Glossary of Terms and Processes
Systems
OJS: (Online Job System) OJS (aka PeopleAdmin) is where all positions are posted onto the UH
site and where all applicants apply. OJS acts as the recruiting tool. All benefits eligible research
and staff positions must be posted in OJS for Compliance. All applicants have to apply through
OJS to be considered for Employment at the University of Houston. All RFOs (Request for Offers)
have to be approved by HR in OJS prior to the offer letter and ePar completion.
PeopleSoft: HR system where all job and employee data is stored. Employees can access
PeopleSoft to update their information and enroll in training. All positions have to be created in
PeopleSoft via ePRF and all candidates have to be approved in PeopleSoft via ePAR.
PeopleSoft
eForms: Electronic Forms
ePAR: Electronic Personal Action Request: An eform in PeopleSoft. This eForm is used to take
action on an employee’s status, tenure or pay such as a hire, a transfer to a new position,
termination, etc. A new hire ePar must be completed prior to attending New Hire Orientation
(NHO) in order for the New Hire to be able to have access to systems and obtain their cougar
card and parking.
ePRF: Electronic Position Request Form: An eForm in PeopleSoft. This eForm is used to create,
reclassify, or change funding of a position.
ePOI: Electronic Person of Interest: An eForm in PeopleSoft. This eForm enters a new employee
into the system and creates their employee ID to use in completing their hiring documentation
and to allow access to the University’s systems
ePerformance: Electronic Performance: An eForm in PeopleSoft used to evaluate employee’s
performance. Refer to the HR Generalist homepage for more information.
Executed: The status in PeopleSoft that recognizes an ePar process as complete.
Function: Identifies the type of ePar generated, i.e. Hire, Job Change, Termination.
Job Data: When the ePar is executed, all of the assignment information is placed in Job Data.
Job Data houses all of the information and tracks all of the changes regarding the assignments.
PASS: People Advantage Self Service: Through PASS, employees can acquire and modify
personal and job information such as emails and W2s.
Job Description
Posting: A position that is posted in OJS.
Posting Number: The number of the specific position posted in OJS. Each time a position
posting is created, it will have a new posting number.
Position Number: The number correlated to the specific position. The position number is
generated in PeopleSoft.
Minimum Qualifications: MQs: The minimum education and experience necessary to perform
the job duties. The system automatically disqualifies applicants if they do not meet the
minimum qualifications for the position. It is based upon a sliding scale, so if a candidate has
more education and less experience or visa versa, they will still be eligible. If the department
wants only applicants with said experience and education, it must be stated in the posting
“Experience may not be used in lieu of education, education may not be used in lieu of
experience.” Minimum qualifications cannot be changed in the job posting. The department
would need to contact Compensation if the MQ’s do not relate to their position. If the
department wants an applicant with more education or experience, the department can state
that such education or experience is “preferred”.
Job Code: The job code is 4 characters comprised of letters and numbers that correlates to the
official job description. The job codes and descriptions can be found on the Compensation page.
Grade: The grade is the pay grade for the job. By looking up the pay grade, the department can
determine the hiring range and midpoint for a position.
Hiring Range: This is the allowable range of pay based on the compensation pay schedule
(minimum to midpoint) Anything above midpoint must be submitted in the RFO with
Justification and approved by all levels including Compensation. The hiring range is listed as
either monthly or hourly rates.
Department Contact: The department contact is usually the Initiation. This person should be
the HR Employment contact in case there is additional information or clarification needed.
Applicants do not have access to view this information.
Department Hiring Manager: The hiring manager will be the person in charge of the hiring
process for this position. If there is a committee, this person will be the lead. The phone
number and email for the Department Manager need to be included in the Posting for HR use
only. Applicants do not have access to view this information.
FTE: Full Time Equivalencies: The FTE field will determine if this position is full time or part time.
Full time status is recognized when the FTE is 1.0, part time is recognized as anything below 1.0,
i.e. 0.5 or .75, depending on how many hours the employee will be working.
FLSA Status: The FLSA Status recognizes the employee as salary or hourly. FLSA is determined
by Compensation according to the job duties.
Job Group: The job group categorizes the position. The categories include, Executive,
Administrative/Professional, Clerical/Secretarial, Technical/Para-Professional, Skilled Trades,
Service/Maintenance.
Additional Posting Information: Additional Posting Information is utilized for additional
information that the department would like to be added to the posting.
Security Sensitive: Security Sensitive positions requires a Criminal History Record Investigation
to be completed prior to hire. Security Sensitive positions are positions that an employee would
have access to buildings, children, UH information, UH property, or secured departments. If the
position is selected as not being Security Sensitive, the department is required to give an
explanation for the reasoning. Please see the MAPP policy for more details.
CHRI: Criminal History Record Investigation: The CHRI is required on all Security Sensitive
positions and prior to receiving a PCard. If an employee is transferring to another position, the
employee will be required to complete another CHRI if there is no record of a CHRI within the
last 6 months. The CHRI requires the department’s information, the employees personal
information including date of birth, social security number, driver’s license number, and the last
7 years of residential history. The employee’s signature is required at the bottom of the form.
The CHRIs must be faxed or interoffice mailed to HR Employment. HR Employment cannot
accept CHRIs via email due to the sensitivity of the information. UHPD processes the CHRIs.
They conduct a 7 year criminal history report. Results are sent to HR Employment for review.
The department will receive an email confirmation regarding the CHRI results.
Waiver of Posting: On the very rare occasion a waiver is used, the posting in OJS would need to
reflect that a waiver is used by selecting yes. The waiver must be approved on many levels
including the Division, HR and EEO. This process is very uncommon and used only in dire
circumstances.
Minimum Posting Date: The minimum posting date is set to stay in compliance. The minimum
days a position must be posted for applicants to apply is 5 business days (holidays and weekends
are omitted.) This goes into effect at midnight from when a position is posted. If a position is
posted on Monday, October 10, the first day the position would be able to close would be
Tuesday, October 18th.
Application Types: There are 2 different application types, Internal and External. If a
department is looking to recruit from only one category, it must be stated in the posting
“Internal Candidates Only.” The default is Internal and External unless otherwise noted in the
Additional Posting Information.
State: Refers to the status of the posting. The state of the posting is what level the posting is
currently.
Posting Tabs
Posting Details: The posting details page is the first page of creating a new posting. This houses
the information regarding the specifics of the position such as the description and contacts.
Posting Approval Request: The Posting Approval Request documents why this position is open
and the need for it at the University of Houston. The department is required to fill out all fields
and also identify the cost center from which the position will be funded.
Supplemental Questions: Supplemental questions are asked to every applicant that applies for
the position. They can be quantitative or qualitative in nature. The questions need to pertain to
the ideal qualities and skill set for the position. Points can be assigned to the answers and may
also be set up as disqualifiers. This tool, when utilized correctly, can decrease recruiting time
and help identify the strongest applicants more efficiently.
Application Documents: The application documents are the documents that the applicant can
submit in the application. The department needs to determine what documents are required
and which are preferred and notate them as such. It is also recommended that the required
documents are requested under the additional posting information “All interested applicants
are required to submit a resume, cover letter, and a writing sample.” If the application
document is not selected in the setup, the applicant will be unable to attach any documents.
Guest User: Guest Users can be set up to review the applicants for the position. This is usually
used in a committee setting. Guest users are provided a user name and id to log onto OJS as any
other user. The Guest Users will only have access to view and rate applications and application
documents for that posting.
Summary: The Summary shows the posting in entirety. It shows all of the parts of the posting
that were created for the department to review before sending it to the next level and any
associated notes.
RFO
RFO: Request for Offer: The RFO must be completed in OJS with the Compliance Checklist
attached and the salary exception justification if applicable, and the start date complete. The
RFO is the Request to make an offer; thus, no offer can be made until the request to make the
offer has been approved by HR Employment.
Compliance Checklist: This is a signed form that notifies HR that the department has followed
the hiring process and has all required hiring documentation for this hire. The Compliance
Checklist includes the position, the interviewers, and the candidates who were interviewed. By
signing the Compliance Checklist, the department certifies they will be able to provide all hiring
documentation (including all interview notes from all of the interviewers on all the interviewees,
evaluations, references, etc) in a timely manner if requested. All documentation is required to
be kept by the department for 2 years from the date of hire.
Midpoint: The midpoint is the highest salary level a department can offer a candidate without
receiving prior approval from the appropriate Vice President and Compensation. Midpoint is
the middle of the pay grade range and the top of the standard hiring range. Jobs are assigned
to the grades using the midpoint that is closest to 90% of the market value. Market value is the
going rate for an employee in that job at that level for approximately five years. Since Midpoint
is close to market, candidates hired above Midpoint will need at least five years above the
required minimum qualifications. All candidates should have at least the minimum qualifications
listed on the job description. Most qualified candidates should be hired between Minimum and
1st Quartile of the new ranges. Candidates with less than average documented
experience/education or candidates that require significant training should be hired closer to
the Minimum. Candidates that have above average experience/education can be hired between
1st Quartile and Midpoint. More information about the ranges and market can be found on the
Compensation page.
Salary Exception: A salary exception is a requested salary that is above midpoint, lateral
increase, decrease in pay, demotion, or over $100,000.00. All salary exceptions must receive
prior approval from the appropriate Vice President and Compensation. A salary justification
must be included in the RFO for all Salary Exceptions.
Salary Justification: The Salary Justification is the reasoning behind the request to offer a
candidate a salary exception. This can include reasoning based on the candidate having more
education or experience than the Minimum Qualifications.
Offer Letter: The Offer Letter is sent to the employee after the RFO is completed by HR
Employment. Only the templates found under HR Forms are used as the official offer letter.
This is a legal, signed contract between the employee and department and must reflect the
actual start date. If it is a termed or contract position, an end date must be included.
Approvals
Workflow: The approval process (Department, College, Executive, Compensation*,
Employment). (*Compensation is in the RFO workflow if there is a salary exception, see salary
exception for more details.)
Department: Initiatior. The Department level user is responsible for creating the Posting from
the template in OJS as well as completing the RFO. This level in the prior system was known as
the Requestor. In the current system, the Requestor and Department levels are combined. The
Offer cannot be made until the RFO in OJS is completed by Employment.
College: Reviewer. The College level user is responsible for reviewing the posting or the RFO and
ensuring all information is correct (this includes the job description, cost center, justification). If
something is incomplete or incorrect, it is the responsibility of the College to return it to the
Department level with notes added. The Offer cannot be made until the RFO in OJS is completed
by Employment.
Executive: Approver. The Executive Level user is responsible for approving the posting and RFO.
After the Executive reviews the posting, the Executive will give the final approval that will
confirm the position is authorized and funded by the department. If the RFO is above midpoint,
the executive approves the justification and funding. If there is an error, it is the responsibility
of the Executive to return it to the Department or the College with notes. The Offer cannot be
made until the RFO in OJS is completed by Employment.
Compensation: If the RFO is a salary exception, it is the responsibility of Compensation to
review the position and the candidate to determine whether the candidate qualifies for the
requested rate based upon education, experience, and market data research. They look at each
posting case by case. It is their final determination if the candidate will in fact receive the
requested salary or if it is denied. If the request is denied, it will be sent back to the Department
to review if they would like to offer a lower salary or if they would like to select an alternate
candidate. The Offer cannot be made until the RFO in OJS is completed by Employment.
Employment: Employment is the final approval in the posting and RFO process. It is the
responsibility of Employment to review all notes and information to ensure that all information
is correct and the processes (approval, posting and hiring) were followed. If Employment sees
any discrepancies, they will send it back to the responsible level. The Offer cannot be made until
the RFO in OJS is completed by Employment.
Onboarding
eI9
Direct Deposit
NHO: New Hire Orientation: NHO is the first day orientation for new employees. It is imperative
that all full time staff employees attend orientation in order to receive information on benefits,
policies, University of Houston, parking and cougar identification cards. New Employees have
only 30 days to make selections on their benefits.
Foreign National
Alien (Immigration): A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States.
CPT (Immigration): Acronym for Curricular Practical Training. Temporary employment
authorized to individuals in F-1 nonimmigrant student status for gaining experience as integral
part of the curriculum.
DS-2019 (Immigration): Letter-size document issued to a J-1 nonimmigrant exchange visitor
through the U.S. Department of State containing visitor, program sponsor, and other programrelated information.
EAD (Immigration): Acronym for Employment Authorization Document (aka, Employment
Authorization Card; Form I-766). Card-size document that grants a nonimmigrant permission to
engage in employment in the U.S. for a limited period of time.
F-1 (Immigration): Nonimmigrant classification for the purpose of studying in the U.S.
FICA Tax: Acronym for Federal Insurance Contributions Act. The FICA tax is imposed on
employers and employees (unless exempted) for the Social Security and Medicare federal funds.
Foreign National: UH defines foreign national as a person who is not a citizen or lawful
permanent resident of the U.S. The Department of Homeland Security defines it as a person
who is a citizen of a country other than the U.S.
Green Card (Immigration): Card-size document issued to a person who is not a citizen of the
U.S. that grants permission to reside in the U.S. permanently. See Lawful Permanent Resident.
H-1B (Immigration): Nonimmigrant classification for employment in the U.S. in positions
requiring at least a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent for a limited period of time.
I-797 (Immigration): Letter-size document issued to a foreign national through the U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services as notification of receipt or approval of a nonimmigrant or
immigrant petition or application.
I-20 (Immigration): Three-page letter-size document issued to an F-1 nonimmigrant student
through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services containing student, academic institution,
and other academic-related information.
I-9 (Immigration): Required U.S. Department of Homeland Security form used by all U.S.
employers to verify an individual’s eligibility to work in the U.S.
I-94 (Immigration): Paper card issued to a nonimmigrant by the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security to classify the purpose and length of stay in the U.S.
Immigrant: A person who is not a citizen of the U.S. that has been granted permission to reside
in the U.S. permanently. Also known as lawful permanent resident; permanent resident alien;
or green card holder.
ITIN: Acronym for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. A person may not use an ITIN in
place of a social security number (SSN) for employment.
J-1 (Immigration): Nonimmigrant classification for the purpose of interchanging knowledge,
skills, and culture between the U.S. and people of other countries.
Lawful Permanent Resident: A person who is not a citizen of the U.S. that has been granted
permission to reside in the U.S. permanently. Also known as immigrant; permanent resident
alien; or green card holder.
Nonimmigrant: A person who is not a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the U.S. that has
been admitted into the U.S. to engage in a specific activity for a limited period of time. Also
known as temporary resident.
OPT (Immigration): Acronym for Optional Practical Training. Temporary employment
authorized to individuals in F-1 nonimmigrant student status through an Employment
Authorization Card (aka, EAD) for gaining experience directly related to their major area of
study.
Permanent Resident Alien: A person who is not a citizen of the U.S. that has been granted
permission to reside in the U.S. permanently. Also known as immigrant; lawful permanent
resident; or green card holder.
Temporary Resident: A person who is not a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the U.S. that
has been admitted into the U.S. to engage in a specific activity for a limited period of time. Also
known as nonimmigrant.
TN (Immigration): Nonimmigrant classification for employment of Canadian or Mexican
nationals in the U.S. in NAFTA professions for a limited period of time.
TPS (Immigration): Acronym for Temporary Protected Status. Nonimmigrant classification
reserved for nationals of certain countries that are unable to safely return to their countries due
to extraordinary circumstances to reside in the U.S. for a limited period of time.
Status (Immigration): Commonly known as the immigration condition of a foreign national
assigned by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through Form I-94 Arrival/Departure
(aka, I-94 Card) upon entering the U.S. on visa.
Visa (Immigration): Document stamped inside a foreign national’s passport by the Department
of State through the U.S. Embassy or Consulate for the purpose of requesting entry into the U.S.