Service Providers & Temporary Workers

When a department seeks to engage an individual or eligible business entity for services, the department must initiate the Independent Service Provider review process through the BEN Helps Support Portal.

Corporate Tax, Compliance, and Payroll will evaluate the request in accordance with federal and state law and the University policy.

Departments should consult the Division of Finance ISC webpage for detailed procedural guidance regarding:

• Classification criteria
• Required documentation
• Supplier registration
• Payment processing

Independent Service Provider status is not appropriate for arrangements that resemble employment relationships, including ongoing operational support or recurring work under direct supervision.

Limited Engagement (LE) arrangements are governed by University policy and are intended for specific categories of academic or guest services that meet defined eligibility criteria. An LE may be used only when the service aligns with an approved category and satisfies current University requirements and thresholds.

Eligible payees may include individuals and certain business entities, as permitted under current policy. Limited Engagement is not appropriate for services that resemble ongoing employment, operational support, or recurring work arrangements.

Departments are responsible for reviewing the most current eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, and workflow instructions prior to submission. Services may not begin until eligibility is confirmed and required documentation has been completed through the appropriate University process.

Limited Engagement Policy

UPDATE: Effective June 30, 2025, extending a temporary staff assignment through the Change Job process in Workday, will include new approval requirements, including justification questions and HR Partner review. Please refer to our Position Requests page for details.

The University employs individuals in a variety of types to support and enhance the academic, research, and service missions of the University. Temporary staff allows a department to meet specific increased staffing needs for a limited period of time. Hiring temporary staff may be an effective way to manage peak periods, cover employee absences, or provide additional support on large projects. 

When establishing a temporary employee position, review the temporary staff policy and consider the following factors:

What are the responsibilities?

1. What are the short-term needs this position will be supporting and why?
2. Are there any current team members who can assist during this high-volume period?
3. Ensure the appropriate scope of duties for temporary employees is aligned with University guidelines and policy. Departments should be cautious and judicious in limiting access to departmental and university data to ensure only what’s necessary to perform the job duties is provided. Access to departmental and university data may include but is not limited to: email, shared file storage (Penn Box, Drop Box, Google Space), licenses, communication channels (Microsoft Teams, Slack), building access (swipe access, keys), etc. 

Consider the following data security factors as you establish this temporary position.

1. Supervision: Provide appropriate oversight to ensure proper handling of departmental and university data. 
2. Confidentiality Agreement: Require a signed statement confirming awareness of and adherence to confidentiality policies.
3. Limited Access: Grant access only to the departmental and university data necessary for job duties.
4. Prohibit Usage, Storage, and Distribution: Departmental and university data must be stored in appropriate locations, used for job-related functions, and not removed from University devices or premises. Data should be secured properly and protected from unauthorized access, possession, or distribution. Any intentional compromise of data privacy or security is prohibited under University policies.
5. Timely and Complete Access Revocation: Access rights should be promptly revoked when departmental and university data is no longer needed, such as when the nature of the role changes or when an employee departs the department or university. This ensures data integrity by limiting access to only those who require it for their responsibilities.  Please follow the terminating procedures outlined below to ensure access is promptly and appropriately revoked. 

What is the length of service needed?

• According to Penn’s temporary staff policy, employees working on campus may not remain on Penn’s payroll for more than 9 months. 
  • If your department needs a temporary employee for longer than this duration, please contact Wharton Human Resources for review and approval.
• How many hours per week are necessary to complete this work?
  • Temporary employees are typically part-time, meaning less than 30 hours per week. If they are working full-time hours for an extended period of time, please connect with Wharton Human Resources to discuss. 

What is the anticipated hourly rate?

• Hourly rates for temporary employees are typically aligned with the responsibilities of each position. Depending on the role, temporary employee hourly rates are typically between $15.00 – $30.00 per hour.  If you think the hourly rate will be higher, please connect with Wharton Human Resources. 

Where will this work be completed, on campus or off campus?

• If on campus, please follow the process outlined below.
• If off campus, individuals need to be payrolled through Apple One.  Please follow the process below. 

Once these factors have been identified, please complete a PIQ form for the temporary staff. This PIQ should include:

1. Identified responsibilities;
2. Length of service;
3. Anticipated hourly rate. 

On-Campus Temporary Employee Process

When hiring a temporary employee to work on Penn’s campus, whether in Philadelphia or San Francisco, follow these steps to onboard them onto Penn’s payroll:

1. Create a job requisition for temporary staff in Workday.
   1. Work with the department’s business administrator for assistance in creating the job requisition. 
   2. Positions with a length of service greater than 90 days must be posted for a minimum of three (3) calendar days. 
2. Identify a finalist and hire them into the Workday job requisition and associated position number.  
3. If you identify an individual who will be working off-campus while actively recruiting through a Workday job posting, you must follow the off-campus temporary staff process. In this case, the Workday job requisition and associated position number must be closed.

Off-Campus/Remote Temporary Employee Process

To ensure full compliance with university policies and regulations, all temporary employees working off-campus must be hired through AppleOne. This means that we will no longer directly hire temporary employees for off-campus roles at the University. 

Please contact Apple One representatives Rachel Nelson (rnelson@appleone.com) and Keinse Alkhatib (kalkhatib@appleone.com) for assistance with onboarding individuals to their payroll. To assist with a smooth onboarding, please provide them with the candidate’s name, email, and phone number. 

Termination of Temporary Employee

Immediate termination of access upon departure or change in role minimizes security risks and protects sensitive information. When terminating a temporary employee position, please take immediate action and follow the steps outlined below.  

1. If hired in Workday, please terminate their Workday record and close the associated position number.  
2. If payrolled through AppleOne, please contact AppleOne representative several days prior to separation.
3. For all temporary employees exiting the University:
   1. A request should be made to Wharton Computing to revoke access to systems, platforms, email, Forticlient, licenses, etc. 
   2. If applicable, a request should be made to Wharton Operations to revoke access to buildings and office space work.  All suite or office keys should be obtained at the time of conversation.