Mason's Onboarding Portal
New Employee FAQs
Welcome to the Mason community!
Some questions often asked by new Mason faculty and staff are listed below with answer links.
Just scroll through the topics and click on the link to find the information you need.
Not able to find the answer to your question? We are here to help, so please contact Human Resources and Payroll at 703-993-2600, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., or email your question to hr@gmu.edu.
Visit the ITS website to learn more.
All telephone and voice mail requests must be made by your department’s Telecom Coordinator. Contact information for Telecom Coordinators is available at telecomadmin.gmu.edu. Voice mail information can be found at voicemail.gmu.edu.
Visit the Benefits FAQs page to learn more about your health insurance and benefits.
Visit the Mason Onboarding Portal and in the left-hand column select which orientation you will be attending - faculty, staff, or adjunct. There you will find directions, as well as the topics which will be covered at your orientation.
The hours and campus locations for the Key Control Services Offices can be found at Key Control. Key request and electronic access forms are also available there. These forms should be completed and signed by the key authorizer in your department and sent in beforehand. Your supervisor or department's office manager will direct you to this authorized person. Please include your office or cell phone number on the form, so you can be easily contacted for key pickup. You will need to bring you GMU photo ID with you to the Key Control Services Office, when picking up your key.
Semi-monthly employees are paid on the 1st and the 16th of the month, with adjustments for holidays and weekends. Paychecks received on the first of the month cover the work period from the 10th through the 24th of the previous month. Paychecks received on the 16th cover the work period from the 25th of the previous month through the 9th of the current month.
Some classified staff and all wage employees are paid on a bi-weekly basis. Bi-weekly employees are paid every other Friday. If you are not sure what pay schedule you are on, please check with your supervisor. The calendar for pay dates and more payroll information can be found on the Payroll Calendar page.
Direct deposit of your paycheck is a mandatory condition of employment at Mason. We will assist new employees at the New Employee Welcome (NEW) Center with setting up their direct deposit, so please bring your bank account information when you visit. New employees who have not set up their direct deposit before their first payment will have to pick up their paycheck from the Human Resources & Payroll office and complete their direct deposit form.
Payroll specialists are available to answer all your questions. Please contact them at 703.993.2600 or by email at payroll@gmu.edu.
The Child Development Center (CDC) provides on-site day care for children of faculty, staff, and students on a space-available basis. Information about the CDC which is located on Mason's Fairfax campus - including tuition rates, summer camp program, staff biographies, and a synopsis of a typical day for children - can be found on the CDC's website at Child Development Center.
Mason faculty, staff, and graduate students have a complimentary subscription to Sittercity. Sittercity.com is a comprehensive database of in-home caregivers providing child care, senior care, pet care, home care, and tutoring. Sittercity makes it simple and fast to find local care providers. To learn more and to register for free access to Sittercity.com, please visit myMasonHR. Additional child care resources are available on the Parent Page.
Important note: Mason does not own, sponsor, or endorse Sittercity.com. You should always carefully screen and check the references of any caregivers, including those who are listed on Sittercity.com, before you retain their services.
View our Tuition Exemption page for more information.
Full-time state employees in northern Virginia can receive a financial incentive to commute by public transit or van pool. This is a George Mason University paid, tax-free benefit according to current federal regulations. In order to participate in the Commonwealth Commuter Choice Program you should first submit an application. Then you will be required to submit a monthly request form.
SmarTrip cards are required to be in the employee's name. A "Request for Monthly Benefits" application form can be found on the Parking Website. In order to receive Commonwealth Commuter Choice benefits, recipients need to provide a monthly log. This tracking form can be found on the Commuter Choice website.
Beginning June 1, 2011, benefits will be processed as a debit card system. Your account will be debited when you use it at a pay station.
Forms must be received in the Transportation Office on a monthly basis. Completed forms may be submitted by e-mail to transpo@gmu.edu; faxed to 993-8575; put in the campus mail to Transportation, MS 1J6; or dropped off at the Transportation Office in the Nottoway Annex. Any questions, comments, or suggestions are welcome by calling 703.993.2828 or by emailing transpo@gmu.edu.
The University observes 12 paid annual holidays including:
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving (typically 2.5 days)
- The remaining days are included in the winter holiday period
Please see the current holiday schedule. A religious holiday and observance calendar is available to assist in scheduling meetings and events.
Employees - Notify Human Resources and Payroll
Notifying Human Resources of a name or address change affects the Human Resources/Payroll database which houses employment and payroll information, and the State database in Richmond which houses health insurance information for full-time employees. There is a standard HR/Payroll form which you may download and print, or request from Human Resources at 993-2600. If you are changing your name, you must use this form and submit a copy of your new social security card or official name change document issued by the courts. For an address change, please make the change on-line at PatriotWeb (directions below) or by completing the Address Change Form and sending it to us at MSN 3C3.
Name Change
Address Change (two choices)
- HR On-Line Address Change (Patriot Web -- Log in at patriotweb.gmu.edu and select "Personal Information")
- Paper Address Change Form (Please complete and send to us at MSN 3C3)
Name/Address Change for State Health Benefits
- Name/Address Changes for Health Benefits (Patriot Web)
Employees - Notify Payroll If Moving From Area
Remember to notify Payroll if you move from the area any time within the calendar year that you end employment. This will enable the Payroll Office to send your W-2 Form to the correct address the following January. You may change your address on-line at PatriotWeb. If you have any questions, please contact the HR & Payroll office at (703) 993-2600.
Notify Retirement Companies
Companies who administer retirement plans (VRS or ORP), or tax deferred annuity plans (TSAs), must be notified separately. Refer to the HR/Benefits page to find web links and/or addresses for these companies.
Students - Notify Registrar's Office
Students, including employees taking classes, must also change their address online or notify the Registrar's Office.