Monday, October 20, 2025

Hiring, Onboarding - How to for the Mortgage Business

Hiring & Onboarding Workflow 

Scope: This reflects the hiring and onboarding procedures as contained in your manuals and forms. All placeholders from the earlier draft have been replaced with the correct taxonomy and form IDs from your FORMS list. 


A. Common Hiring & Onboarding Flow (All Roles)

Day 0 (Pre‑Offer)

  1. Requisition approved and job description finalized
    Manual location: 7‑25 Employment and Compensation Practice
    Forms/tools: FORM 7‑26‑1 OPS COMP New Hire Checklist.docx (initiated for requisition)

  2. Candidate screening, interviews & reference checks
    Manual location: 7‑25 Employment and Compensation Practices; 7‑26 Checking Background – Credit, Background and Housing Agencies
    Forms/tools: FORM 2‑72‑1 New Hire Reference Check.docx

Day 1 (Conditional Offer)
3. Offer letter issued
Manual location: 7‑25 Employment and Compensation Practices
Forms/tools: FORM 7‑26‑1 OPS COMP New Hire Checklist.docx (section for Offer of Employment)

  1. Background checks completed (credit, criminal, housing agencies as role‑specific)
    Manual location: 7‑26 Background Checks
    Forms/tools: FORM 2‑72‑1 New Hire Reference Check.docx (supplemented by vendor background reports)

Day 1‑3 (Pre‑Start Provisioning)
5. IT account provisioning & device assignment (least privilege, MFA, encryption)
Manual location: 2‑90‑23 Controlled Access by Job Duty; 2‑90‑24 Password Security; 2‑90‑25 IT Device Security
Forms/tools: FORM 2‑90‑21 IT Security Inventory.xlsx; FORM 2‑94‑1 Remote Work Setup and Annual Review Checklist.xlsx (for remote staff)

  1. Training assignment (initial role‑based training)
    Manual location: 2‑72 Mandatory Non‑NMLS Annual Training (new hire training rubric); 7‑45 Employee Training Calendar
    Forms/tools: FORM 2‑72 Mandatory Non‑NMLS Annual Training Rubric.xlsx; TRAIN 1‑70 BSA, AML and SAR Employee Training 2023.ppt

Day 1 (Start Date)
7. New‑hire orientation; policy acknowledgements (Code of Conduct, IT, AML/Red Flags)
Manual location: 7‑A Employee Handbook (General Employment Policy, Conduct, Drug‑Free Workplace, Harassment); 2‑93 Red Flag Plan
Forms/tools: FORM 1‑70 AML Red Flags Checklist.docx; Policy acknowledgement section of FORM 7‑26‑1 OPS COMP New Hire Checklist.docx

  1. System access validated by manager
    Manual location: 2‑90‑23 Controlled Access by Job Duty
    Forms/tools: FORM 2‑90‑21 IT Security Inventory.xlsx

Day 1‑30 (Post‑Start)
9. Complete required initial trainings (AML, OFAC, Red Flags, Fair Lending, Privacy, InfoSec)
Manual location: 2‑72 Training Policy; 7‑45 Training Calendar
Forms/tools: FORM 2‑72 Mandatory Non‑NMLS Annual Training Rubric.xlsx; FORM 1‑70‑1 AML‑BSA Self Audit Checklist.xlsx (QC validation)

  1. IT security validation: encryption, patching, AV, MFA enforced
    Manual location: 2‑90‑24 Password Security; 2‑90‑25 IT Device Security; 2‑90‑26 Patch Management
    Forms/tools: FORM 2‑90‑21 IT Security Inventory.xlsx

  2. 30‑day performance & compliance review
    Manual location: 7‑30 Performance Reviews; 7‑02.3 Performance Reviews
    Forms/tools: FORM 7‑26‑1 OPS COMP New Hire Checklist.docx (completion sign‑off); Performance Appraisal.pdf


B. Role‑Specific Add‑Ons

Mortgage Loan Originators (MLOs)

  1. SAFE Act license/registration & NMLS sponsorship verified
    Manual location: 2‑71 Compensation & SAFE Act Compliance
    Forms/tools: FORM 2‑71‑2 LO Comp Plan Commissions Individual.docx; FORM 3‑39 Loan Originator Employment Agreement.doc

  2. NMLS ID disclosure in advertising & signatures
    Manual location: 2‑30 Consumer Advertising; 2‑71 SAFE Act Advertising IDs
    Forms/tools: FORM 3‑21 ORIG COMPL Advertising and Website Review Checklist.xlsx

Processors

  • LOS/PII access controls
    Manual location: 4‑0 Processing Module; 2‑90‑23 Controlled Access
    Forms/tools: FORM 4‑01 PROC Loan File Set Up Checklist.xlsx

Underwriters

  • Appraiser Independence compliance
    Manual location: 2‑73 Appraiser Independence; 5‑0 Underwriting
    Forms/tools: FORM 2‑73‑4 Reconsideration of Appraised Value.pdf

Closers/Funders

  • Wire/escrow verification & closing QC
    Manual location: 6‑0 Closing Module; 2‑90‑22 Physical Office Security (escrow document controls
    Forms/tools: FORM 6‑2 CLOS QC Pre‑Closing Document Prep Funding Review.docx; FORM 6‑5 CLOS PROC Closing Notification Tickler.doc

Operations/Admin

  • Records retention & access
    Manual location: 2‑90‑50 Document Retention & Destruction; 7‑0 Operations
    Forms/tools: FORM 2‑90 Document Retention Reference.gdoc; FORM 7‑10 Employee Roster.xls


C. Timelines Summary

  • Pre‑offer: requisition, references, background checks (7‑25, 7‑26, FORM 2‑72‑1).

  • Pre‑start: IT provisioning (2‑90‑23/24/25, FORM 2‑90‑21); training assignment (2‑72, FORM 2‑72 rubric).

  • Start Day: orientation & policy acknowledgements (7‑A, FORM 7‑26‑1).

  • Within 30 days: required trainings complete (2‑72, 7‑45, FORM 2‑72 rubric); 30‑day review (7‑30, FORM Performance Appraisal).


D. Hiring & Onboarding Rubric (Manual Citations & Forms)

Role Procedure Step Manual Location Form(s) Notes
All Requisition & job description 7‑25 Employment & Compensation FORM 7‑26‑1 OPS COMP New Hire Checklist Covers posting/approval
All Background/reference checks 7‑26 Background Checks FORM 2‑72‑1 New Hire Reference Check Includes credit & housing
All Offer letter 7‑25 FORM 7‑26‑1 OPS COMP New Hire Checklist Offer embedded in checklist
All IT provisioning 2‑90‑23/24/25 FORM 2‑90‑21 IT Security Inventory; FORM 2‑94‑1 Remote Work Setup Checklist Device & access setup
All Training assignment 2‑72; 7‑45 FORM 2‑72 Training Rubric Role‑based, includes AML/OFAC
All Policy acknowledgements 7‑A; 2‑93 Red Flags FORM 1‑70 AML Red Flags Checklist; FORM 7‑26‑1 New Hire Checklist Includes handbook policies
All Performance/60‑day review 7‑30; 7‑02.3 Handbook Performance Appraisal.pdf 60‑day review built into handbook
MLO SAFE Act licensing 2‑71 FORM 2‑71‑2 LO Comp Plan; FORM 3‑39 Employment Agreement Must be complete before origination
MLO NMLS ID in ads 2‑30; 2‑71 FORM 3‑21 Ad & Website Review Checklist
Processor File/LOS PII access 4‑0; 2‑90‑23 FORM 4‑01 Loan File Setup Checklist Secure handling
Underwriter Appraiser Independence 2‑73; 5‑0 FORM 2‑73‑4 Reconsideration of Appraised Value
Closer Wire/escrow verification 6‑0; 2‑90‑22 FORM 6‑2 Pre‑Closing Checklist; FORM 6‑5 Notification Tickler
Ops/Admin Records retention 2‑90‑50; 7‑0 FORM 2‑90 Document Retention Ref.; FORM 7‑10 Employee Roster

E. Forms Index (Corrected for Hiring/Onboarding)

  • FORM 7‑26‑1 OPS COMP New Hire Checklist.docx → Section 7‑26 (Background & Hiring)

  • FORM 2‑72‑1 New Hire Reference Check.docx → Section 7‑26 (used with Training)

  • FORM 7‑10 Employee Roster.xls → Section 7‑28/7‑29 Personnel Records

  • FORM 2‑90‑21 IT Security Inventory.xlsx → Section 2‑90‑25 Device Security

  • FORM 2‑94‑1 Remote Work Setup Checklist.xlsx → Section 2‑94 Remote Access

  • FORM 2‑71‑2 LO Comp Plan docs → Section 2‑71 SAFE Act/Compensation

  • FORM 3‑39 Loan Originator Employment Agreement.doc → Section 2‑71 SAFE Act/MLO

  • FORM 3‑21 ORIG COMPL Advertising & Website Review Checklist.xlsx → Section 2‑30 Advertising

  • FORM 2‑73‑4 Reconsideration of Appraised Value.docx → Section 2‑73 Appraiser Independence

  • FORM 6‑2 CLOS QC Pre‑Closing Checklist.docx → Section 6‑0 Closing

  • FORM 6‑5 CLOS PROC Closing Notification Tickler.doc → Section 6‑0 Closing