Probationary Employees

All university staff employees newly hired or rehired at Virginia Tech serve a 12-month probationary period, as per Commonwealth of Virginia Policy 1.45: Probationary Period. This probationary year provides the employee and the employer an opportunity to assess whether the employee and the job are a good match. Probationary employees should receive training, coaching, mentoring, and feedback from their supervisors frequently.

Probationary Reviews

Formal probationary reviews are required at six months and twelve months of employment. Managers are encouraged to consult with their Human Resources Division Director and/or Employee Relations if a probationary employee is not meeting expectations.

At six months, a formal probationary review is required to be completed by using the PageUp Performance Management System, first-year review (0-6 months). If the employee’s performance is rated “does not meet expectations” at six months, there should be a specific employee development plan in place, and the supervisor should provide more frequent feedback to the employee.

Prior to the end of the twelve month probationary period, another formal evaluation is required to be completed using the PageUp Performance Management System, first-year review (7-12 months). If the employee is rated “meets or exceptional”, they become a non-probationary employee.

Extending Probation

In some cases, it is possible to extend an employee’s probation beyond the initial 12 month period. Requests to extend probation must be made to their Human Resources Division Director and/or Employee Relations on form P146, Request to Extend Probation.

Commonwealth of Virginia Policy 1.45: Probationary Period permits extensions of the probationary period (not to exceed a total probationary period of 18 months) for the following reasons:

• Performance reasons beyond the employee’s control: If probation is extended for performance, the employee must receive training that was unavailable during the first 12 months of employment.
• Leave: Probationary periods must be extended when probationary employees are on any leave with or without pay for more than 14 work days. Eligible leave includes Workers’ Compensation, Family Medical Leave, Military leave, or Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) short-term disability (STD) leave or long-term disability (LTD).  Also included are periods of short-term disability where the employee is working in an active employment status with restrictions/modifications. Extensions include the first 14 days of absence, as well as those days in excess of 14, up to the return to work date.
• Change in supervision: If the employee’s supervision changes during the first 12 months of the probationary period, the new supervisor may request an extension of the employee’s probationary period.

Probationary periods may not be extended for poor attendance, poor attitude, or poor performance that is not a result of a lack of training.

Probationary Termination

At any time during the 12-month probationary period the probationary employee may be terminated. Managers are encouraged to consult with their Human Resources Division Director and/or Employee Relations if a probationary employee is not meeting expectations.