Recruitment Process for Academic Hourly & Extra Help Positions

Getting Started
  • Academic Hourly and Extra Help are both Nonstatus Appointments/temporary roles to fill intermittent or emergent needs and are paid on the basis of service hours provided. These are hourly job for individuals NOT registered as a student at the University at any time during the duration of the position.
  • Confirm funds are available for the position within your Unit and/or with the Business Office as necessary.
    • Funding for these types of positions typically come from central Library funds distributed through the Library Budget Group or from unit discretionary funds- like Endowments. Questions regarding funds- please reach out to the Library Business Office.
  • Typically extra help appointments will not be eligible for benefits, however, employees that work 30 hours a week or more may be eligible for limited health and leave benefits.
  • Review Hourly Employment Policies and Guidelines
  • Determine duties needing accomplished
  • Determine which type of position (Extra Help or Academic Hourly) is needed based on the duties

Determine the Type of Position




Job duties must have a focus on Research or Teaching. These positions require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, along with professional qualifications and expertise. Please review the Campus Administrative Manual (CAM) Policy for Academic Hourly Appointments and Pay for more information.
  • Hours/Week Max – could be proposed to up to 40 hours/week; 8 hours/day and would qualify for overtime if they exceed these hours with supervisor pre-approval
  • Pay Rate – determined by the supervisor/department. The pay rate typically falls between the current minimum wage and the current graduate assistant rate, similar to the pay rate guidelines recommended for graduate hourly compensation.





Supervisors may utilize Extra Help positions as outlined on the IHR website. Extra Help positions are temporary Civil Service positions. These positions may last from 1 day, to no more than 900 hours, in any consecutive 12-month period.
  • Hours/Week Max – could be proposed to up to 37.5 hours/week; 7.5 hours/day and would qualify for overtime if they exceed these hours with supervisor’s pre-approval
  • Pay Rate – set rate determined by the classification selected. Pay rate is a subject to Civil Service rates across campus. It is uncommon for Extra Help employees to be paid above these base rates. Please email the Hourly Employment Coordinator to confirm the Current Pay Rates. 
  • Determine Appropriate Classification – compare the position’s duties with the SUCSS classification specifications to the duties needing to be performed. Links to those classifications are listed below. Some Extra Help clerical positions will have a 20% upcharge to be paid by the employing Unit. The upcharge fee is for campus IHR-Extra Help Services to process those appointments for their campus partners (recruit, hire, add, maintain, process payroll and end).



Job Descriptions

Percentages % for each job duty (or group of job duties) is required for these Academic Hourly and Extra Help job descriptions.



    • Recommended to use an already approved job description if accurately describes duties of position
    • Access the JOYCE System >  from the left main menu select Job Descriptions
    • Approved by campus within the last 3 years
      • If older, we will need to resubmit and can make any necessary adjustments for accuracy
        • Please reach out to the Hourly Employment Coordinator for support
    • If no existing job description accurately described the duties, move forward to Draft a New Job Description for Approval



      • If there is one that matches and was approved within the last 3 years, you may move forward without completing the steps under this heading.
      • Fill-in applicable job description template ( Academic Hourly   OR   Extra Help )
        • Email the Draft Job Description in a Word Attachment to Hourly Employment Coordinator
        • Hourly Employment Coordinator will input and submit the job description for campus approval



Recruit, Interview & Offer 



    • Recommended: Post Opening to University Library Academic Hourly Positions Job Board
      • If you selected a qualified candidate through an informal interview process, you may skip to ‘Offer the position to the applicant(s)’
      • Notify the Library HR Hourly Employment Coordinator that you would like the approved Job Description posted to the Library HR Job Board
      • Posting expires, or request posting be taken down
      • Review applicants, conduct interviews, and select top applicant(s)
      • Offer the position to the applicant(s)
        • Upon Applicant’s Acceptance
          • Send regrets to applicants not selected
        • Upon Applicant’s Acceptance – briefly review expectations and the NEXT STEPS to anticipate as part of the hiring process
          • Confirm their eligibility to work the expected position hours and any restrictions
          • They will need to complete various steps with Library HR that typically include: Accepting Offer, Updating Education, and Completing Background Check
            • Please stress the importance of watching their email for forthcoming emails from Library HR’s Hourly Employment Coordinator.

REMEMBER: THEY CANNOT START UNTIL YOU RECIEVE THE AUTO APPROVAL EMAIL FROM JOYCE

REQUIRED FORM NEW EMPLOYEE TO COMPLETE THEIR FORM I-9 WITH LIBRARY HR ON OR BEFORE THEIR START DATE

HELP US REMAIN IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW; NONCOMPLIANCE RESULTS IN THE UNIVERSITY INCURING SIGNIFICANT FINES AND PENALTIES

      • Submit the Hiring Request in the JOYCE System
      • Important: New positions must not start until the supervisor identified in JOYCE has received an automated email from HourlyEmpHR@library.illinois.edu stating that the position has been approved. Once the supervisor has received this email, the employee is cleared to start working as soon as the effective date on the Library Hourly Employment Record in the email.


      • Academic Hourly
        • Recommended: Post Opening to University Library Academic Hourly Positions Job Board
          • If you selected a qualified candidate through an informal interview process, you may skip to ‘Offer the position to the applicant(s)’
          • Notify the Library HR Hourly Employment Coordinator that you would like the approved Job Description posted to the Library HR Job Board
          • Posting expires, or request posting be taken down
          • Review applicants, conduct interviews, and select top applicant(s)
          • Offer the position to the applicant(s)
            • Upon Applicant’s Acceptance
              • Send regrets to applicants not selected
            • Upon Applicant’s Acceptance – briefly review expectations and the NEXT STEPS to anticipate as part of the hiring process
              • Confirm their eligibility to work the expected position hours and any restrictions
              • They will need to complete various steps with Library HR that typically include: Accepting Offer, Updating Education, and Completing Background Check
                • Please stress the importance of watching their email for forthcoming emails from Library HR’s Hourly Employment Coordinator.

        REMEMBER: THEY CANNOT START UNTIL YOU RECIEVE THE AUTO APPROVAL EMAIL FROM JOYCE

        REQUIRED FORM NEW EMPLOYEE TO COMPLETE THEIR FORM I-9 WITH LIBRARY HR ON OR BEFORE THEIR START DATE

        HELP US REMAIN IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW; NONCOMPLIANCE RESULTS IN THE UNIVERSITY INCURING SIGNIFICANT FINES AND PENALTIES

        • Review the Hourly Employment in the and Additional Resources for regarding Hiring
        • Submit the Hiring Request in the JOYCE System
        • Important: New positions must not start until the supervisor identified in JOYCE has received an automated email from HourlyEmpHR@library.illinois.edu stating that the position has been approved. Once the supervisor has received this email, the employee is cleared to start working as soon as the effective date on the Library Hourly Employment Record in the email.

Please reach out to Grace Flavin (gflavin@illinois.edu) if you have any questions regarding JOYCE or hourly employment processes.

900 hour limitation: employee can work up to 900 hours before they are required to take a break from working as Extra Help or their position. For more information on this rule, please view the Extra Help section of the Hourly Employment Policies and Guidelines.

Important: New positions must not start until the supervisor identified in JOYCE has received an automated email from HourlyEmpHR@library.illinois.edu stating that the position has been approved. Once the supervisor has received this email, the employee is cleared to start working as soon as the effective date on the Library Hourly Employment Record in the email.

Please reach out to Grace (gflavin@illinois.edu) if you have any questions regarding JOYCE or hourly employment processes.

Last updated: 10/2026