Sexual Misconduct Declaration Tool
Table of Contents
Step 1: Requesting staff access to the SMD Tool
Last updated: February 15, 2024
This page describes the procedure for accessing and using the Sexual Misconduct Declaration Tool to be used by departments hiring student employees who are subject to the University’s Sexual misconduct disclosure policy. The Sexual Misconduct Declaration Tool (“Tool”) facilitates the collection of a prospective student employee’s sexual misconduct declaration and the Washington state postsecondary educational institution sexual misconduct verification (when applicable).
This procedure applies to offers of employment-based funding made as part of admissions to graduate programs as well as offers of employment not tied to admissions.
Step 1: Requesting staff access to the SMD Tool
Access to the Tool is limited to staff who hire covered student employees or provide staff support to the hiring process. If you need access to the Tool submit the following information to disclosure@uw.edu:
- Your Supervisory organization
- Your HR manager or Administrator name and email
- Your name and UW NetID
UWHR will follow up with your HR manager or Administrator to confirm that you hire covered student employees or provide staff support to the hiring process.
Step 2: Initiating the sexual misconduct declaration
Once a final prospective student employee is identified, the hiring manager:
- Signs into the Tool
- Enters the final candidate’s name and email address. (Final candidates may be added one at a time or through mass load by using a template provided within the Tool.)
When the upload is complete, the Tool sends the following notifications:
| Email subject | Tool status | Triggering event | Actions steps |
| Candidate has Not Completed SMD | Waiting for candidate | The form is not complete after four calendar days. | The department must contact the candidate(s) with a reminder to complete the form. It is possible the automated email may have gone to Junk Mail. Refer candidates needing technical assistance to disclosure@uw.edu. |
| Candidate has completed SMD – Reference check initiated | Waiting for employer review | An automatic email was sent to current or previous Washington state postsecondary educational institutional employers asking them to complete a SMD reference check on the candidate. | No action needed by the department. |
| CLEARED FOR EMPLOYMENT: Misconduct verification complete: [candidate name] | Cleared | The candidate’s declaration and employer verification (when applicable) is complete. | Staff with access to the tool must inform the hiring manager or committee of the cleared status. |
Step 3: Removing staff access to the SMD Tool
Employees who do not have hiring responsibilities for covered student employees should not retain access to the Tool. To revoke access, contact disclosure@uw.edu.