New & Incoming A&S Employees | Arts & Sciences Resources

New & Incoming Employees

A&S HR has crafted a comprehensive resource hub for new and incoming employees to support you at every stage of the process. At A&S, we believe in nurturing talent from day one to retirement. Join us on this transformative journey!

Onboarding

Getting Started: Employment Group

Every Columbia employee is part of an employment group. It's important to be aware of your employment group as it determines how your position is managed in Columbia University systems, such as benefits and salary grades.

Officers include academic and non-academic personnel:

Officers of Administration (Grades 10 - Ungraded)
Officers of Instruction (faculty)
Officers of Research (includes Associate Research Scientists/Scholars and Postdoctoral Research Scientists/Scholars)
Officers of the Libraries

Support Staff groups include administrative and other staff, and all union members. The acronyms for these groups are:

NUSS: Non-Union Support Staff (grades R1 - R6)
LOCAL 2110: Technical, Office, and Support Staff union members (grades 6 - 9B)

Hiring Paperwork & I-9

Prior to your first day, A&S HR will send an onboarding packet through Docusign. These are required to be completed before your first day, including all applicable work authorization documentation and tax forms. Additionally, an I-9 needs to be completed within three days of your hiring date. The sooner the I-9 is completed, the sooner we can complete the hiring process and avoid delays in payment

For part 1 of the I-9, please click here to complete section one of the I-9 process online and ensure that the date entered is your start date.
For part 2 of the I-9, visit the I-9 center at Columbia University Central Human Resources, located in the Studebaker Building (615 West 131st Street, 5th Floor), to complete section two of the I-9 process. Here is a list of acceptable documents.

New Hire Orientation

Both the University and A&S HR offer orientations to ensure that employees are properly introduced to the structure, culture, and resources of the University and A&S.

A&S HR has developed a new hire orientation presentation that is specifically tailored to life at A&S. New hires learn more about the history, mission, and leadership of A&S as well as important information about employee resources and benefits. A&S HR will reach out to you prior to your first day in order to schedule a new hire orientation as well as go through the I-9 process and receive your CUID, if applicable. Total presentation time is typically 1 hour, not including the I-9 or CUID process.

University New Hire Orientation is provided by the university and new hires can learn more about Columbia as well as CUHR benefits and campus services. NHO is available in two formats, in person and virtual.

Direct Deposit

Once active in PAC, employees should set up direct deposit. If direct deposit is not set up, a paper check will be mailed to the address on file. To set up direct deposit:

Go to www.my.columbia.edu and log in with your UNI and password.
Under “Resources”, click People@Columbia logo.
Select “Payroll & Compensation”.
Select “Direct Deposit”.
Click the “+” button to add bank account information.

Time and Compensation

: Vacation
2110 Union and Non-Union Support Staff: Two days per completed month of employment, following 60 days of employment, up to 20 days (July 1st – June 30th).
Officers of Administration: Vacation is earned at the rate of 2 days per completed calendar month of employment up to a maximum of 23 days per fiscal year.

: Personal
2110 Union and Non-Union Support Staff: One day for every four months of completed service, beginning from their date of hire. The days must be used within 12 months of earning them. Personal days do not accumulate; you must use personal days within 12 months of them being earned.
Officers of Administration: Earned at a rate of one day for every four months of completed service, beginning from your date of hire. The days must be used within 12 months of earning them. Personal days do not accumulate; you must use personal days within 12 months of them being earned.

: Sick
2110 Union and Non-Union Support Staff: One day for each month of employment retroactive to the day of hire, up to a maximum of 12 days per year. Used for own illness (taken in whole or half days only).
Officers of Administration: Used for own illness (taken in whole or half days only).

: NY safe/Sick
2110 Union and Non-Union Support Staff: Entitled to NY Safe and Sick Leave.
Officers of Administration: Entitled to NY Safe and Sick Leave: 56 hours per year. This time is allocated upfront at the time of hire and is available as of the date of hire. There is no waiting period.

: Jury Duty
2110 Union and Non-Union Support Staff: Used when you must report for jury duty (taken in whole days only).
Officers of Administration: Used when you must report for jury duty (taken in whole days only).

: Bereavement
2110 Union and Non-Union Support Staff: Used for the death of an eligible family member (taken in whole days only).
Officers of Administration: Used for the death of an eligible family member (taken in whole days only).

To view your paycheck online:

Log on to People@Columbia using your UNI and password (You will get the DUO authentication)
Click on Payroll & Compensation tile

Pay Frequencies:

Student officers are paid on a semi-monthly pay frequency.
Stipend and fellowship payments are paid monthly.
Support staff and casual employees are typically paid every other Friday for the previous two-week period.
Regular Officers of Administration are paid on a semi-monthly basis.

For further information on pay resources including information on pay days, pay calendars, check cashing services, and other pay-related services, employees can visit the CUHR pay resources website.

Columbia University holidays and designated holidays calendar for all campuses and clinical services.

Benefits Enrollment

Officers of administration must enroll for benefits within 31 days from date of hire. For support staff, enrollment starts the first of the month following the first 60 days of employment.

Open enrollment for benefits begins the 2^nd week in November and changes take effect on January 1^st. Changes to benefits enrollment can only be made during this time period, unless you experience a qualifying event. Please note that some benefits require reenrollment while others automatically reenroll if changes are not made. Automatic reenrollments include:

Medical and Dental
Transit/Parking
Life Insurance
Optional Long-Term Disability,
Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
Voluntary Benefits.

Qualifying Events: Changes can be made to benefits at any time if you are experiencing a qualifying event such as a change in Marital Status, Number of Dependents, Dependent Status, Employment Status, Military Service, etc.

For more information on Benefits and Benefits enrollment, please consult the CUHR Benefits FAQs page.

Training

Compliance Trainings

Compliance trainings need to be completed within 31 days from the date of hire and will need to be periodically retaken:

The Office of Research Compliance and Training helps ensure that Columbia faculty, staff, and students are in compliance with the complex web of regulatory requirements that govern research. For more information, please visit https://research.columbia.edu.

Columbia University Human Resources (CUHR) offers a variety of training resources to help anyone at the University with an HR-related position learn about Columbia’s HR system and understand important policies, procedures, and compliance issues. If your position includes any HR oversight, please discuss your role, system access, and required training with your supervisor.

Columbia University Information Technology (CUIT) offers general security education and structured training for the Columbia University community on topics including internet safety, social engineering, and IT Security best practices for web development, compliance, and education. Please visit https://cuit.columbia.edu/for more information.

The compliance hotline allows you to report or seek guidance on possible compliance issues. You can report issues anonymously and it is accessible by phone or online. For more information, please visit https://compliance.columbia.edu/hotline or call 866-627-3768.

Systems Access Training

Based on role access needs, employees who require HR systems training can complete a variety of required and supplementary HR systems trainings as they relate to People@Columbia (PAC), TalentLink, TLAM (Time and Attendance), Manager Self-Service, and other tools managed by Central Human Resources.

Based on role access needs, there are a number of Columbia financial systems employees may need access to in their role. To learn more about these systems, as well as how to apply for access, review the short, interactive guides available on the Finance Systems Training website.

ELM provides easy access to training courses and activities in your Learning Plan. If this is your first time logging into ELM (or you need a refresher), simply follow the instructions listed on the ELM website.