistant, student temporary, non-student temporary, etc.
  3. If non-student, contact Human Resource Services and confirm that a position exists for this work; if not, you will need to request the creation of a position. 
  4. Complete the Questionnaire for EPA Status Assessment to create a new EPA position, or request a SPA Job Study or Establishment of New Position if the position is SPA. All required forms are available on the Human Resource Services website. 

For EPA Staff and Researcher Positions

  • Contact Human Resource Services, and ask for an equity evaluation of the proposed salary. Please be advised that Appalachian cannot pay salaries in excess of salaries paid by the state for similar positions.
  • Complete the Dean's Recommendation for Employment form, obtain signatures, and submit to Academic Affairs. No offer can be made to a candidate until this form is approved.
  • Allow six (6) weeks between the arrival of the recommendation form at Academic Affairs and the employment start date. 
  • The contract must be signed by the employee and returned to Academic Affairs at least four (4) weeks before the start date.
  • Please note that an employee cannot be included on payroll until the tax forms are signed. Tax forms must be signed in person during the first day of employment, or by appointment with Human Resource Services before the first day of employment.

For Graduate Assistant Positions

Contact the Graduate School Assistantship Officer at 828-262-2173.

For Student Temporary Worker Positions

Consult The Office of Student Employment website.