Joining Virginia Tech: Your First Days, Weeks, and Months

• If you are a salaried or 1500-hour wage employee, you were sent your offer letter through the PageUp applicant tracking system. Once you've accepted your online offer and filled out your new hire form, you will be given access to your onboarding portal.
• To go to your onboarding portal, log in to the PageUp system using your applicant credentials and click on "Go to Employee Portal." 
• The onboarding portal contains a comprehensive checklist of the various tasks you will need to complete before your first day, such as:
  
  • Accessing your Virginia Tech ID Number
    
  • Setting up your Virginia Tech Username (PID) and 2-Factor Authentication
  • Completing Part 1 of the I-9
  • Adding Direct Deposit Information
  • Completing Tax Forms
  • Scheduling New Employee Orientation
• If you are unable to access your onboarding portal, please contact the HR Service Center at hrservicecenter@vt.edu or 540-231-9331.
  

• Once your supervisor receives your Virginia Tech ID number, they will contact you to complete your personal identification.
• As an employee of Virginia Tech, you will be assigned an ID number (90XX-XXXXX). 
• Once this ID is created, you can setup your PID (personal identifier). This is a unique identifier that belongs to you and you only. Your PID and passphrase grant you access to Hokie SPA, Canvas, OneCampus, Office365, Google Suite, and more.
• Duo 2-factor authentication is an additional security measured used by Virginia Tech to verify your identity prior to logging you into systems and other university sites.
• It is strongly recommended to create your PID and complete the Duo authentication process prior to your hire date.
• Visit this webpage to create your PID and complete the Duo authentication process.

New hire forms

• Once you have a PID, you can complete your direct deposit form before your hire date. Visit this page to complete your online direct deposit information. All Virginia Tech employees are required to enroll for direct deposit as part of the new hire process. Click here for more information on Virginia Tech’s payroll schedule:
  
  • Salaried employees
  • Wage employees
• All employees must complete the federal I-9 employment verification process, which verifies your eligibility to work in the United States. Please visit this page on Virginia Tech’s website, select the “Payroll” tab and click on “I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification” to access the form. You may complete Section 1 of the form prior to your start date. You will complete the rest of the form on your first day in your new job. Remember to bring one of the required forms of identification to complete the form.
  
• You will need to complete a federal and state tax withholding form. Visit this page on Virginia Tech’s website, select the “Payroll” tab for more information on tax forms.
• When you completed your new hire form with Virginia Tech, you provided information on your disability and veteran status. As a new hire, we ask that you review this information again to provide any updates. Once you have your PID, you can do this before your start date. Log into HokieSPA, select “Hokie Team” and select “Veterans Classification” and “Update Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Information” to complete these steps. 

• Prior to your first day, your manager or human resources representative will contact you to confirm your start date, time, and location; where to park; dress code; and other information you need for your first day.
• Your manager will meet with you on your first day and provide the following information if they have not already done so:
  • Review your job description, outline of duties, and expectations. Ask how your job fits in the department, and how your job and department contribute to the department and the university. Discuss expectations for the current evaluation period.
  • Hours of work; ask questions about policies and procedures for overtime, use of vacation and sick time, holidays, and breaks.
  • Overview of functional area including organizational structure and goals.
• Your manager or a designee will give you a tour of your department and introduce you to other team members. They will also give you a tour of your building/work area to show you entrances and exits, break rooms, rest rooms, supply storage, location of incoming and outgoing mail, etc.
• For Blacksburg-based employees, you will need to get your Hokie Passport on or soon after your hire date. The passport is a photo ID with your employee number that is used for a variety of campus needs. To get your passport, visit the Hokie Passport Office in the Student Services Building at 800 Washington St. SW, Suite 100. Blacksburg-based employees will need to get your Hokie Passport before visiting Parking Services.

You and your manager, or a designee in your department, must complete the entire I-9 form within three days of your start date with Virginia Tech. You will need to provide one of the required forms of identification to complete the I-9 - be sure to bring that identification with you on your first day of work.

• All new employees located on the Blacksburg campus receive a 30-day free parking permit, which you can obtain either through your onboarding portal or on your hire date by visiting Parking Services in person.  
• Visit the page above to review parking permit options and to purchase a parking permit.
• For your convenience, view a map of available campus parking.

Greater Washington D.C., metro area

• Because of the excellent public transit options in the Greater Washington D.C., metro area, Virginia Tech offers the Commonwealth Commuter Choice program:
  • Full-time Virginia Tech employees (faculty and staff) who commute to certain identified Northern Virginia counties and cities can receive a monthly benefit in free SmarTrip credit to use on public transit or vanpool to get to work. This benefit is tax-free and you are eligible if you commute to work at least one day a month using either public transit bus, commuter trains, subways or van pools and your office is located in the counties of: Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Spotsylvania, and Stafford or the cities of: Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Manassas Park.
  • Everything you need to know about the Commonwealth Commuter Choice program is available on the program's website.
• If you plan to drive and park onsite, please contact your hiring manager regarding your specific parking options, as it varies by work location.

• Sign up for VT Alerts, Virginia Tech's emergency notification system. When a situation arises in which the university determines that immediate action is required on the part of students, employees, and others, a VT Alert is issued to the impacted region(s). Go to the page above to sign up then select “Students and employees” to complete your registration.
• All employees with Virginia Tech email addresses are automatically registered to receive the VT Daily email soon after their hire date. The newsletter is published by e-mail, Monday – Friday when the university is open and is managed by the VT News team. Electronic delivery of information via e-mail is the primary vehicle for internal communications at Virginia Tech. Review Policy 12200: Virginia Tech News Daily E-mail Policy for more information. 

Please take time to review the following information. All employees will sign an acknowledgment regarding these policies, notices, and handbooks during New Hire Orientation.

Virginia Tech policies, notices, and handbooks:

• Policy 1005: Health and Safety Policy
• Policy 1025: Anti-Discrimination and Prevention Policy
• Policy 4305: Policy on Compensation During Authorized Closings
• Policy 4815: Minors on Campus or Participating in University-Related Programs
• Policy 5616: Campus and Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
• Policy 7000: Acceptable Use and Administration of Computer and Communication Systems
• Alcohol and Drug Policies and Summary
• Workers Compensation Information
• Faculty Handbook (Faculty only)
• Annual notice on rights and responsibilities of the Virginia Tech community

Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Human Resource Management policies:

• Department of Human Resource Management Policy 1.60: Standards of Conduct
• Department of Human Resource Management Policy 1.75: Use of Electronic Communications and Social Media

As you settle into your new environment, we encourage you to explore Virginia Tech. Your comfort level will increase each day as you meet more people, gain familiarity with your new surroundings, get to know the university, and begin your work projects.

• Get to know the Blacksburg, Virginia campus:
  • Review a campus map with a co-worker and learn about any other buildings and locations that may be relevant to your job.
  • Sign up for a campus tour
• If you work at one of our extended locations, get to know your area:
  • Hampton Roads Center
  • Greater Washington, D.C., metro area
  • Richmond Center
  • Southwest Virginia Center
• Virginia Tech offers many opportunities for employees to get involved in a variety of organizations, such as faculty/staff caucuses. Caucuses represent a number of different communications at the university. Visit the caucus page for more information .
  
• It is also helpful to understand the university’s governance and leadership structure. Visit the university governance page for more information. Visit the university leadership page for more information.

Make sure you are aware of your deadlines for health insurance, flexible spending accounts, and other benefits:

• Health Insurance: Within 30 days of first day of employment.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (medical and dependent care): Within 30 days of first day of employment.
• Retirement (for faculty): Within 60 days of first day of employment.
• Voluntary Retirement (automatic enrollment): Must opt-out of 457(b) within 90 days of first day of employment (excludes VRS Hybrid plan members) if you do not want to be automatically enrolled.
• Optional Life Insurance: Within 31 days of first day of employment to be issued without a medical exam (<$350,000).
• Legal Resources: Within 60 days of first day of employment.
• Aflac: Within 60 days of first day of employment

New employees have required training that they must complete within the first 90 days of their employment with Virginia Tech after their date of hire. These cannot be completed prior to your start date. The following are required for Virginia Tech employees:

• Compliance: Title IX / Policy 1025 / VAWA: This training provides all Virginia Tech employees with an overview of Title IX, Policy 1025, and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and other governing laws and acts that they must be aware of. This training must be completed every two years.
• State of Virginia: Employee Safety and Disaster Awareness: All state employees are required to complete this training annually.
• State of Virginia: Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE): All state employees are required to complete this training one time.
• Diversity: Inclusion in the Modern Workplace: All benefited employees must complete this training one time.

• Request a copy of your job description from your supervisor and talk with him/her about their expectations:
  • Make sure you understand how you will be evaluated and who your supervisor is.
  • Familiarize yourself with the purpose of your department and where your job fits into the department.
• Make sure you are aware of any of the following items that apply to you:
  • Safety procedures/equipment (i.e., safety shoes, goggles, gloves, etc.).
  • Safety training required as part of your job (i.e., radioactive materials, x-ray producing equipment, etc.).
  • Identify any legal restrictions with which you must comply.
• Be familiar with:
  • How, when, and to whom to report an accident.
  • Who to notify and what to do in case of an emergency in the office.
  • The appropriate attire for your job.
  • Any policies regarding food and beverages in the work area.
  • Your department’s policy about personal visitors during work hours.
  • The university’s smoking policy.
  • The university’s non-profit solicitation procedures in the department (solicitation for profit is prohibited).
  • How your supervisor expects you to answer the telephone, which telephones and telephone lines may be used for personal calls, and any restrictions on the usage of the phone.
  • How your departments handles noise levels, including what restrictions they may have on music.
  • How business travel is handled, including how often you may have to travel and how to handle the logistics.

• Talk with your supervisor about how they would like you to handle requesting time off (verbally or in writing ) and when time off may not be requested (i.e., while school is in session, end of fiscal year, length of leave period allowed).
• Talk with your supervisor about how they would like you to handle calling out sick, including whether you will need a doctor’s excuse to return to work.
• Familiarize yourself with the university holidays and authorized closings.
• Learn how to report your leave each pay period.

Learn about your department’s policy on flexible work options.

• Learn about the availability of the Tuition Benefits Program, the department policy on taking classes, i.e., how many class hours allowed, how class time missed from work is made-up and any time periods when classes cannot be taken.
• Learn about any required or developmental training programs, seminars, or conferences. Both on and off-site opportunities are available.
• Learn about professional development and other development options that Virginia Tech provides employees.

Make sure you understand that all employees have a 12-month probationary period with evaluations at six and 12 months. Prior to the six-month evaluation, probationary employees are ineligible to apply for other jobs at Virginia Tech except within their home department.

Within 90 calendar days of your start date, all new employees must complete the mandatory compliance workshop either online or in-person. This workshop covers the university's policy on discrimination and harassment and Virginia Tech's responsibilities related to Title IX and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act.

Prepare for your six month performance evaluation. Prior to this evaluation, probationary employees are ineligible to apply for other jobs at Virginia Tech (except within their home department).

• Prepare for your 12 months performance evaluation.
• Take time to learn about the grievance procedure that is available to you once your probationary period is complete.