STEPS is UK’s in-house, full-service temporary staffing department. Our services can provide you with flexible staffing options to quickly meet your hiring needs.
STEPS can assist with staffing across campus and throughout UK HealthCare. STEPS positions are intended to be short term, lasting less than one year, and can fill a variety of positions and offer staffing solutions.
The resources on this site will assist you in more effectively hiring and managing the unique aspects of STEPS employees. If you supervise STEPS employees, you would be required to complete the University SuperVision program.
Requesting a STEPS position
A hiring department can submit a job posting request directly to the STEPS team. For campus areas, this is initiated through UK’s Integrated Employment System (IES) or the online STEPS request form. For UK HealthCare, this is initiated through UK HealthCare Position Review.
More information on our hiring process is available here.
When considering STEPS positions please refer to the following policy guidelines:
HR Policy and Procedure #17: HR Temporary and Student Employment Services
Administrative Regulation 3:1 Section XII. Employment beyond Retirement
STEPS services
Once you have submitted your request, a member of the STEPS placement team will be in contact to discuss your unique request and how we might best partner to help you fill your position.
STEPS offers a variety of services that include the following:
- Recruitment – If we do not have the right talent already available, the STEPS team will help attract interested candidates.
- STEPS pay rates – Our STEPS team can help you determine a pay rate based on the duties and skills required. Rates for STEPS employees are comparable with regular staff positions of corresponding grade levels.
- Interview and selection – Our STEPS team can partner with departments in the following ways:
ii. Collaboration – The STEPS team and the department work together. STEPS will post the position and partner with the department during the interview, selection and job offer process.
iii. Pre-selected candidate – If a department already has a candidate in mind, they inform the STEPS team of the individual they would like to hire. This can happen without posting a job. These candidates must still work with the STEPS team prior to beginning an assignment to ensure all required employment documents have been successfully completed.
- New hire paperwork and screening – The STEPS team will ensure all new hire paperwork is complete and pre-employment screening is conducted and coordinate start dates for STEPS employees.
- Payroll – The STEPS payroll team will ensure all hiring actions are completed for your STEPS employee as well as process biweekly payroll. The payroll team will separate the employee once they have been notified an assignment has ended.
- Employee relations – STEPS employees are held to the same performance standards as regular staff. If your STEPS employee cannot fulfill the required duties, please contact the STEPS team as soon as possible. We can help determine if job counseling or termination may be required.
STEPS time entry and payroll
STEPS employees are paid biweekly on the same schedule as regular staff. View the STEPS payroll schedule. STEPS time entry methods:
- If your STEPS employee is in an area that uses the Kronos timekeeping system, they will use Kronos to record their working time.
- If your STEPS employee is in an area where time is entered online through SAP, they will enter their time online in Fieldglass, accessible through myUK.
As a supervisor, you are responsible for reviewing and approving your STEPS employee’s work time by the payroll deadline date to ensure they are paid on time. Learn more about STEPS time entry.
Billing and invoicing
Departments are billed an additional fee to cover administrative costs, miscellaneous fringe benefits (workers compensation insurance, unemployment insurance), health care costs (if applicable), and Social Security and Medicare taxes for each employee.
Each pay period, departments will have access to a billing invoice from STEPS in Fieldglass. Individuals with established Budget Officer access in Fieldglass should review each billing invoice for the following:
- Verification that employees were employed during the specified pay period.
- The account number to which each employee has been billed is correct.
- Hours billed against hours reported is correct.
- All pay rates are accurate.
If you need to change the account number, pay rate or any other financial details for a STEPS employee, please email tempemptimesheets@uky.edu.
Employee benefits and leave for STEPS employees
Any university employee working an average of 30 hours or more each week is eligible to receive the UK contribution toward the cost of health insurance. Keep in mind new employees have 30 days from their start date to enroll in a plan or they must wait until open enrollment in the spring.
STEPS employees are only paid for time worked. STEPS employees are not eligible for any paid time off including vacation leave, temporary disability leave (sick leave) or holiday pay.
However, STEPS employees are encouraged to take advantage of services offered at the university such as HR Health and Wellness, HR Training and Development and the UK employee discount program among others.
Performance management and end of assignment evaluation
Our goal is to help your department run as effectively as possible.
If your STEPS employee cannot fulfill the required duties, please contact STEPS. In these situations, we recommend supervisors document as much information as possible. We can help review the situation and determine if job counseling or termination may be required. This will also help determine if the STEPS employee can be placed in another assignment.
If an assignment comes to an end for reasons other than performance, notify the employee of their last day of work. We recommend providing at least one week’s notice to the employee and encourage them to contact the STEPS office for potential future placement options.
Please keep in mind STEPS employees are required only to give a five working day notice, which differs from expectations for regular employees.
You should also inform the STEPS team as soon as possible and submit a completed STEPS performance evaluation to allow the separation process to begin.
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HR Employment
Our HR Employment team is here to guide you through the hiring process.
Contact our office
Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
(859) 257-9555, option 2
ukjobs@uky.edu
B-175 Southcreek Park, 2365 Harrodsburg Road