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Simplified job changes and time submission

Ask the Services Centre Connect chatbot (at the bottom right) about these recent improvements

York University made it easier to manage casual employees1 by moving the Employee Transaction Form (ETF) online and expanding the Time Reporting Tool (TRT). These improvements let staff enter hours worked and job updates directly in HR Self Serve, cutting out extra forms, manual calculations, and duplicate entries for a faster, more secure and accurate process. 

QUICK LINKS

Need Help? Click the Services Centre ConnectChatbot Symbol chatbot icon at the bottom-right to open the Virtual Assistant to get answers to your questions about the automated ETF tool, ETFs in general and causal time entry in the Time Reporting Tool

RECENT IMPROVEMENTS

Click on the recent improvement below to learn more:

York’s Time Reporting Tool (TRT) in HR Self Serve has been expanded to unaffiliated casual employees letting them enter their hours directly into the system. The system pre-populates most fields and calculates vacation and holiday pay. The record of hours form is no longer needed (unless required locally). Entries are sent by the system to an optional reviewer before approval. Once approved, payment is processed on the next pay date. The TRT reduces errors, saves time, and gives managers better visibility into costs, compared to manual time submission.

Emailed timesheets are longer be accepted for hours worked on or after March 1 by unaffiliated casual employees in scope of this expansion.

The automated Employee Transaction Form (ETF) allows department staff to complete the ETF in HR Self Serve, pulling employee details from existing job records to reduce data entry. Once submitted, the form goes directly to the manager or cost centre owner for approval. Approved changes update the employee's record automatically, eliminating duplicate entry.

The automated ETF will support:

  • Hiring, rehiring, and extending casual assignments
  • Updating cost centre information
  • Changing hourly pay rates
  • Ending assignments early

When employees are hired or rehired, they will automatically receive an email with their employee number and instructions to set up their employee Passport York account, their payroll direct deposit, and complete required training.

Effective March 1, ETFs must be submitted through the automated ETF for unaffiliated causal employees in scope of this change.

This improvement will roll out in phases, starting with unaffiliated casual assignments, and later expanding to other employee groups.

SCOPE

The employees within scope of these projects – listed below – submitted hours worked prior to March 1, 2026, on an Excel timesheet emailed to Payroll (not in the Time Reporting Tool – TRT) and are paid bi-weekly.

Job changes for employees in these groups should be submitted through the automated ETF.

Hours worked by employee in these groups on or after March 1, 2026, must be submitted, reviewed and approved in the TRT.

Typically report into a faculty member and paid from research funds (fund 400 and 500)

Salary PlansWage account examples 2
Casual Research Assistant York Student (CRY)192000, 192100, 192200, 192300
Casual Research Assistant Non-York Student (CRN)165400, 191000, 191100, 191200, 191300
Work Study RAY (WSR)163600

Typically report into a CPM manager and paid from operating funds (fund 200). Examples: invigilators, Glendon Athletic Club fitness instructors, models for art classes.

Salary PlansWage account examples 2
Casual Hourly Paid York Student (CHY)163000, 165000, 165500
Casual Hourly Paid Not a York Student (CHN)163100, 165100, 165500

Note: The automated ETF and TRT expansion does NOT apply to:           

  • Salaried employees, such as, full- and part-time Research Assistants and Research Associates, Post-doctoral Visitors and Fellows
  • Employees currently using the TRT, such as Work Study Student (WSS), Work Study Lead (WSL), Summer Student, YUSA-2, Confidential Temporary Casual (CTC)
  • Flat rate paid (not hourly), such as Honorarium recipients and Residence dons
  • One-off payments (i.e., an employee working a single shift once in a term)

For all these employee groups and transaction types, continue to use the ETFs available on YU Link > Employee Resources > Forms and Documents > Compensation and Payroll.

YOUR ROLE

Your participation is needed. Click on your role for more information:

  • If you were hired or rehired after the automated ETF launched (December 8, 2025), you will have received an email with your employee number and instructions to set up your employee Passport York account, your payroll direct deposit, and complete required training.
  • Ensure your Employee Passport York account is set up and your personal information is up to date​. You can update your personal information and banking details as required though HR Self Serve.
  • Register for the Time Reporting Tool (TRT) for Hourly Paid Casual employees course on YU Learn to understand how to use the TRT. 
  • Use the TRT to enter your hours each day worked to be paid every two weeks. The TRT makes your time entry easy by displaying information about the assignments you hold, such as the rate of pay and budget details. The TRT allows you to add comments for your hours worked, such as a description of the work performed. You no longer need to complete a record of hours, unless requested by your department.  
  • If you have multiple casual hourly paid jobs on the TRT, select the job that you worked and log hours for each job separately. If one of your casual hourly paid jobs NOT listed on the TRT, contact your Manager to inquire how to submit your hours.
  • Ensure all members of your team have set up their Employee Passport York account and updated their personal information. They will need an active Employee Passport York account to access the TRT and for the TRT to function correctly even if the time reviewer or approver is entering hours on behalf of the employee.  
  • Use the TRT to review and approve reported hours for unaffiliated casual employees in your area. You can push entries back for correction or correct them directly in the system, such as changing the number of hours worked. If needed, you can enter time on behalf of your casual team members. After you approve, the hours will be automatically submitted for payment on the next pay date. Vacation and public holiday pay is automatically calculated and issued. 
  • Register for the Time Reporting Tool (TRT) for Approvers course and the Using the Automated Employee Transaction Form learning package on YU Learn to understand how to use the TRT and the automated ETF. Learning resources for TRT reviewers are in the Time Reporting Tool (TRT) for Reviewer course.
  • In the automated ETF, you can review and approve ETFs directly on HR Self Serve. Note: based on guidance from Internal Audit, the system will require that the person preparing the ETF be different from the person approving the ETF.
  • Review the Using the Automated Employee Transaction Form learning package on YU Learn to understand how to use the automated ETF. 
  • To hire/rehire, search for a casual employee on the automated ETF using their social insurance number and date of birth. If the system finds a match, you can review and update their personal information. Once completed, the form will be sent directly to the approver (or an optional reviewer). Note: based on guidance from Internal Audit, the system will require that the person preparing the ETF be different from the person approving the ETF.
  • You will be prompted to add attachments to the ETF so all records are kept in one place, such as signed offer letters for hires/rehire and supporting documentation for pay rate changes and early termination.
  • For casual employees who are not on the automated ETF (e.g., for flat rate payments, single shifts, etc.), please use the updated Employee Transaction Form (ETF) (Note: The form will download when the link is clicked).    

Contact Us

Please email us at hrhelp@yorku.ca if you have any questions.

1 Employee refers to all users whose payroll and records are administered by York University, including those working for principal investigators and third-party organizations

2These examples of wage accounts are indicative, not exhaustive or prescriptive. Please review the Chart of Accounts and consult your Finance Officer and Research Accounting for guidance.