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Welcome New Employees

Congratulations on your new position, and welcome to Northwestern University! You've picked a great place to work, and we are glad to have you here.

Keep in mind that onboarding is a process that takes several months. Take your time to get to know the lay of the land, both within your immediate work environment and the University as a whole. Take advantage of the many opportunities to network with fellow members of the Northwestern community; building relationships is key. Please view some key documents to help you get started:

Below is a guide of the first steps most new University Employees should take for a successful onboarding into their new role. Please review the following information regarding necessary paperwork completion for your first day and beyond. 

 

Forms

Below are forms that you'll need to complete and additional steps that you'll need to review prior to starting in your new position.

  • State Tax Form 
    • Employees working outside of Illinois must notify Human Resources to ensure the correct state withholding forms are submitted.  Visit the Tax Information webpage for more details. 
    • Your Federal tax form should be completed electronically via your onboarding module in myHR. You will receive access to this module once your new position is processed in our system.
    • For Foreign Nationals, please visit the Tax Information for Foreign Nationals Page
  • I-9 Employment Eligibility Completion
    • If you haven't yet completed I-9 Section 1, go to the I-9 Service Center and follow the instructions for new employees.  Create an account and complete Section 1 prior to your first day of employment.
    • Please select your School/Area and Department/Center that corresponds with your offer letter on the I-9 Service Center page.
    • After completing Section 1, you must finish Section 2 of the I-9 by no later than the end of your third day of employment.
    • Visit the Completing I-9 webpage for specifics about the required documents and to see the various ways to complete Section 2 in-person and remotely. 
      • If heading to our Evanston HR Office to complete I-9 Section-2, please note the building doors may be locked.  Use your wildcard for building entrance or call the number listed on the front door for HR assistance.

System Access

  • Activate your NetID (your electronic identity at Northwestern)
    • It must be activated prior to use. Your department will notify you once the ID has been created.
    • You will be able to access myHR self-service system with your NetID
  • Once your NetID is active, you will be able to submit your WildCARD photo online for a more convenient card pickup on your first day.

Parking and transit

 
Evanston Campus
  • Regular/Part-Time staff working on the Evanston campus are eligible to request a free 5-day parking pass at HRTA@northwestern.edu for their first week. Please request prior to your first day and include your Name, Title, Department Name, and Employee ID if you have it.
    • Please note: We are unable to provide temporary parking passes to Research staff including Post Docs and Faculty hires. Please reach out to your respective departments on parking options if aligned with either of these categories.
  • If interested in obtaining a parking permit for the Evanston campus, please follow the link to our Evanston Parking page.
  • For further assistance with Evanston Parking contact parking@northwestern.edu or by phone at 847-491-3319
Chicago Campus
  • If interested in a monthly parking permit for the Chicago campus, please follow the link to our Chicago Parking page.
    • For Chicago daily parking pass validations, please visit here.
  • Please note: We are unable to offer free parking on the Chicago campus to new hires.
  • For further assistance for Chicago Parking contact Chicagoparking@northwestern.edu or by phone at 312-503-1103.
Additional Parking and Transportation Resources
Caregiving Resources
  •  If you need caregiving support (for childcare or other dependent care), please explore the Caregiving Resources website, and schedule a consultation with a Dependent Care Specialist.
  • Please email completed state tax form to askHR@northwestern.edu  When emailing, for your protection, please place a password on the files.
    • If you have selected to complete I-9 Section 2 in person at one of our HR offices, you may drop off your completed tax form here as well.
    • New hires requiring assistance with completing the I9-Section 2 portion can refer to the list of instructions under the "Pre-Arrival" tab. 
  • Enroll in direct deposit at least one week before your first paycheck. Visit the direct deposit webpage for more information
  • Obtain a  WildCARD. Your employee ID number and a photo ID are required.
  • If interested in a monthly parking permit, please visit the parking website for more information. You can pick up a monthly or daily pass from the parking office.
  • Update preferred display name in the myHR system.
  • Sign up for CTA or RTA benefits program (if applicable). It can take up to two weeks for your data to load with our vendor.
If hiring managers or new hires have questions and need to speak with Talent Acquisition, please email HRTA@northwestern.edu for assistance.
  • Discuss time entry procedures with your manager. Visit the timekeeping webpage for more information.
  • Check in with your manager to identify required e-learning(s) modules in myHR Learn related to your role:
    • Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) e-learning module
    • Procurements and Payments
    • Additional relevant regulatory compliance training
  • Meet your Peer Partner. If assigned, an introduction email from your department on your Peer Partner toolkit will be sent. Your manager will facilitate this introduction in-person or via email and schedule a follow up meeting.

Enroll in Benefits

Attestations

Orientations and training

Online Modules

Familiarize yourself with the University

Orientations and training 

  • Attend the virtual New Employee Orientation Part 2, which will occur within the first few months of your start date. 
  • Digital learning through myHR Learn. There are two digital courses to provide additional context on the U.S. higher education landscape and on Northwestern.
    • Northwestern e-learning module
    • Higher ed e-learning module

Additional trainings

Training and Development

  • LinkedIn Learning and Northwestern University have partnered to offer University students, faculty and staff unlimited, on-demand access to a full library of online courses at no additional cost
  • For a compiled list of Northwestern's system logins, please visit the System Directory

Policies

Northwestern community