Before Your First Day

We are excited you have chosen to join Carnegie Mellon University, and we look forward to seeing you on your first day. Before then, there are some important onboarding tasks for you to review and complete to ensure you will be ready for your first day of work.

On this page:

• Andrew Account
• Workday Onboarding Tasks
• Tax and Payment Elections — Special Note
• Form I-9 and E-Verify
• CMU ID Card
• Benefits Overview
• Commute Options

Your Andrew ID provides access to email, network registration and Workday (CMU’s HR system). Access to Workday will allow you to complete onboarding tasks required of all new employees. The creation and activation of your Andrew ID depends on whether you have a prior affiliation with CMU.

If you have never been assigned an Andrew ID or your Andrew ID was last used prior to 2015:

• CMU Computing Services (it-help@cmu.edu) will send an email to your personal email account asking you to complete a Prior Affiliation Questionnaire (PAQ). Please complete the PAQ as soon as possible to begin the Andrew ID creation process. If you have not received the PAQ within 24 hours of receiving this notification, please check your spam folder or contact HR Services.
• Within three business days of completing the PAQ, you will receive either a second email with instructions for setting up your Andrew ID, password and DUO Two-Factor Authentication or a request for additional information regarding a prior affiliation at CMU.

If you were already assigned an Andrew ID based on previous employment, student enrollment or another prior affiliation at CMU since 2015:

• Your Andrew ID will be reactivated by Computing Services without a Prior Affiliation Questionnaire.
• Please allow 24 hours after receiving this notification for your Andrew credentials to be reactivated across university systems. If you have trouble logging in to CMU platforms after 24 hours, please email HR Services for further assistance.
• DUO Two-Factor Authentication is required to sign in to Workday and other university systems.
• If you do not recall the password associated with your Andrew ID, you can reset your password.

Once you have your Andrew ID/password and DUO Two-Factor Authentication, you can log in to Workday and complete your onboarding tasks. Refer to the Workday Onboarding Tasks System Guide [pdf] for instructions.

Alternatively, you can wait until your first day and complete the tasks during an onboarding session.

Some employees will be assigned a Journey in Workday that will provide more guidance and support navigating your first day and first weeks as an employee at CMU. This will appear in your 'My Task' inbox. 

To complete your tax elections and payment elections (direct deposit), you will need to have a Social Security number* entered in Workday (through the Edit Government ID task [pdf]).

• You will complete your tax elections as one of your onboarding tasks, which includes your Form W-4 for federal withholding as well as state and local tax forms.
  • View Payroll Taxes FAQs for more information.
  • If you are a foreign national, you will receive an email to complete a Foreign National Information System (FNIS) application to determine whether you are eligible for any tax treaties or exceptions.
• The preferred method for paying employees is through direct deposit. You will complete payment elections (direct deposit) in Workday. If no payment elections are made prior to payroll processing, your default payment election will be a Wisely ADP Paycard which will be sent to your primary address on file in Workday.
• If your position is hourly, you will be required to submit hours in Workday.

*If you do not have a Social Security number, you will need to apply for one as soon as possible.

Federal law requires employers to verify the employment eligibility and identity of all employees hired to work in the United States through a Form I-9.

• Form I-9 Section 1 must be completed in Workday no later than your first day of employment.
• Form I-9 Section 2 must be completed in person within three days of your employment start date. Review the original documents from the Form I-9 List of Acceptable Documents required to complete Section 2.
• Regular I-9 reminders will be sent in the weeks leading up to your start date to ensure compliance with this time sensitive onboarding requirement.
• Employees assigned to work on a federally-funded project must also be E-Verified.

^*Employees rehired within three years of completing their most recent Form I-9 will not need to complete a new Form I-9. HR Employee Services will contact you if updated work authorization documentation is required.

Your CMU ID Card will give you access to:

• Campus buildings and several campus parking garages
• Port authority (if eligible) and campus transportation
• Fitness facilities and programs
• Events on and off campus
• PNC Virtual Wallet

You can upload a photo for your CMU ID Card once you have received your Andrew ID. The CMU ID Card will be available for pickup on your first day.

Many of your benefits elections are time sensitive. The Benefits Guide is the best resource to learn about election deadlines and the wide range of health and welfare benefits offered at CMU.

• If you plan to add dependents to your benefit elections, you will need to provide supporting documentation [pdf] verifying their relationship to you. You should bring this documentation on your first day.
• AFL-CIO Local 95 — International Union of Operating Engineers are covered under their own contract, which specifies their benefits coverage options.

Employees have several transportation options for commuting to the Pittsburgh campus:

• Campus maps are available for you to familiarize yourself with the local area.
• Visitor parking is available in several campus garages.
• Once you begin working, you will be able to apply for a parking permit.
• CMU has its own shuttle and escort service.
  • Riders can use the TransLoc/Ride Systems GPS tracker to track the location of CMU buses.
• Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) services the campus area.
  • PRT's website provides tools to help riders find routes, schedules, detours and real-time arrival information.
  • Riders can also use several apps to track PRT vehicles.
  • Benefits-eligible faculty and staff can use their CMU ID Card to access PRT system buses, inclines and light rail free of charge.

If you need an accommodation (e.g., disabled parking), please contact Disability Services within the Office of Human Resources.