Performance Appraisal FAQs

Career and Contract employees are entered in Saba. Each department is responsible to report all additions / deletions to HR immediately when changes occur. Please send updates to laborrelations@ucmerced.edu.

Employees hired after January 1st of the current year will not receive an annual appraisal and should receive performance feedback during their mid-probation assessment. Requests for new employee Saba accounts must be submitted by manager to laborrelations@ucmerced.edu

Any discrepancies with your Saba account can be reported to laborrelations@ucmerced.edu immediately for resolution.

Yes.

Saba provides a top-down view. For example, the Chancellor has access to view anyone in the organization. A Vice Chancellor has access to view employees within their division only. Employee & Labor Relations has access to view all employee records.

The system only allows the designation of one primary supervisor.

Yes. If it is not completed, there are default standards in place. Please contact Employee & Labor Relations laborrelations@ucmerced.edu with the specific questions and concerns about what occurs should you complete the process.

No. The process and timeline are consistent with last year. Please click the following link to review the 2024-2025 Performance Appraisal timeline.

Yes. Staff eligible to receive an annual performance evaluation should receive a formal appraisal covering the review period. Under certain circumstances, and at the discretion of the supervisor, it may be necessary for an employee to receive an appraisal outside the normal review period. Police Officers covered by the UC-FUPOA collective bargaining agreement are appraised on an anniversary cycle, in accordance with the MOU.

Ordinarily employees are not entitled to representation for routine meetings such as performance reviews unless the employee reasonably anticipates that the meeting may lead to corrective action. However, there may be unusual circumstances that trigger a right to representation. Please consult with Labor Relations Employee or email laborrelations@ucmerced.edu if this situation arises. Reschedule the performance evaluation meeting if necessary in order to obtain appropriate advice prior to holding the meeting.

Although the SOA is an optional component of the performance appraisal process, individual departments have the discretion to require all employees to complete the SOA. If you choose not to provide this feedback, then you have chosen to disengage with your supervisor in a discussion about your accomplishments, your challenges, and your developments. It will be a missed opportunity for you.

Word and PDF versions of the performance appraisal form are available via the following link on the HR Website - Self-Help Tools. Once completed, supervisors need to forward the completed and signed form to laborrelations@ucmerced.edu to be place in the employee’s personnel file.

Yes! Start with a job description for clear understanding. Look to out rating rubric for guidance on what good looks like. If you still have questions reach out to our Talent Development team at hrtraining@ucmerced.edu

Before soliciting input from staff, we highly recommend that you first consult with Employee & Labor Relations.

Word and PDF version of the performance appraisals form are available via the following link on the HR Website - Self-Help Tools. Once completed, supervisors need to forward the completed and signed form to laborrelations@ucmerced.edu to be placed in the employee’s personnel file.

Employees hired after January 1st of the current year will not receive an annual appraisal. Employees hired after January 1st should receive performance feedback during their mid-probation assessment. Use the probationary period to, among other things: - Reinforce the expectations of the position; - Identify training and/or professional development needs; - Establish goals; - Recognize good performance and / or communicate areas that need improvement.

Yes. The supervisor of record is ultimately responsible for completing the performance appraisal, including goals and professional development opportunities, for their assigned direct reports. However, you have responsibility to submit to solicit feedback from the former supervisor when completing the year-end appraisal. It is appropriate to consult with the former supervisor on performance feedback related to core competencies and overall performance rating. If you have additional questions regarding this matter, please consult with Employee & Labor Relations or email laborrelations@ucmerced.edu.

The employee’s signature on the appraisal is confirmation that the appraisal was issued and received by the employee. The signature does not translate to agreement with the contents of the appraisal. If an employee refuses to “sign” their performance appraisal, please consult with Employee & Labor Relations or email laborrelations@ucmerced.edu.

Any core job functions, existing, emergent,or new duties, can be assessed. Leadership is particularly interested in emergent or new duties and performance in our current environment.

The eight-part UC Performance Management Series provides the fundamentals of performance management including important information, tools and resources needed to support UC people managers in their roles. It is recommended you take the series in order. To access the UC Performance Management Series, login to the UC Learning Center, using the Find a Course feature, enter the course name in the search box. You may also explore our LinkedIn Learning platform for more e-courses related to performance management.

Performance Appraisals are a periodic process that summarizes what should be ongoing discussions, check ins, and communication between our personnel, leadership, and peers. Without regularly touching base on workload, capacity, expectations, performance, and our working relationships, the appraisal process could be daunting, shocking, and disengaging. The appraisal is a periodic (single moment) activity during the continuous feedback, support, guidance, and goal realignment that should be occurring throughout the year.

This depends on individual circumstances. If you are contemplating this step or unsure, please contact Employee & Labor Relations for guidance. However, if the overall appraisal rating is ‘met few expectations’ a PIP is required. A PIP requires ELR review prior to issuing.

Contact the Talent Development Manager to explore options at hrtraining@ucmerced.edu. Hard copies of the performance documents are available to those who are unable to complete the appraisal or Summary of Accomplishments (SOA) using the Saba tool. Circumstances under which to substitute the Saba tool: an employee is on an extended leave of absence, or an employee has insufficient computer skills to complete the form. Word versions of the appraisal and SOA forms are available on the HR Website - Self-Help Tools. Once completed, the supervisor will need to upload the SOA and/or appraisal into the documents section of the respective employee’s Saba account.

A Professional Development Plan is used to improve a skill or a competency. A professional Development Plan does not address areas that are below the performance standard. Managers should use this section to identify professional development for purposes of career development and succession planning. Conversely, a Plan of Improvement addresses areas of deficiencies, and those skills and competencies not meeting the performance standards. If you have additional questions regarding this matter, please consult with Employee & Labor Relations or email laborrelations@ucmerced.edu.