When it comes to finding qualified staffers, UAB Temporary Employment Services does much more than help departments fill short-term positions – it helps save time and money, and now ensures that temporary employees undergo approved HIPAA training and OIG/GSA review prior to placement.

“As part of UAB Human Resource Management, we have access to nearly 2,000 local jobseekers each week, including many skilled and professional applicants attracted by the advantages of working with Alabama’s largest employer,” says Josephine Jackson-Banks, manager of the group.

“The advantage departments have in working with us is that because we, too, are a part of UAB, we share common goals of growth and success in our key teaching, research, health care and community service focus areas,” says Jackson-Banks. “And because we are an internal service center, our focus is on the quality of work employees can do, rather than on meeting some arbitrary monthly quota of positions filled.”

It is that internal customer service focus that led the group to institute HIPAA training as part of the temporary employment orientation process. New short-term employees headed to positions regulated by HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) receive the training before they go to their new assignments, thus freeing them to begin work immediately once on the job.

“We really appreciated the response we got from Temp Services on this,” says Carlos Brown, director of the UAB University Hospital Corporate Compliance office. “They worked with us to develop something right on target for our needs, and it’s been so successful that we would like to emulate this process for employees who need to be engaged through outside agencies.”

In addition, once the policy was implemented that all UAB faculty and staff new employees be reviewed for eligibility to receive federal funding, Temporary Services instituted such a screening as an automatic part of its pre-hire process. The verification includes a review of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and General Services Administration (GSA) exclusion lists that identify individuals who are excluded from participating in payments by federal programs or contracts.

Temporary Services can help departments find employees for part- or full-time positions working any shift. To work with the group, learn about them online at www.uab.edu/temp and then call 934-4030.

Employees hired through UAB Temporary Employment Services undergo a comprehensive initial screening, including an extensive criminal history investigation, verification of education and previous work history, OIG/GSA review, multiple reference checks and more. In addition, Temporary Services takes care of most payroll and administrative issues.