SOS Temporary Program

What does SOS expect from you, the teammate?

Congratulations! The SOS Program welcomes YOU! You have an opportunity to work for Nebraska State Government, the State’s largest employer. We wish you luck in your new position and offer the following suggestions to assist with your success as a State teammate. We expect good work ethics and a standard of conduct that reflect a professional and positive image for yourself, as well as for the State of Nebraska.

It is your responsibility to ask for clarification and explanations to ensure you are aware of, and can comply with, the agency’s expectations shown below.

If you have questions about any of the processes, policies, or procedures listed on this page, please contact the SOS Program immediately at 402-471-2075.

Adhere to agency expectations: We want to make sure that we hire teammates who will competently fill the agency vacancy in a professional manner. Please be sure you are aware of the agency’s expectations and adhere to those expectations. It should be your goal as an SOS teammate to leave each agency to which you are assigned with a POSITIVE IMPRESSION of YOUR WORK PERFORMANCE, as well as of the SOS PROGRAM.

Maintain good work ethics: By listing temporary positions with SOS, State agencies reinforce their support of our program. This support deserves not only quality temporary employment assistance, but reliable teammates. Here are the basic standards of conduct we expect of our SOS teammates:

• Promptness: SOS teammates are expected to report to work on time. Please arrange your transportation and parking so you are ready to begin work on the assigned hour.
• Breaks/lunch periods: You are expected to follow the policy of the agency to which you are assigned in regards to rest breaks and lunch periods. Please remember that a “break” is a privilege, not a requirement. PLEASE DO NOT ABUSE!
• Appointments/interviews: Please make arrangements in advance for all appointments or interviews. Consult your supervisor in advance for a time most convenient for them.
• Absences: If you are unable to report to work on any given day, due to illness or an emergency, you must report to both the SOS Program and to your immediate supervisor. These calls must be placed immediately and on each day you are absent. Failure to notify the proper officials could result in termination and/or removal from the SOS Program.
• Use of state equipment: Phones, computers, the internet, copy and fax machines, calculators, etc., are to be used for State business ONLY. Personal phone calls should be placed only during your breaks and lunch periods. Long distance phone calls are prohibited, unless the call is for State business.
• Dress Codes: With the variety of temporary assignments available through SOS, there is a variety of acceptable dress codes. SOS will make every effort to inform you what is appropriate. However, unless notified differently, it is safe to assume standard office attire is expected.

As a supervisor, how can I ensure my temporary teammate’s success?

The SOS staff will make a courtesy call to the temporary teammate’s supervisor approximately one week after the start date to determine whether he/she is performing satisfactorily. During the duration of the assignment, should you have any concerns regarding an SOS teammate’s ability to complete the required tasks of your position and/or adhere to your agency’s expectations, policies, and procedures, please contact the SOS Program immediately prior to taking any personnel action at 402-471-2075.

Listed below are several suggestions on how you can assist in assuring the temporary teammate’s success:

• Give your teammate a list of who’s who. Within the first day or two on the assignment, introduce your teammate to his/her co-workers. If possible, give the teammate a short description of each staff member’s duties or responsibilities, especially if the teammate will answer the phones or route phone calls.
• Make a current listing of all phone extensions for your teammate, along with your staff members’ names as they are actually used.
• Inform your teammate of protocol, for example, when to pick up unanswered phone calls, or what to do with second calls. Once again, let your teammate know who is responsible for answering certain, specific questions.
• Let your teammate know the rules of your agency: break times, personal phone calls, lunch periods, what stationary to use, flex-time, if available, etc.
• Make sure your teammate is aware of your expectations. Make sure the temporary teammate clearly understands your expectations in the job, examples: training period, quotas to meet, etc.
• Assign a person who is “next in charge.” Should the supervisor be absent, make sure your teammate is aware of who is "next in charge" to report their absence or sign their timesheet. By informing the teammate ahead of time, there should be no late timesheets due to a supervisor's absence.
• Extensions: When you listed the position, the start and end dates for your temporary assignment were included on the job order. Please make sure to request an extension via email should you need an teammate past the initial end date.