Contingent Labor

• Harvard Temps:  On Harvard’s payroll, non-exempt temps may work a full-time schedule for up to 13 weeks in this un-benefited role. Harvard temps must leave Harvard for 8 months if they don’t transition to a LHT role or if they had been a LHT immediately before they were a temp.  Note: See pages 10-11 of the HUCTW Personnel Manual for information about restrictions for temps and LHTs.
• Harvard Less-Than-Half-Time Temps (LHTs): On Harvard’s payroll, LHTs can work up to 14 hours per week and are eligible to work indefinitely in this un-benefited, non-exempt role.
• Agency (“Supplier”) Recruited Workers: Recruited/identified by a staffing or temp agency and billed by the hour. Non-exempt temps can work up to 13 weeks, but are not required to have the same service break as Harvard temps. There is a 60-day waiting period before the contingent worker may take a subsequent assignment in the same tub. However, the worker may immediately take a contingent assignment in a different tub.
• Cycling: A temp can change to a LHT and a LHT can change to a temp one time. Repeatedly changing from temp to a LHT and LHT to a temp is called “Cycling” and is prohibited under the HUCTW contract.
• Payrolled Workers: Employed by an external payroller, such as AllSource. Payrollers bill Harvard for time worked and provide payroll services when Harvard cannot put a worker on the Harvard payroll. These are generally people working for Harvard in a state where Harvard is not registered to do business.
• Independent Contractors: Self-employed, self-directed individuals providing services that are not in Harvard’s usual course of business (also called an IC or a 1099). This can include guest speakers and lecturers. Note: see the Harvard University IC Policy.Scope of Work.
• (SOW) or Fixed-Price Contractors:  Firms and the consultants they employ who charge Harvard based on the completion of deliverables or milestones (that is, based on the scope of work completed, not the hours worked).

Starting on June 7, 2021, FAS followed the rest of the University, Athletics, and DCE and moved to the DZConnex managed service provider (MSP) model to source and/or payroll contingent labor through the Fieldglass vendor management system.

Administrators who occasionally hire contingent labor can work with the FAS HR Talent Acquisitions Cordinator to post a position in Fieldglass. Administrators who frequently hire contingent employees (such as event staff) will be given access to work directly in the Fieldglass system.

Administrators and managers looking to hire contingent labor or move a current worker onto the Allsource payroll will need to fill out the Contingent Worker Intake Form. For additional information about hiring a contingent worker in the FAS, please reach out to your HR Consultant or Michelle Provost (michelle_provost@harvard.edu).

Occasional Users

• Hires contingent labor infrequently
• Hires contingent labor to temporarily fill a gap in normal staffing (leaves, front desk coverage) or for ad hoc projects
• Infrequently interviews candidates – needs someone quickly
• Only approves worker time in Fieldglass

Regular Users

• Hires at least one contingent labor position per month
• Hires large groups of contingent workers such as event support, exam proctoring, or ushers
• Interviews and hires for high-skilled, specialized types of contingent workers, such as researchers, IT workers, or for long-term assignments
• Enters requisitions for workers and approves time in Fieldglass

The process for hiring contingent labor depends on your group’s needs and frequency of use. To start, you should determine if you are an occasional or regular user of Fieldglass.Please read these Haravrd DZX FAQS before you begin the process of hiring contingent labor. 

Hiring Process for Occasional Fieldglass Users

• User contacts HR Consultant or Michelle Provost (Michelle_Provost@harvard.edu)
• User completes the FAS HR intake form, including:
  • Role type and desired rate
  • Position duration
  • Interview availability (if applicable)
• FAS HR posts requisition in Fieldglass
• Role is sent to Ad Dean for financial approval
• User works with FAS HR to source candidate(s) and makes offer

Recommended training for Occasional Users: Approve Time in Fieldglass
Fieldglass role: Time Sheet Approver

Hiring Process for Regular Fieldglass Users

• User logs in to Fieldglass directly to requisition worker, including:
  • Role type and desired rate
  • Position duration
  • Interview availability (if applicable)
• User approves requisition (if under $10k) or sent to Ad Dean for financial approval (if over $10k or on sponsored funds)
• User reviews shortlisted candidates, interviews candidates, and makes offer

Required training for Regular Users: Using Fieldglass to Manage Contingent Work
Fieldglass role: Hiring Manager (includes time approver functionality)

Independent Contract Policy Training - Now Available (Instructor-Led and Web-Based)
The Office of the Controller's Financial Policy and Compliance Team is excited to share that Independent Contract Policy Training is Now Available.  The course offerings are available as Web-based as well as an Instructor Led Workshops. Please review course details as well as enrolment instructions. Read more.

If you are interested in obtaining IC status, first review the Harvard University IC Policy. If your request aligns with the IC criteria, then follow the IC request policy and process:

• Harvard University IC Policy (includes links to Independent Contractors Questionnaire and Independent Contractor Exceptions Attestation Form)
• FAS IC classification flow chart  (includes hyperlinks to the required documents as well as the  submission e-mail address)
• FAS IC guest speaker or lecturer flow chart

Keep in mind:

• Your HR Consultant should be your first point of contact for IC requests. They can help you think through your needs and which payment options are the most appropriate.
• Plan ahead. It takes time to fill out the IC forms and receive a decision. Since IC status must be granted before services are performed, the sooner you plan ahead (when possible) the better.
• On the Questionnaire: 1) Do not skip questions. If you are uncertain on how to respond, check-in with your HR Consultant. 2) Sign the form. IC Questionnaires without a signature will be returned to the department. Electronic signatures are acceptable.
• There is risk associated with incorrect IC designations. If an IC is incorrectly classified, regardless of knowledge or intent, there are significant financial penalties.

International IC and Honorarium Procedure Roles and Responsibilities

*There are no exceptions for international requests. Please do not use the exception form for international requests.

Harvard University IC Policy

International IC Requests

International IC requests should be treated the same as domestic requests: 

• Please review request and ICQ with your HR Consultant. Note: a more detailed SOW will help your request to be reviewed more efficiently. 
• Your Consultant will let you know when it’s ok to send to the IC inbox. 

 For international requests additional information may be requested. In the email to your consultant please provide the following: 

• Is the person authorized to work in the country? 
• Are they registered as a sole proprietor, are offering these services to other clients at the same time? 
• Any information about their business establishment (website, resume, portfolio, etc.)? 
• Are the services going to be provided virtually? If yes:  
  • Are the individuals authorized to work in the country they will be performing the services from? 
  • Are they doing similar work for other clients in the countries they will be providing the services from?  
• Is there is a readily available website/summary of their general work? 
• Will the individuals be paid once, just per the guest speaker engagement they are involved in? 

Approvals and Alternatives

If your request is considered for IC status, your request will be reviewed by Global Support Services. If your request is not considered for IC status, please work with your consultant on other payment options. These options usually include: 

• Go through a local in-country entity, either a department contact or a Harvard office. 
• 3rd party payroll vendor (Professional Employer Organization (PEO), an international equivalent to All Source) 

More information is available on the GSS website. 

International Honorarium

Honorarium is a payment made without legal obligation on the payor’s part, made to a person for their services in a volunteer capacity or for services for which fees are not traditionally required. Honorariums, which should generally be a nominal amount, are payments made to individual guest speakers or lecturers as a "thank you" gesture of good will and appreciation. An honorarium is not based on an agreed upon amount between the individual providing services and the individual seeking services (and therefore an invoice should not be received). If payment is agreed upon, this constitutes a contractual agreement which must be formally recognized in some contractual form and should not be treated as an honorarium. 

The current process is for all international honorarium payments to follow the Independent Contractor procedure as laid out above. This is because payments, which Harvard would consider an honorarium may be seen as payment for services in other countries and may be subject to local regulatory requirements.

International Honorarium for Speakers

For one-time speakers to be paid an international Honorarium please complete the below Model Format and email to your HR Consultant for review by FASHR and Harvard Global/GSS.

Model Format 

[Speaker] is invited to speak at [event – share link if possible] on [date]. We would like to pay him a [amount] [type of payment] for a one-time speaking engagement. Please find below other details on the engagement.

For International Speakers:

• Does the speaker have (or has the speaker within the past 12 months had) any other engagements with Harvard? If so, please describe each in detail. 
• Are the services going to be provided virtually? If yes:  
  • From what country? 
  • Is the individuals authorized to work in the country they will be performing the services from? 
  • Is the individual doing similar work for other clients in the country they will be providing the services from? 
• Is there is a readily available website/summary of their biography/general work? If not, please provide a resume for the individual. 
• Will the individuals be paid once this year, just per the guest speaker engagement currently being discussed? 
• How was the payment amount set?  
• Please describe the scope of work. 
• What level of control or influence will Harvard, or any representative for Harvard, have on the engagement? 

Harvard Temps and LHTs are individuals that are identified by the hiring manager and paid through the Harvard Payroll. This option allows hiring managers to identify a temp without using an MSP and is particularly helpful if the hiring manager is already familiar with individuals who can fill this role. This is also a slightly less expensive alternative.

Harvard temps are assigned up to a period of thirteen weeks. After that, Harvard temps are required to leave Harvard for 8 months if they don’t take a LHT role or if they were an LHT before they were a temp.

Please review the Types of Employment and FAQs Regarding Contingent Workers for information about hiring a Harvard Temp or LHT employee. For specific questions, reach out to Harvard’s Office of Labor and Employee Relations.

FAS HR partners with Year Up, a nonprofit organization, that provides eligible high school graduates and GED recipients from the Greater Boston area to provide a six-month supervised internship.  Learn more about the FAS's partnership with Year Up and the process to hire a Year Up intern.

The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) provides valuable work experiences to high school youth from Boston and Cambridge, while contributing to Harvard’s summer staffing needs.  Participating departments fund the hiring of a student; the hours and dates may be adjusted to fit your needs and budget. 

If you plan to hire an intern, visit the HHR Staff Personnel Manual for information on hiring a paid co-op student or intern, and the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) website for instructions and documentation for hiring an unpaid intern or volunteer.

When did FAS start working with DZConnex?
DZConnex started partnering with all of FAS on June 7, 2021. All agency recruited contingent labor must now be sourced through DZConnex.

Why has FAS moved to this model for contingent labor?
With an MSP, contingent labor is sourced from a talent pool from many staffing agencies who have agreed to Harvard’s set rate card, which results in cost savings. The DZConnex model reduces the administrative burden associated with sourcing, hiring, onboarding, and managing contingent labor. This model is particularly helpful if you need a temp but don’t know of a specific individual to hire. DZConnex is available as a resource to help you find contingent labor by utilizing their network of staffing agencies and contingent workers. In this case, the contingent labor will be paid through an external payroll.

Benefits of the DZConnex MSP include:

• Improved equity with standardized job descriptions and recommended pay ranges.
• Access to a competitive talent pool with a wide range of skill sets, including candidates with prior Harvard experience.
• Lower local administrative burden associated with sourcing, onboarding, and paying contingent employees.
• Cost savings by reducing mark-up rates and recognizing volume discounts.
• Reduced employment risks by managing compliance with regulations, pre-employment screening, benefits eligibility, worker employment agreements, and tenure limits.

Do all contingent workers need to be hired through DZConnex?
No, hiring managers are still allowed to hire Harvard temps, LHTs, and interns. Please see the other sections on Harvard temps, LHTs, and interns for more information on these roles and hiring processes.

Do DZConnex contingent workers have term limits?
Unlike temps that are hired and paid directly through Harvard, DZConnex temps are permitted to move to another assignment right after the thirteen-week assignment is up, as long as the new assignment is in a different tub. They can also wait sixty days to hired in the same tub.

Where can I find more information on DZConnex at Harvard?
For users with access to work directly in the Fieldglass system, digital courses are available on demand through HTP.  For more information on the University initiative to manage Contingent Work through DZConnex, visit Harvard HR’s Contingent Workforce webpage.

If a contingent worker has already been identified and are not residing in the following states--Massachusetts, California, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New York, Maryland--they must be payrolled through Allsource.

Payrolling Process for Occasional Fieldglass Users

• User contacts HR Consultant or Michelle Provost (michelle_provost@harvard.edu)
• User completes the FAS HR intake form, including:
  • Name of Contingent Worker
  • Position duration and rate
  • Position title and job description
• FAS HR posts requisition in Fieldglass
• Role is sent to Ad Dean for financial approval
• Contingent Worker is onboarded and payrolled through Allsource

Recommended training for Occasional Users: Approve Time in Fieldglass
Fieldglass role: Time Sheet Approver

Payrolling Process for Regular Fieldglass Users

• User logs in to Fieldglass directly to requisition worker, including:
  • Name of Contingent Worker
  • Position duration and rate
  • Position title and job description
• User approves requisition (if under $10k) or sent to Ad Dean for financial approval (if over $10k or on sponsored funds)
• Contingent Worker is onboarded and payrolled through Allsource

Required training for Regular Users: Using Fieldglass to Manage Contingent Work
Fieldglass role: Hiring Manager (includes time approver functionality)

Harvard Support and Resources

FAS Human Resources
Contact your HR Consultant or Michelle Provost (michelle_provost@harvard.edu)

Harvard HR Contingent Workforce Website
Reference materials on job descriptions, rate cards and program guidelines

DZConneX Program Management Office
Email: harvard@dzconnex.com
Telephone: 617-495-1508

Harvard Training Portal Materials:

• Fieldglass Training Materials and Courses in HTP
• 15-Minute Program Overview

Additional Resources

• Contingent Workforce at Harvard FAQs
• Payment Categories and Hiring Methods for Individuals Classified as an Employee
• Harvard/DZConneX Managed Services Program (MSP) – Program Guidelines
• Harvard/DZConneX Managed Services Program (MSP) – Glossary