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New Employee Orientation

We’re excited you’re joining our team.

Welcome to the University of Rochester

We are a diverse community in which all who work, teach, create, and provide care are welcome and respected. We are honored that you have chosen to join our team.

Discover our purpose

Our values define our mission. The institution’s mission is to Learn, Discover, Heal, Create—and Make the World Ever Better. Embedded in that ideal are the values we share: equity, leadership, integrity, openness, respect, and accountability.

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A Safe, Welcoming, and Supportive Culture for All

ICARE—an acronym for Integrity, Inclusion, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence—provides the foundation for how we treat people at the Medical Center.

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Educating the Future

Founded in 1850, Rochester is one of the world’s leading research universities. Always pushing and questioning, learning and unlearning, more than 12,000 students pursue their academic goals in an environment designed to inspire, support, and empower them.

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Advances Happen Here

The Medical Center is focused on making the lives of our patients, teams, and communities better by delivering hope, pursuing cures, and transforming medicine.

Explore UR Medicine

Seeking Answers

Research at Rochester is fueled by the relentless quest to improve humankind. Students and faculty broaden our understanding of our world through embracing creativity, innovation, and state-of-the-art technology.

See what sets Rochester apart

What’s Happening

The University of Rochester News Center is a great place to see all the great work happening across the institution. From Science and Technology to Society and Culture, take pride in our community that continues to frame and solve the greatest challenges of the future.

Keep current with University News

A graphic that shows the hierarchy of the University of Rochester as an organization. UR Medicine is a subset of URMC. URMC is a subset of the University of Rochester. URMC includes the medical schools. The University of Rochester includes central administration, the rest of the academic units, and the MAG.

One University

University of Rochester organizational structure

The University of Rochester is the region’s largest employer, and is made up of a variety of areas of service, including URMC and UR Medicine. This graphic is a helpful overview for better understanding the University’s structure.

Learn more about the University's motto

New employee onboarding

Your manager or department contact will be your resource for information and answers to any questions you may have in advance of your first day.

Your first day

On your designated start date, you will report directly to your department unless your hiring department provides other instructions. Remote workers should discuss expectations in advance with their manager and get information on equipment and how to get set up. In addition, Nursing Practice staff will receive orientation instructions from HR or the Center for Nursing Professional Development at (585) 273-4270.

Follow the steps below once you get to your department to progress through the required steps for onboarding within your first few days. Don’t worry, you won’t have to do it alone. Managers, support staff, and HR and IT contacts are available to help you every step of the way if you have any trouble.

Print the new employee checklist

Step 1: Report to your designated location
  • Meet your manager or department contact.
  • Your department may set up a schedule of tours and meetings for your first week. Now is a good time to ask for information about those and who to reach out to for help.
  • At some point on your first day, you will be provided access to a computer or work station to initialize your login credentials.
Step 2: Initialize your account
  • Please note, your Account ID cannot be activated until your start date.
  • To initialize your account, look for your URID in the personal email from your HR Service Center Liaison.
  • Go to tech.rochester.edu/services/account-initialization-new-user, click Initialize Account, and enter your URID and date of birth to get started.
  • For questions about your URID, contact ASK-URHR at (585) 275-8747.
Step 3: Set up your email account

Use your Active Directory username and password to log into your computer and Microsoft Outlook. Please see your manager with any questions.

Step 4: Verify your personal information in HRMS

Use your Net ID to log in to HRMS:

  • Update personal and emergency contact info.
  • Confirm federal, state, and local tax elections.
  • Set up direct deposit.
  • Approve Remote Work Agreement (if applicable) and indicate whether fully remote or hybrid. For questions about the HRMS website, contact ASK-URHR at (585) 275-8747.
Step 5: Obtain or update your ID photo badge, if needed

Your ID photo badge is used to identify you as an employee, securely enter certain areas, ride the UR shuttle system, and may be used for certain employees to record time worked.

To get your badge, visit the designated ID Office in person. Bring your photo ID.

Step 6: Purchase a parking permit, if required for your location
Step 7: Follow-up with your manager or departmental contact
  • Review your onboarding plan.
  • Schedule job-specific training, if required.

Review departmental policies and procedures.

Week 1-2

Complete your online orientation training in MyPath

The University of Rochester requires training for all new employees in MyPath, our online learning and development platform. Employees will be assigned a version of the training based on work location (Medical Center or non-Medical Center) that must be completed by Day 7. The topics covered in each training are below.

Sign into MyPath and complete your assigned training by the due date.

If orientation training doesn’t appear in your learning transcript, search MyPath for the course name that corresponds to your work location.

University-wide (non-Medical Center) Training Content (approximately 4-5 hours)

Welcome Message (3 minutes)

Getting Started (10 minutes)

    • University ID Card
    • HRMS and Net ID
    • Payroll Services
    • Time Keeping
    • Pay Cycle and Direct Deposit
    • HR Benefits
    • Employee Compliance Responsibilities
    • Environmental Health and Safety
    • Campus Safety
    • Parking

COVID-19 Safety Training (20 minutes)

Key Policies and Expectations (10 minutes)

    • Probationary Period (Policy 169)
    • Dress Code (Policy 157)
    • Work Schedule/Work Hours (Policy 172)
    • Meal Periods (Policy 172
    • Smoke-Free Institution (Policy 170)
    • Compliance Education (Policy 114)
    • Drug-Free Workplace (Policy 171)
    • Affirmative Action (Policy 102)
    • Grievance Procedure (Policy 160)
    • Discrimination and Harassment (Policy 106)

FERPA: Protecting Student Privacy (15 minutes)

HIPAA – Privacy and Security (30 minutes)

Information Security Policy (20 minutes)

Confidentiality Statement (5 minutes)

Policy on Acceptable Use of Information Technology and Resources

Emergency Preparedness & Incident Command at the University of Rochester (20 minutes)

Fire Safety (20 minutes)

Asbestos Awareness (10 minutes)

Ergonomic & Back Safety (10 minutes)

Fall Prevention & Walking Working Surfaces (10 minutes)

Hazard Communication & Global Harmonization (15 minutes)

Active Shooter Awareness (20 minutes)

Harassment and Discrimination Prevention (35 minutes)

Unconscious Bias Awareness (90 minutes)

Medical Center Training Content (approximately 6-8 hours)

Welcome Message (3 minutes)

Getting Started (10 minutes)

    • University ID Card
    • HRMS and Net ID
    • Payroll Services
    • Time Keeping
    • Pay Cycle and Direct Deposit
    • HR Benefits
    • Employee Compliance Responsibilities
    • Environmental Health and Safety
    • Campus Safety
    • Parking

COVID-19 Safety Training (20 minutes)

HIPAA (30 minutes)

Key Policies and Expectations (10 minutes)

    • Probationary Period (Policy 169)
    • Dress Code (Policy 157)
    • Work Schedule/Work Hours (Policy 172)
    • Meal Periods (Policy 172
    • Smoke-Free Institution (Policy 170)
    • Compliance Education (Policy 114)
    • Drug-Free Workplace (Policy 171)
    • Affirmative Action (Policy 102)
    • Grievance Procedure (Policy 160)
    • Discrimination and Harassment (Policy 106)

Information Security Policy (20 minutes)

Confidentiality Statement (5 minutes)

Policy on Acceptable Use of Information Technology and Resources (5 minutes)

Active Violence in a Clinical Setting (14 minutes)

URMC Leadership Welcome (4 minutes)

ICARE Values (15 minutes)

Integrity and Compliance (15 minutes)

Code of eConduct (5 minutes)

Infection Prevention (10 minutes)

Working in a Clinical Environment (10 minutes)

Safe Movement Handling (15 minutes)

Workplace Health (5 minutes)

Communications (10 minutes)

Harassment and Discrimination Prevention (35 minutes)

Unconscious Bias (30 minutes)

Mandatory In-Service (30 – 90 minutes)

Enroll in Benefits

The University of Rochester offers eligible faculty and staff (both full-time and part-time) a wide range of benefits that work together to provide a comprehensive benefits program. A benefit packet will be provided to regular full and part-time employees as well as SEIU employees at the time the I-9 and other hire forms are completed at the Employment Center. Since eligibility for the plans varies, the Benefits Eligibility Key is designed to assist you in determining your own eligibility based on your status with the University.

In addition to this packet, there are helpful links below to the plan materials and videos that are designed to assist you in understanding the University’s benefit plans. Please take special note of the enrollment deadlines. It is very important that you make your elections in the timeframe listed to ensure proper enrollment and benefit eligibility.

Employee benefit summaries and forms

Download full PDF overviews of the benefits available to you based on your role at the University of Rochester.

Find your plan summary

Overview of your benefits

At the University of Rochester, we’re proud to offer faculty and staff a comprehensive benefits and compensation package called Total Rewards. Learn more about all the benefits that will be available to you once you begin your employment with us.

Video

For questions about benefits, contact Total Rewards at (585) 275-2084 or totalrewards@rochester.edu

Health and Dental Benefit Enrollment

Hired October 15 – November 1

    • You have 30 days from your hire date to complete New Hire enrollment via HRMS.
      • If you enroll in your new hire benefits between Nov. 1 – Nov. 14, please allow 24 hours for HRMS to re-set for you to do your Open Enrollment elections.
    • You have 30 days from your hire date to enroll in Open Enrollment.
      • If you enroll in your new hire benefits on or after Nov. 15, you should contact Total Rewards to request an Open Enrollment form.

Hired November 2 – December 1

  • You have 30 days from your hire date to complete New Hire enrollment via HRMS.
    • If you enroll in your new hire benefits between Nov. 2 – Nov. 14, after 24 hours check HRMS to see if you can do your Open Enrollment elections online.
      • If HRMS is not showing this as an option, contact Total Rewards to request an Open Enrollment form.
  • You have 30 days from your hire date to enroll in Open Enrollment.
    • If you enroll in your new hire benefits on or after Nov. 15, you should contact Total Rewards to request an Open Enrollment form.

Hired December 2 – December 31

  • You have 30 days from your hire date to complete New Hire enrollment via HRMS.
    • Your benefits effective date will be January 1, 2022, therefore you should only view the 2022 benefit details on the Total Rewards website and do not need to elect for Open Enrollment.
Allstate Identity Protection, VSP, & MetLife Legal Enrollment

Hired October 25 – November 15

  • You have 30 days from your hire date to complete your New Hire enrollment
    • You must call Corestream to enroll at 1-888-935-9595 and a representative will advise the unique options available to new hires during Open Enrollment.
    • Additionally, representatives can help you enroll in your New Hire and Open Enrollment benefits if you wish.
  • If you enroll during Open Enrollment (Nov. 1 – Nov. 15) and wish to enroll as of January 1, 2022, enroll online by logging into HRMS and selecting the YOUR Benefits Extras link.
    • Your effective date will be January 1, 2022.

Hired November 16 – December 31

  • You have 30 days from your hire date to complete your New Hire enrollment.
    • Based on hire date, effective dates will be as of 2022 (see below), therefore no Open Enrollment action needs to be made.
  • Enroll online by logging into HRMS and selecting the YOUR Benefits Extras link.
    • If you enroll between Nov. 16 and Dec. 15 your coverage will go into effect January 1, 2022.
    • If you enroll between Dec. 16 – Dec. 31  your coverage will go into effect February 2, 2022.
Life Insurance Benefit Enrollment

Hired October 25 – December 31

  • You have 90 days from your hire date to complete your New Hire enrollment.
  • Enroll online by logging into HRMS and clicking on the Securian Financial link.
  • As a new hire during or after Open Enrollment (Nov. 1 – Nov. 15), you only have the opportunity to do your new hire election (1-8x your salary) and the coverage you elect will roll over to 2022.
    • Your New Hire election takes the place of needing to make any Open Enrollment elections.
Helpful benefits tools
  • Eligibility Information and Important Enrollment Deadlines
  • Enrollment Form – To be used by current employees transferring into a benefits-eligible position
  • ALEX – an interactive benefits decision tool
  • ANDY – an interactive retirement program tool
  • Long-Term Disability Information
  • Long-Term Disability Frequently Asked Questions
  • Retirement Service Credit Waiver – Prior service completed at any higher education institution, teaching hospital, not-for-profit research foundation, or not-for-profit support organization for higher education institutions, as well as service as a member of the controlled group of the University, will count towards the two-year service requirement to receive University contributions to the Retirement Program. To receive this service credit you may complete the Retirement Service Credit Waiver in HRMS by following the path, Main Menu > Self Service > Benefits > Retirement Service Credit.
  • Tuition Service Credit Form – At the University of Rochester, the service requirement for the tuition benefits plan may be met by service at another college, university or University of Rochester-affiliated teaching hospital, as well as service at a member of the controlled group of the University that offered a tuition benefit plan for which the faculty or staff member was eligible.
More information

Many benefits will roll over from year to year, if no changes are made including; medical, dental, VSP, MetLife Legal and Life Insurance.

Have Questions? Email ASK-URHR or call (585) 275-8747.

The University of Rochester campus as seen from the top of the Rush Rhees Library Tower, facing the Interfaith Chapel

Learn about faculty and staff support

We believe that supporting our staff not only helps them thrive in their roles, but also contributes to their overall professional success. With more than 30,000 employees, we have many departments besides Human Resources dedicated to supporting our staff. Click each link to learn more about some of these departments and the services they offer:

University-wide contact guide

Below, you’ll find a list of websites and phone numbers for frequently used University-wide resources. A printable version is available in this PDF.

Employee Assistance Program
Employee Pharmacy
Environmental Health and Safety
Human Resources: Ask URHR

Submit a question using this web form.

You can also email ask-urhr@rochester.edu or call (585) 275-8747.

Human Resources: Benefits Office

Visit the Benefits page on our website to learn more, or visit the Benefits Contacts page to find the most specific contact for your needs.

Human Resources: Policies and Procedures

Visit the Policies website to explore our HR policies.

Phone:

(585) 273-4320 (River Campus)

(585) 275-2513 (Medical Center)

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
ID Office
Parking and Transportation

Website: rochester.edu/parking

Phone:

(585) 275-4524 (Medical Center/River Campus)

(585) 274-1084 (Eastman School of Music)

Post Offices

Website: rochester.edu/parking/mail-services/

Phone:

(585) 275-3991 (River Campus)

(585) 275-2630 (Medical Center)

Public Safety

Website: rochester.edu/public-safety

Phone: (585) 275-3333 or x13 for an emergency from a University phone

River Campus Communications
Shuttle Buses
University Health Service

Website: rochester.edu/uhs

Phone:

(585) 275-2662 (Medical Center/River Campus)

(585) 274-1230 (Eastman School of Music)

University IT
URMC Communications
URMC ISD Help Desk
Well-U

Visit the Well-U website to learn more.

You can also visit the Contact Well-U page for specific contact details relative to your inquiry.

Helpful resources

We’ve compiled links to some helpful resources to get you started in your career with us:

Get to know our city

Relocating to Rochester?

Rochester is a great place to call home. Learn more about the city’s culture, and explore resources that will help you settle in.

Discover what Rochester has to offer

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