Before you commence your first day, it is essential to collaborate with your supervisor to ensure that you are equipped with all the essential information required to complete and enroll in the necessary items, such as company benefits, training programs, and any other onboarding requirements.
Download and use the New Employee Checklist (PDF) to keep track of your onboarding process.
Welcome to the University of Arizona!
Join us at the New Wildcat Social to meet other new employees
and get to know our university better.
Wednesday, March 5, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Register for the Next New Wildcat Social
Essentials
Employee Identification Number (EIN)
After HR processes your hiring documents, you will be assigned an Employee Identification Number (EIN). Your EIN is your personal identifier for university business systems and transactions.
Your EIN will be emailed from EmployeeSelfService@arizona.edu.
CatCard
Once you have your EIN, please get your CatCard. The CatCard is the official University of Arizona identification card and is your key to room/building access, money management, and other privileges on and off campus.
Note: You must have a CatCard before receiving building keys or electronic swipe access.
NetID
A NetID allows access to many online services at the university. You will receive a PIN and instructions from EmployeeSelfService@arizona.edu. Then, visit the NetID portal and follow the “Create UA NetID" prompts. You need your EIN and PIN to create a NetID.
When you create your NetID, you automatically create your email: [Your NetID]@arizona.edu.
Getting Oriented
Benefits Enrollment & Orientation
Within 30 days, you must enroll in mandatory and optional health, insurance benefits, and flexible spending accounts, and within 31 days to choose a retirement plan. Attend a virtual Benefits Orientation session to learn about these and all your benefits.
Training - Compliance Obligations
Employees must complete training about important federal, state, and university compliance obligations within 30 days of hire. Based on your role, you may be asked to complete additional training. Visit the Compliance Office Training webpage for a list of compliance trainings.
Working in a Public Higher Education Environment
The University of Arizona is a public and nonprofit higher education institution. Working as an employee in this sector can be very different from other industries. Get oriented with these resources.
Understanding Your Benefits & PTO
Total Rewards Calculator
The Total Rewards Calculator provides you a personalized estimate of your total compensation.
Benefits Overview
The University of Arizona proudly offers a comprehensive benefits package.
Leave of Absence Requests
How to request a leave of absence for FML or parental leave.
Paid Time Off
The university offers paid sick and vacation time accruals for eligible employees.
Understanding Your Paycheck
The university has 26 annual pay periods, with paychecks distributed every other Friday (review Payroll calendars). Paychecks represent earnings for the two-week pay period ending at midnight on the Sunday prior to a payday.
Payroll Training
This 15-minute training will walk you through how to view and model your paycheck, enroll in direct deposit, choose how you receive your W-2 forms, adjust tax forms and more.
You will need to have your NetID created to view this training.
Paycheck Tax Withholding
Complete your Federal W-4 and Arizona State A-4 forms in UAccess to set up the amount of tax to withhold from your paycheck. You may update at any time on or after your employment start date.
In UAccess > Employee/Manager Self Service > Payroll & Compensation, navigate to the forms in the left menu.
An HR Guide to Your Paycheck
This infosheet helps you read the information on your paycheck, including categories of earnings, voluntary deductions, and accruals. It supplements information published by Financial Services.
Frequently Asked Questions
A NetID is a personal identifier that allows employees and affiliates to access many online services at the University.
Employee services requiring NetID include:
- Email, CatMail, UAConnect365, and other UITS computing accounts
- UAccess applications (Employee/Manager Self Service, Analytics, etc.)
- New employee resources and benefits enrollment
- University site-licensed software
These online services require NetID & password + push to a mobile phone or passcode entry.
Go to the NetID website to create your NetID and to learn more.
W-2
The W-2 form represents the income you earned during the calendar year. It is required to prepare income tax returns.
Sign up to receive your W-2 electronically in UAccess > Employee/Manager Self Service > Payroll & Compensation > W2 Tax Forms > W2/W2C Consent.
1095-C:
The 1095-C documents employer-sponsored health insurance.
Sign up to receive your 1095-C electronically in UAccess > Employee/Manager Self Service > University Benefits > Affordable Care Act > Form 1095-C Consent.
You must have a current University of Arizona CatCard before requesting keys and access. You must also have a key request form signed by the authorized key signer.
Contact the Facilities Management Key Desk
1405 N. Ring Rd. Tucson, AZ 85721
(520) 621-1612
FM-Keydesk@arizona.edu
Keyless access
Many University buildings are fitted to allow authorized employees to swipe their CatCard for keyless entry. Your departmental business manager will arrange to activate your CatCard for buildings and areas you are authorized to enter.
Set your 4-digit access code here.
University buildings are normally unlocked from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
All policies are housed at policy.arizona.edu. Useful references are:
- University Staff Manual
- University Handbook for Appointed Personnel
- Social Media Guidelines
- Acceptable Use of Computers and Networks
- University of Arizona Policy Governing Use and Duplication of Computer Software
- Use of E-mail for Official Correspondence with Employees
- Political Activity and Lobbying
- Misuse of University Assets
Here are some important resources to check out for those new to Arizona.
- Arizona Department of Revenue - tax information as well as local resources including getting a driver's license, registering to vote and schools.
- Relocation Services - access support and resources for relocating to Arizona (or elsewhere!).
- Arizona Motor Vehicle Services - To change your driver’s license or register a vehicle, visit the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Services page.
Business & Administrative
| Abbreviation | Stands For | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| AP | Appointed Personnel | Collectively refers to faculty members, academic professionals, and administrators who are employed under a notice of appointment |
| ASC | Administrative Service Charge | A percentage fee used to recover overhead costs incurred by the University of Arizona for accounts that are not directly funded by either state appropriations or sponsored grants and contracts |
| ERE | Employee Related Expense | The additional expenses the university incurs on behalf of an employee on top of salary expenses. ERE is comprised of FICA, Retirement, Unemployment Compensation, Workers’ Compensation, Liability Insurance, Health/Dental/Life Insurance, and Wellness Services |
| ETE | Extended Temporary Employment | Positions with an end date 6 to 24 months in the future. ETE employees are benefits-eligible, but are not placed in layoff status at the completion of their assignment. |
| FTE | Full-Time Equivalent | A numerical designator for the hours per week a position is assigned. It is based on 100% (1.0 FTE) for full-time employment, or 40 hours per week. (If you regularly work 20 hours per week, you are employed at .50 FTE.) |
| GA | Graduate Assistant/Graduate Associate | Graduate students who are employed to conduct research and perform assigned related activities |
| GAT (in common use, TA or GTA) |
Graduate Assistant, Teaching | Graduate students who teach or perform other assigned related activities |
| ICON | Independent Contractor Form | The form independent contractors (freelance) personnel must complete before doing work for the University of Arizona |
| ITQ | International Tax Questionnaire | Form used for an employee who is not a U.S. citizen to determine eligibility for federal, state, and Social Security tax exemptions, or to prove the employee is a resident alien, for tax purposes, based on substantial presence in the United States |
| LTA | Limited-Term Adjunct | Describes a non-benefits-eligible (adjunct) faculty member hired for 18 weeks or less |
| PCard | Purchasing Card | A university credit card issued to a University of Arizona unit or employee that can be used for small-dollar purchases, avoiding the need for a purchase order |
| PCN | Position Control Number | The line number to which the position is assigned in the operating budget for the department and the name of the person filling the position |
| PI | Principal Investigator | The person assigned responsibility for program and budgetary management of a grant or contract |
| RA | Research Assistant | A research position for graduate student employment |
| RBC | Request for Budget Change (form) | A form for requesting budget changes on state and local accounts |
| RFP | Request for Proposals | A formal bid process managed through Procurement & Contracting Services that enables a set of vendors to be approved to provide a specific product or service to the University of Arizona |
Committees, Boards and Organizations
| Abbreviation | Stands For | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| ABOR | Arizona Board of Regents | The governing body for the State of Arizona’s public university system which includes the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University |
| ADOA | Arizona Department of Administration | Administrators benefits for Arizona University System and other State of Arizona employees |
| APAC | Appointed Professionals Advisory Council | The formal, elected, representative body for appointed professionals |
| ASRS | Arizona State Retirement System | The retirement system for State of Arizona employees. New university employees have a choice between ASRS and the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP). |
| CABO | Council of Academic Business Officers | A shared governance committee of mostly college-level business officers |
| CSC | Classified Staff Council | Exists to serve as an advocate and resource to all staff |
| CSW | Commission on the Status of Women | Work to strengthen the University of Arizona by advocating an inclusive and just campus community by overcoming impediments to the full participation and achievement of women and other underrepresented groups |
| NIH | National Institutes of Health | One of the world’s foremost medical research centers and the federal focal point for medical research in the United States |
| NSF | National Science Foundation | An independent agency of the U.S. government that exists to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; and to secure the national defense |
| UFO | University Financial Officers | A shared governance committee of division-level business officers of non-academic units. |
University Departments and Units
| Abbreviation | Stands For | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| CALS | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences | One of the colleges into which the University of Arizona is organized |
| CAPLA | College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture | One of the colleges into which University of Arizona is organized |
| COM Phoenix | College of Medicine, Phoenix | A component of the Phoenix Biomedical Campus |
| FM | Facilities Management | The department responsible for maintenance, custodial and building service needs at the university |
| HR | Division of Human Resources | Assists employees and departments with employment, benefits, employee relations, compensation, training and development and organizational effectiveness needs |
| LWC | Life & Work Connections | A unit within HR that focuses on employee assistance and employee wellness |
| OGC | Office of the General Counsel | In-house counsel providing legal advice, education and representation for the university |
| OIA | Office of Instruction and Assessment | Offers support to the University of Arizona teaching community in course and curriculum design, online course development, program and classroom assessment |
| OIE | Office of Institutional Equity | Upholds the university’s policies against discrimination and harassment and to provide equal opportunity in employment |
| RII | Research, Innovation & Impact | The unit that enables the research success of our faculty through supporting university research centers, institutes, museums, and core facilities; providing research development, stewardship, compliance and safety services; and securing strategic external partnerships. |
| SBS | College of Social and Behavioral Sciences | One of the colleges into which the University of Arizona is organized |
| SUMC | Student Union Memorial Center | The Student Union Complex at Mountain Ave. & Second St. |
| TLA | Tech Launch Arizona | The technology transfer office of the University of Arizona, working to commercialize research generated at the university |
| TRI-U | University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University |
The three Arizona universities that form the Arizona University System and are governed by the Arizona Board of Regents |
| UAHS | University of Arizona Health Sciences | Includes the University of Arizona Colleges of Medicine (Tucson and Phoenix campuses), Nursing, and Pharmacy; the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, the University of Arizona Cancer Center; and its affiliated teaching hospitals with Banner–University Medicine |
| UITS | University Information Technology Services | Assists departments, employees and students with technology |
Your Benefits
| Abbreviation | Stands For | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| CTL | Compassionate Transfer of Leave | A process that allows employees who are unable to work due to long-term illness or injury and have exhausted all paid time off to receive paid hours from vacation hours other employees have forfeited. |
| ORP | Optional Retirement Plan | An ABOR-administered retirement plan that is available as an option |
| QLE | Qualified Life Event | A life change that allows you to make changes to your benefits elections outside of open enrollment. Common examples are marriage or divorce, birth or adoption of a child, or spouse’s/partner’s loss of health insurance. |
| QTR | Qualified Tuition Reduction | The name used at the University of Arizona at for ABOR’s educational assistance benefits. University employees, their spouses, and their qualified dependents are eligible for substantial tuition reductions at the Arizona University System universities. The Domestic Partner Tuition Reduction Program offers tuition reductions to employees’ domestic partners at the University of Arizona only |
| RASL | Retiree Accumulated Sick Leave | A benefit of ADOA that allows state employees who retire with 500 or more hours of accumulated sick leave to receive a cash payout for a portion of the value of those hours |
| UHAP | University Handbook for Appointed Personnel | The (online) collection of policies applying to faculty and appointed professionals at the University of Arizona. The counterpart for classified staff is the Classified Staff Human Resources Policy Manual, and for university staff is the University Staff Manual. |
The following deductions are itemized on each of your paychecks.
State and federal tax: Based on taxable income and amount indicated on W-4
FICA: Medicare and Social Security taxes - Based on taxable income
Retirement: Percentage of gross pay, depending on your mandatory retirement plans
Long-Term Disability: ASRS participants only: (Percentage of gross pay)
Court-ordered payments: Garnishments or child support payments
Optional Deductions: Insurance premiums, supplementary retirement plans, parking permit, FSAs and other optional items that you opt in to.
Important: During months with three paydays, optional deductions are not made from the third paycheck. We call this a premium holiday.
Direct Deposit: Sign up for direct deposit in UAccess > Employee/Manager Self Service > Payroll & Compensation > Direct Deposit. Learn more about Direct Deposit.
Time Reporting: Submit your time record in UAccess > Employee/Manager Self Service > Time > Enter Time.
Financial Services Guidance
Visit Financial Services' Employee Resources page.
Visit the University of Arizona Faculty & Staff page.