Recruit & Hire Employees

Job descriptions are required for all positions. The percentage of time for each essential function must be completed.  

Please use the Job Description Template to create job descriptions. For additional guidance, please visit the Classification & Compensation page. 

All employees must complete an Employment Application: 

• Employees working in New York City must complete an NYC Employment Application. 

• All other employees must complete an Employment Application.  

By completing and signing the application, the applicant gives you permission to check references and obtain information from previous employers.  

If you have any concerns after reviewing employees’ applications, please email [email protected]. 

Applicants for employment in Buffalo, Rochester or Westchester must complete the Disclosure of Criminal History after their initial interview.  

Applicants for employment in New York City must complete the form after a conditional offer of employment has been extended.  

All public and private employers in New York State are prohibited from using an employee or applicant’s salary history in hiring decisions to determine what compensation to offer. Learn more about the state-wide salary history ban.  

Additionally, Albany County bars employers from asking about an applicant’s salary history, or seeking it from a current or former employer, before an offer of employment is made. The county ban prohibits:    

• Screening of job applicants based on their current wages and benefits or other compensation or salary history

• Requiring an applicant's prior wages satisfy minimum or maximum criteria  

• Requesting an applicant's prior wages or salary history or requiring an applicant to provide that information as a condition of being interviewed or considered for employment 

New York State employers with four or more employees must include a salary or salary range in their job postings for all jobs to be performed, at least in part, in the state of New York.  

The job posting must advertise the salary or salary range the employer believes, in good faith, to be true at the time of posting and should give the prospective applicant a legitimate idea of the expected pay. 

Visit the New York State Department of Labor’s Pay Transparency webpage for more information. 

You must check an applicant’s references and credentials before they are hired.   

When a professional license or certificate is required for a position, the applicant must provide the original document, including the license number and expiration date. You must verify the document’s authenticity before the applicant is allowed to perform services as an employee.  

All communication with applicants (including verbal and written offers of employment) must be consistent with funding and sponsor rules, Research Foundation (RF) policy and procedure, and other legal requirements.   

When offers of employment are made, applicants must be notified of the following:  

• RF employment is subject to the availability of funds and program needs.

• There is no expressed or implied guarantee of employment retention.

• An offer of RF employment is contingent on the applicant providing documentation that establishes proof of identity and their eligibility to work in the United States.  

All offer letters must be prepared on RF stationery, forwarded to Research Foundation Human Resources and retained in the employee's personnel file. Please use the Offer Letter Template. 

The new hire’s supervisor should initiate an Employee Appointment Form. Note: If the employee has been off the RF payroll for less than four months and they are being reactivated into the same job with the same job description, please complete a Change Form instead. 

Once the supervisor has completed their portions of the form, please give the form to the new employee for completion. New hires should also complete the required forms listed on the On-boarding page.