Referral Priority Information Guide for HR Professionals

Referral Priority is a service provided by the Office of Human Resources (OHR) to help support eligible employees find new employment after layoff or, in some cases, nonrenewal. Employees enrolled in Referral Priority (RP) receive expedited consideration of their job application and are eligible to bypass the full recruitment process.

This information guide will help you understand:

• Who is eligible for RP services
• Layoff Notice Requirements
• Steps to the Referral Priority process
• Options for HR Professionals
• Additional Resources

Eligibility

Exempt University Staff and Academic Staff who are laid off, and long-term Academic Staff who are nonrenewed due to funding loss or budget/program redirection. For purposes of nonrenewal, long-term Academic Staff are defined as employees who have six or more years of academic staff service at UW-Madison within the prior seven years. ASPP 3 and ASPP 5. Eligible employees may immediately enroll in Referral Priority after receiving their notice of layoff or nonrenewal.

Academic Staff who have been nonrenewed for performance are not eligible for RP Services. Nonexempt University Staff are also not eligible for RP Services.

University Staff Laid Off from Exempt Positions

University Staff employees may be laid off in accordance with the layoff of University Staff policy.  Policy Library

• Reasons include
  • Loss of Funding
  • Organizational change and shortage of work
• Employees who are in exempt positions as University Staff and are laid off shall receive referral priority rights to Academic Staff positions in accordance with Academic Staff Policies and Procedures 

Academic Staff Layoff v. Nonrenewal

• Both result in the termination of an Academic Staff member’s employment
• Reasons for RP candidates include
  • Loss of Funding
  • Budget/Program Decision

*ASPP 3 allows for nonrenewal performance, but these employees are not eligible for Referral Priority.

• A layoff is defined as, per ASPP 1:
  • The termination of an academic staff member’s employment because of funding loss or a budget or program decision either prior to the end of the appointment or when proper notice of nonrenewal under ASPP 3.04 cannot be given (see below for notice requirements).
• A nonrenewal is defined as, per ASPP 1:
  • The termination of an academic staff member’s employment at the end of the appointment because of funding loss, a budget or program decision, or unsatisfactory performance, when proper notice of nonrenewal under ASPP 3.04 is given (see below for notice requirements).  

Academic Staff Policies & Procedures (ASPP) 1, 3, 5

Academic Staff Layoff & Nonrenewal Notice Requirements

*While policy requires minimum notice periods, hiring units are encouraged to provide more notice if possible.

Enrollment Periods for Referral Priority Services

• Employees who have been laid off and elect to receive RP services may receive them for three years from their termination date due to layoff.
• Long-term nonrenewed employees who elect to receive RP services may receive them from the date of the written notification of nonrenewal and until six months after the end date of the appointment.  

Steps of the Referral Priority Process:

1. Employee receives layoff or nonrenewal letter
2. Employee emails the letter to rp@ohr.wisc.edu to enroll
3. Employee applies for job(s) and notifies Referral Priority via email
4. RP reaches out to hiring unit
5. Hiring unit considers candidate and determines next steps (which are outlined below)

Processing Referral Priority Applications

When a hiring department receives a RP candidate’s application and referral, they must review the RP candidate's application materials timely. If the candidate meets the requirements of the position, the hiring department must have a discussion with the candidate about the role. After your conversation, the following options are available:

1. Waive the recruitment to directly hire the RP candidate into the position. Consult with Talent Acquisition if you have questions on converting an open recruitment to a waiver.
2. Include the candidate in the open recruitment. The hiring department would then consider the RP candidate along with the other applicants in the pool.
3. Determine the candidate is not suitable for the role and inform them of the decision.

If the candidate does not meet the minimum requirements, the hiring unit is not required to discuss the role with the candidate. The hiring unit must notify the candidate of this decision in a timely manner. 

The hiring unit must also ensure they are providing employees with any AS reappointment rights and US reemployment and placement assistance rights to which they are entitled. See ASPP 5 - Layoff for Reasons of Budget or Program and Layoff of University Staff policies and Layoff Policy for University Staff

Benefits of Hiring a RP candidate:

• The hiring department can convert an open recruitment to a waiver, eliminating recruitment time and cost 
• RP candidates are familiar with UW-Madison which creates a smoother onboarding process and less time training
• UW-Madison is able to retain top talent with transferable skills to make a quicker impact in your unit

Additional Resources:

• Referral Priority Information Guide for Employees: https://hr.wisc.edu/hr-guides/for-employees/referral-priority-guide-for-employees/
• Policies: ASPP 3, ASPP 5, Layoff of University Staff 
• Employee Career Counseling: Career counseling is a personalized guidance service available to all UW–Madison employees that helps individuals explore, plan, and manage their career paths to achieve professional success and satisfaction: 
• Title and Standard Job Description Library Explains titles, salaries and information for all jobs at UW-Madison.
• Salary Ranges

Questions?

Contact rp@ohr.wisc.edu