During the first 90-calendar days of employment at Duke, supervisors should carefully evaluate a staff member’s performance, behavior, and potential for job success. Since the orientation and evaluation period is only 90-calendar days, supervisors should not expect a new staff member to function and operate at full efficiency or performance on the job.

The supervisor should perform the following introductory tasks for all new staff members:

• Advise staff member on activating his/her NetID and the creation of a NetID password to gain access to Duke’s many computing resources.
• Register the new staff member for the New Staff Member Welcoming event presented by the Office of Human Resources. Supervisors should ensure that new staff attend the event within 30 days of their start date. The event covers Duke's history, mission, organizational structure, guiding principles, programs, services, and conveniences available to Duke staff. The welcoming event will also provide the new staff member the opportunity to sign up for benefits.
• Complete a review of the Duke Staff Handbook as well as all relevant entity or department policies and procedures.
• Provide an explanation for the purpose of the 90-calendar day orientation and evaluation period for the new staff member on the first day of work.
• Complete a review of the New Staff Member Orientation and Evaluation Checklist – a plan for completing all orientation and evaluation actions during the 90-calendar day orientation period (available on the web at www.hr.duke.edu/orientation/).
• Review Duke@Work, a self-service website that offers staff the ability to view and update their personnel information at Duke and encourage the use of direct deposit.
  
• Assign a co-worker to offer advice and guidance to help foster and promote the orientation of the new staff member. The co-worker should “know the ropes” of the new position and should be able to be an effective source of advice and encouragement. The co-worker should also be able to offer seasoned experience in the form of workplace training and socialization. With an effective co-worker, the new staff member should be able to become a contributing member of the department more quickly.
• Provide the new staff member with a copy of his or her job description and an explanation of workplace expectations, performance expectations in the new position, reporting relationships, pay schedules, and methods of payment.
• Provide training that describes the specific performance, duties, and responsibilities of the position.
• Ensure staff complete online safety training before the end of their 90-day orientation and evaluation period.
  

Even though a new staff member will accrue paid time off (with the short-term bank or vacation leave, and sick leave) during the Orientation and Evaluation Period, no paid time off may be taken during this 90-calendar day period unless the department or office is closed for a designated and/or recognized holiday or during a period declared as severe weather or emergency.