Learn more about:
- Information for Hourly Paid Employees
- I want to complete a set up form
- I want to complete a timesheet
- Deadlines
- FAQs
- Garda Vetting & Work Permits
Hourly Paid - Overview
This page contains a general overview of the Hourly Paid process from set-up to payment and information for both Hourly Paid Employees and School / Unit Contacts. You can explore a simplified timeline or a more detailed, end-to-end overview of the process.
These sections contain a summary of the Administering Hourly Paid Appointments Policy but, in all cases, the Policy in the Governance Library remains the ultimate source of information.
Employee or School/Unit Contact?
Process Outline
Below is a high-level overview of the Hourly Paid process. For more detail on each of the steps go to the 'Process in detail' section.
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Step 1
Gather Set-up Information
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Step 2
Access Set-up Form
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Step 3
Complete Online Set-up Form
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Step 4
Submit the Set-up Form
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Step 5
Submit your timesheet
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Step 6
Payment
Process in detail
These section contains a summary of the Administering Hourly Paid Appointments Policy but, in all cases, the Policy in the Governance Library remains the ultimate source of information.
Step 1 - Gather your information
You will need:
- School/Unit Name
- School/Unit Contact Name
- Type of Work (e.g., Tutor/Demonstrator, Occasional Lecturer, Other)
- Description of Work
Step 2 - Access the Setup Form
- Use a laptop or desktop (this process isn’t supported on mobile devices).
- Go to www.ucd.ie/external and click on Campus > My HR Forms.
- Log in using your UCD credentials (or create a new account if you’re new to UCD).
Step 3 - Complete the Online Setup Form:
Click 'Create' to start a new setup form.
- Select Hourly Set-Up Form from the dropdown.
- Choose your School/Unit and School/Unit Contact.
- Click Start Process.
- Fill in Required Details
- Personal Information: Enter your personal details, address, next-of-kin/emergency contact, and bank details (PPS number is mandatory; if pending, enter "0000" and update later).
- Claimant Setup Information: Select your type of work and provide a work description.
- Document Upload: If you’re a non-EU citizen, upload your work permit (both front and back).
Step 4 - Submit the Setup Form
- Review your form for accuracy.
- Click Submit to School/Unit Contact for Review.
- Once approved, you’ll be registered in the payroll system.
Step 5 - Submit your timesheet
- After setup approval, log in to the Employee Self Service (ESS) system.
- Create a new timesheet, fill in your work hours and details, and then submit it for approval.
Step 6 - Payment
- Your timesheet is reviewed and approved by your designated approvers.
- Once approved, your payment will be processed in the next payroll run.
Tutors & Demonstrators
For more information on Tutors & Demonstrators please refer to the page here.
Information for Approvers
For more information for Approvers please refer to the page here.
Information for Administrators
All Administrators responsible for processing hourly payments must be nominated annually by their Head of School or Unit. This is done through the Online Timesheets Approver Administrator Authorization Form, which is submitted to UCD HR Operations.
Once set up, Administrators receive access to the Employee Self-Service (ESS) portal to submit timesheets on behalf of claimants.
Administrator Responsibilities
Administrators must ensure:
- They have authorisation from the Head of School/Unit before processing payments.
- For research-funded claims:
- The Principal Investigator (PI) must be set as Approver 1 or Approver 2.
- There must be sufficient budget in the research account to cover the payment.
- If pay costs exceed €3,000, Approver 1 or 2 must contact Research Finance Office (rfo@ucd.ie) for additional approval.
- All hours worked and breaks taken comply with legal requirements. While UCD HR/Payroll conducts spot checks, ongoing monitoring is the responsibility of the School/Unit. Claims found in breach of legislation will be rejected.
For more information for Administrators please refer to the page here.
Hiring Hourly Paid Administrative Staff
When hiring an hourly paid administrator in your School or Unit, there are important guidelines to follow to ensure compliance with University policy and employment legislation.
Key Rules for Hiring:
- Maximum Duration: Hourly paid administrative roles are limited to a 13-week cumulative period. This begins on the first day of work and ends 13 weeks later, regardless of how many hours are worked during that time.
- Contract Requirements: All hourly paid administrators must receive a written contract outlining their terms and conditions. By law, this must be issued within 5 days of starting work.
- Garda Vetting: If the role requires Garda Vetting, no work can begin until vetting is completed. The system will prevent submission of the set-up form until this step is fulfilled.
- Work Permits: A valid work permit must cover the full contract period. If a permit is expiring, proof of renewal (with OREG number and date of application) must be uploaded in Section 6 of the set-up form.
- Rehire Restrictions: Once the 13-week period ends, there must be a minimum gap of 26 weeks (6 months) before another hourly paid admin contract can be issued.
Additional Conditions:
- Engagement cannot exceed 13 weeks from the start date of the first administrative role.
- Weekly working hours must not exceed the equivalent of 1 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE).
- All hourly paid admin roles must be paid on an approved Hourly Admin Rate appropriate to the level of work.
- No work should be assigned after the contract end date.
- All timesheets must be submitted within 30 days of the contract end date.
HR Operations regularly monitors compliance and will provide feedback to Schools and Units where necessary.
For any questions, please contact (opens in a new window)(opens in a new window) hrhelpdesk@ucd.ie.
Recruitment of Hourly paid Administrative Employees
The recruitment of Hourly paid Administrative Employees is managed at a local level by Schools and Units.
Hourly paid positions can be advertised locally and on Workvivo, LinkedIn and other social platforms. You are expected to provide details of the Advertisement used in this recruitment process on the hourly set-up form. An explanation will be required in instances where no advertisement was used.
Details of the recommendation letter will also need to be provided. These documents should be uploaded as PDF’s on the hourly set-up form when the School/ Unit contact is filling out the relevant details before submitting to HR Operations for processing.
Sample templates can be found for the following documents:
Hourly paid Administrative contracts can be offered for a duration of up to 13 weeks. The 13 weeks is cumulative, starting on the first day of the engagement, and ends 13 weeks following that date regardless of how many hours or weeks were worked within that period.
Administrative work would primarily relate to administrative related duties. Most often, these tasks relate to supporting an office, and include phone, email, and calendar management, internal communications, preparing reports, maintaining office equipment and office supplies, and human resources and library functions.
An hourly paid employee can only be engaged for a further 13 weeks if the Administration role has been approved in the staff plan and the recruitment and selection process has been initiated. A new hourly set-up form will need to be completed and sent into HR Operations for processing. Details of the OHF and recruitment competition number will need to be communicated to HR Operations. This should be sent by email to (opens in a new window)HRhelpdesk@ucd.ie
Within the 13 week engagement period, there is no limit on the number of administrative roles an employee can have once the total hours per week do not exceed an FTE of 1.
No extension can be provided in these cases.
Once the 13 week cumulative period has passed a minimum of 26 weeks (6 months) gap in employment with UCD is required before any further hourly engagements are permitted
Hourly paid employees on an administrative contract for 13 weeks will be paid on the monthly payroll. This will be the case if they are new to UCD or have worked in UCD previously. Payday is the last working day of each month.
Hourly paid employees on administrative contracts for periods up to 12 weeks on the National Minimum Wage or pt 1 of the Hourly Admin rate will be paid weekly.
If they are paid on pts 2 to pts 11 of the Hourly Admin rate they will be paid on the monthly payroll for all work.
No. As you are already being paid on the monthly payroll, you will continue being paid monthly.
New hourly Administrative rates have been introduced. The revised rates provide a range of rates which are dependent on the work being done. Adhoc value rates are no longer to be used. This link will help you understand and decide on the correct hourly Admin rate to choose for the role.
No. The revised list has been agreed as providing adequate choice for Schools and Units. You must choose the closest rate available on the listing in order to proceed.
No. Research Funded roles are a separate workstream and guidelines in relation to Research Funded roles will be communicated at a later date.
Yes, if Garda Vetting is required, this must be completed and in place before the set-up can be processed. The system will not allow the hourly Admin set-up form to be created and submitted to the School/ Unit contact if Garda Vetting is indicated as being required but not completed.
You will need to ensure that all payment/s for work done during the contract period are submitted by Claimant/Approved by School/Unit for payment within 30 days of the Contract end date. HR Operations will end the employee’s record on the HR/ Payroll system if they are not working in another hourly paid role in UCD.
Yes, The School/ Unit contact will receive an email 4 weeks before the end date of the Employee.
If the role is for less than 4 weeks, no end date notification will be sent.
The hourly paid employee will receive an email to notify them that their role is ending. This will be sent 4 weeks prior to the end of the role.
If the role is for less than 4 weeks, no end date notification will be sent