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 (fixed term terminal and fixed term renewable) 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 

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. OHR RP reviews and confirms eligibility 
5. If eligible, OHR-TA emails confirmation & instructions to hiring unit recruiter to review RP candidate
6. 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 an initial interview with the candidate about the role. After the interview, 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 process. The hiring department would then consider the RP candidate along with 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

IMPORTANT: Laid off academic staff fixed-term terminal (AS FTT) positions can ONLY use RP to apply for AS FTT positions with substantially similar duties.  For AS FTT, RP does NOT provide priority for renewable positions. AS FTT may apply for AS renewable positions through the normal recruitment process. 

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/
• Recruitment Email Request: Fill out this RP Email Request Form to send your open recruitment to all candidates in Referral Priority Status 
• 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 focusing on career development and job search needs. Employees who have received a layoff or non-renewal notice may use these services up to 6 months post-separation from the University.
• 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