New Employees: What You Need to Know

Human Resources CU Boulder

The campus has a first-year onboarding process for all new employees. Welcome, and read a summary of the onboarding check-lists.


The Basics at ICS

CU pays by direct deposit into your bank account. For salaried, monthly employees the deposit is made on the last working day of the month (exception: for June the pay date is the first working day of July). For bi-weekly, hourly employees the deposit is made every other Friday. You set up (or change as needed) your direct deposit information in the CU Portal. Please email your Portfolio Manager if you have any questions about direct deposit.
All CU employees are required to take an online training courses.
  • Discrimination and Harassment - this course ensures that you are aware of your rights and the rights of your co-workers. This course is accessed through SkillSoft in the CU Portal.
  • Bystander Intervention -  CU Boulder's Chancellor has mandated bystander training for all babyÖ±²¥app, staff, and students.
  • In addition, because of substances used in many ICS labs, you may be required to take Hazardous Materials training. Please talk to your supervisor if you have any questions about required training.
 All salaried employees paid by grant funds are required to submit an electronic Personnel Effort Report (ePER) every term. This is necessary to assure grant sponsors that personnel who are paid from grants are, in fact, working on those grants. You will get an email after the term is over asking you to submit your ePER through the CU Portal. Please talk to your Portfolio Manager if you have any questions about ePERs.
 The CU Boulder holiday schedule can be found at /hr/cu-boulder-holiday-schedule. On these holidays the campus is closed and buildings are locked.

Specifics by Job Type

 Once you have been asked by an ICS Principal Investigator to do research on a project, you will receive a letter of offer explaining your salary and benefits. Tuition remission is done after your appointment is approved. You can contact the CU Bursar’s Office to check the status of your tuition remission 2-3 days after your appointment is approved. If you have any questions about your appointment, please contact the ICS Portfolio Manager for your project.
Hourly employees must record hours worked on the time calendar in the CU My Leave application in the CU Portal. Employees are responsible for accurately recording hours worked and for certifying and submitting their time sheet by the payroll due date. Supervisors are responsible for reviewing and approving timesheets by the payroll due date. The ICS payroll liaison will send an email reminder to employees and supervisors every other week when timesheets are due. If you have any questions about using My Leave, please email your Portfolio Manager.
There are many things to get set up once you are hired in a regular position at ICS.

The ICS payroll liaison will meet with you to go over many of these details when you are hired.

  • The ICS  office can assist you with getting building access and parking permits.
  • Regular employees with a 20% or greater appointment will receive an RTD Ecopass, which allows free bus transportation.
  • If you have questions about computers, internet access, or your CU Identikey, email your Portfolio Manager. Your letter of offer will include details about your salary, leave accruals, and benefits eligibility.

You may be required to take additional training modules on purchasing, travel, and information security, depending on your duties.

  • Your supervisor or your ICS Portfolio Manager for your project can advise you about additional training needed for your position.
  • These training modules are available in the CU Portal and you will receive instructions on how to access them.

Employees with regular appointments must use the CU My Leave application in the CU Portal.

  • Record both paid and unpaid time off, such as vacation, sick leave, jury duty, etc. 
  • They must certify and submit a timesheet monthly. Accurate reporting of time off use is a fiscal responsibility.
  • Supervisors are responsible for reviewing and approving timesheets by the payroll due date.
  • The ICS payroll liaison will send an email reminder monthly. If you have any questions about using My Leave, please email your Portfolio Manager.