As a reminder, all new hires must work with their designated onboarding buddy or supervisor to complete all Day 1 onboarding activities on their first day of work.

What supervisors need to do

• Designate an onboarding buddy. This can be you or someone you designate.
• Add the onboarding buddy to the associated SF-52 in eTracker.
• Make sure the onboarding buddy is available to meet with the new hire on their first day to complete all Day 1 onboarding activities. This includes mandatory paperwork that the onboarding buddy and new hire must complete and sign in USA Staffing.
• Avoid De Facto Employment. Verify new employees have an official job offer before they start work. If an employee shows up for work without an official job offer, or before the entry-on-duty date identified in their official job offer, the supervisor must immediately send them home. An employee who works while in a de facto status may not receive full compensation and is ineligible to earn leave and benefits for the time they worked before their entry-on-duty date.

What onboarding buddies need to do

• Verify access to USA Staffing. Complete the user access request form if necessary.
• Review the Day 1 Guide for onboarding buddy and new hires.
• Review the seven-minute Day 1 Video for onboarding buddy and new hires.
• Be available and prepared to meet with the new hire on their first day to complete all Day 1 onboarding activities.
• After completing the I-9 form, upload copies of the documents that you used to verify U.S. citizenship to USA Staffing Onboarding within three days of the entry-on-duty date. If you are unable to upload the documents, be prepared to share copies using Teams, fax or Pinyon when HRM contacts you for verification.

If you have questions or issues during this process, contact the Human Resources case manager listed in the official offer letter or the notification of day 1 activities email.

Help is available

Open an HR Help case:

1. Call: 1-877-372-7248, Press 2
2. Email: hrm_contact_center@usda.gov
3. Self-Service: ConnectHR > HR Help link

For detailed instructions, visit the HR Help How-to Add a Case Guide.