North Carolina A&T University

MERIT-BASED RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PLAN Dr. Edward Forte, Chancellor Lillian M. Couch, Director of Human Resources 4/23/98
Introduction	The purpose of this recruitment and selection plan is to fill positions subject to the State Personnel Act (SPA) from among the most qualified individuals. In the recruiting and selection process, North Carolina A &T State University will give equal employment opportunity to all applicants, without regard to race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, or political affiliation/influence. Selection decisions will be based solely on job-related criteria. The recruitment and selection process will be consistently applied and non-discriminatory, and will promote fairness, diversity, and integrity. The recruitment and selection process will comply with all Federal and State laws, regulations, and policies.
Management Responsibility	The Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, Special Assistants, Deans, Directors and Department Heads (here-after known as the Chancellor and executive staff) accept responsibility for ensuring that all hiring practices are applied consistently and equitably, thereby demonstrating commitment and support of the merit?based recruitment and selection plan. The Chancellor and executive staff accept responsibility for ensuring the recruitment and selection process complies with all applicable and existing state and federal laws, policies, and rules governing personnel actions, including Senate Bill 886. The merit based recruitment and selection plan will also comply with established policies issued by the Office of State Human Resources. Positive efforts will be made to recruit qualified individuals including minority presence persons, women and persons with disabilities for applicant pools. In addition, the Department of Human Resources (here-after known as HR) and its employment staff will demonstrate efforts to consider and apply contemporary human resource practices.
Communication	After receiving approval from the Human Resources Commission, North Carolina A & T State University will provide information to current employees, applicants, and the general public using existing University sources such as the University Register, University Public Relations Weekly Newsletter, the employee orientation process, and others to explain the merit-based recruitment and selection policy and processes. A copy of the University policy will be available in HR. Employees with questions may contact the Department of Human Resources at 334-7862. In addition, North Carolina A & T State University will post the merit-based recruitment and selection position statement on bulletin boards, include the plan in the agency policy/procedure manual Web Site, and a statement on the vacancy announcement.
Training	North Carolina A & T State University will provide merit-based recruitment and selection training to managers/supervisors and human resource staff on a scheduled basis. Updates and revisions to North Carolina A & T State University merit-based recruitment and selection plan will be communicated through written materials and training sessions. Special training will be available upon request from hiring departments and selection committees.
Role Definitions/ Expectations	A. The Chancellor and Executive staff are responsible for leadership in developing and implementing merit-based procedures and determining commitment and support for merit-based recruitment and selection. B. Managers and supervisors are responsible for evaluating the need for filling vacant positions; maintaining accurate and current position descriptions for subordinate jobs; understanding the concepts of the merit-based system and communicating the process to employees and applicants; making every effort to achieve and maintain a diverse work-force; demonstrating commitment and support for merit-based recruitment and selection; making all hiring decisions based on merit principles; and documenting selection decisions. C. The HR staff is responsible for demonstrating commitment and support for merit-based recruitment and selection in daily operations; providing technical advice and assistance to managers and supervisors; developing agency specific policies and procedures for merit-based recruitment and selection; monitoring recruitment and selection activities for adherence to merit-based policies and procedures; ensuring the training of managers and supervisors on a variety of issues relating to merit-based recruitment and selection; and maintaining recruitment and election data in order to conduct employment trend analysis. D. Employees and applicants are responsible for obtaining vacancy information in order to submit the required materials; providing full and complete information as to their qualifications; and submitting materials for the vacancy by the established deadline. Applications are received in HR between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Any applications sent by mail must be received by 5:00 p.m. of the deadline date for the specific position indicated. Applications received after the deadline date will not be included in the applicant pool. To apply, you must submit a State of North Carolina Application for Employment (Form PD-107) for each position for which you wish to be considered. We will accept photocopies with the current date and original signature.
Pre-Recruitment/ Recruitment Activities	North Carolina A & T State University will strive to actively recruit from a variety of sources to achieve a diverse work-force that successfully meets the needs and demands of the University. The hiring supervisor, with assistance and guidance from the HR staff, will: - access the need for the position to ensure it contributes to meeting the goals, objectives, and mission of the work unit; - conduct a job analysis including a review of the duties, responsibilities, and qualifications of the position; and - update the position description if it is older than 18 months, or if changes have occurred in the job or organization. Job analysis is necessary only when there is a change in the duties and responsibilities that impacts qualifications required. Therefore, if a current, accurate job analysis already exists for a given job type, there is no need to conduct a new one for each individual vacancy. For example, in instances where there is a high volume of positions in a class, frequent turnover in a class, or little job change, there will likely not be a need to conduct a new job analysis each time a vacancy occurs. The HR Employment staff and the hiring supervisor should work together to assure that the critical tasks, KSAs, and training and experience requirements, including any selective criteria, necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position have been identified. In order to assure a timely and efficient process, generic KSAs (included on class specifications developed by the Office of State Human Resources) may be utilized for recruitment and selection purposes where they are sufficient for differentiating qualifications of applicants. HR will use information from the position description and state job specification, as well as any additional information provided by the hiring supervisor to write the vacancy announcement. The Department of Human Resources Employment staff will ensure the vacancy announcement meets the requirements of the University and State policy. The hiring supervisor with assistance from the HR Employment staff will determine the appropriate option in posting a vacancy (internal to the university, state government, or external). In addition, the HR Employment staff will assist the hiring supervisor to determine additional recruitment sources, if needed, to target audiences, including professional journals, newspaper, and technical colleges/universities. Prior to the vacancy closing date, the hiring supervisor will determine any selection tool(s) that will be used in the final evaluation process. Any selection tool(s) utilized will be objective, based upon job-related KSAs, and be consistently applied to all applicants in the final selection pool. The HR Employment staff should be consulted for assistance and will be responsible for the review of selection tools and procedures. Some examples of selection tools include structured interview, samples of work, interview questions, and reference checks.
Selection Process	A. Definitions Selective criteria - additional essential qualifications specifically related to the duties and responsibilities of the individual position; these are determined prior to the vacancy being listed. An applicant who does not show possession of a selective criteria is not qualified for the position. Knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) - Knowledge - information which makes adequate performance of the job possible - Skill - a proficiency that is readily observable, quantifiable, and measurable (such as skill in typing; skill in operating a vehicle) - Ability - capacity to perform an activity at the present time Preferences - specific types of experiences, degrees, licenses, KSAs, or other selection factors above those minimally required to perform the duties and responsibilities of a position; Essential qualifications (minimum qualifications)- minimum training and experience requirements including knowledge, skills, abilities, and selective criteria necessary to perform the work which are included on the vacancy announcement, and without which a candidate will not be considered; Qualified - applicants whose credentials indicate the possession of required training and experience, selective criteria, and KSAs included in the vacancy announcement; Most qualified - the individual or group of applicants who, to the greatest extent, possess the qualifications for the position, as described in the vacancy announcement. The most qualified candidates will constitute the person(s) interviewed or otherwise participating in the final selection process. B. Differentiating qualified and most qualified applicants 1) The Employment staff in HR will analyze all applications to determine which applicants meet essential qualification requirements, including any additional job-specific selective criteria. These applications are forwarded to the hiring supervisor. 2) Determining most qualified applicants: Once the hiring supervisor has received all applications for applicants that meet the essential qualification requirements, the hiring supervisor, designee or panel will evaluate the applications to determine which applicants meet the preferred criteria. Alternatively, the hiring supervisor may request the HR staff to evaluate the applications to determine which candidates meet the selective criteria. This group will be deemed most qualified. Applicants for interviews will be selected from the most qualified list. If there are no applicants which clearly exceed the essential qualifications as defined by the hiring supervisor, designee or panel interviews may be conducted from the pool of applicants that meet the essential qualification requirements. The applicants interviewed will constitute the most qualified pool or the hiring supervisor may elect to re-advertise the vacancy. If a position is re-advertised, candidates who applied under the original announcement do not need to re-apply. Their applications will be considered again. Applications must be reviewed in relation to all applicable policies and issues. C. Individual hiring supervisor or designee/panel for evaluation process 1) Key points - Use of individual hiring supervisor or designee for evaluation process - Applications from candidates that meet or exceed the essential qualification requirements will be sent from the HR staff directly to the hiring supervisor - The hiring supervisor or designee will be familiar with selection guidelines and screen applications to determine those who meet preferred requirements - The hiring supervisor or designee will maintain the confidentiality of the material reviewed 2) Key Points - Use of panel evaluation process - Applications from candidates that meet or exceed the essential qualification requirements will be sent from the HR staff directly to the hiring supervisor - The hiring supervisor will identify panel members - The panel members will be familiar with selection guidelines - The panel members will represent the organization's diversity - Consist of an appropriate number of members, depending upon the number of applicants being reviewed - The panel will have a chair-person designated by the hiring supervisor - Panel members will maintain the confidentiality of the material reviewed The HR staff will be available as needed as an advisor to ensure that merit?based policies and procedures are consistently applied.
Employment/ Re-employment Priorities	The HR staff will review the initial applicant pool to identify applicants with priority status. All employment/re-employment priorities are to be afforded in accordance with State policy. This will require, in some instances, that applications of individuals with certain priorities will be included among those referred to the hiring supervisor. All individuals involved in application evaluation, including the hiring supervisor, will receive advice and guidance from the HR staff regarding the priority consideration which must be afforded. Consideration must be given to applicants that have the following priorities: Priority Re-employment - Employees scheduled to be separated or separated through reduction-in-force have priority consideration over non-state applicants. RIF candidates must only meet essential qualifications to receive priority. Exempt Policy-Making/Confidential and Exempt Managerial - Employees separated from exempt policy-making/confidential and exempt managerial positions for reasons other than just cause have priority consideration over non?state applicants and must only meet essential qualifications to receive priority. Veterans Preference - Preference is to be given in initial employment opportunities to qualified veteran applicants. Promotional Priority - Career state employees are eligible for priority consideration over non?state applicants when the individuals possess substantially equal qualifications. Injured-on-the-job/Worker's Compensation - Employees injured-on-the-job, placed on workers' compensation leave, and who have been released to return to work by their physician have re-employment consideration based upon maximum medical improvement.
Making the Final Selection Recommendation/ Decision	The final selection recommendation/decision will be made from among the most qualified applicants. Applicants with priority re-employment must also be given appropriate consideration. The hiring supervisor will utilize selection tools that are objective and based upon job-related KSAs. Any selection tool will be consistently applied to all applicants in the final pool. The hiring supervisor will also be responsible for documenting the selection process and justifying the hiring recommendation and /or decision. The HR staff will review the applicant package to ensure employment/re-employment priorities are properly afforded. Applicants not selected for the position will receive timely written notice of the selection decision.
Approval Process	The Recommendation for Employment for Non-Academic Personnel (Form PD-305) should be completed to request that the HR staff communicate a job offer to the top ranked applicant. A ranked listing is required for all applicants interviewed (including the proposed recommended applicant ) along with the key, job-related reasons that justify the relative ranking. The Recommendation for Employment for Non-Academic Personnel Form requires the signature of the respective Vice Chancellor or designee, Department Head, and immediate supervisor. The supervisor should complete and sign said form, except for the salary, and forward same to HR, including all supporting documenting of the applicants in the final selection process. No offers of employment, formal or informal, may be made except by the HR staff. Upon receipt of Form PD-305, HR will review the appropriateness of all steps in the employment process and determine the salary allowed by policy. The recommended applicant is contacted to communicate the offer of employment. After oral acceptance, a letter of commitment is forwarded to the new employee with a copy to the supervisor. Certain conditions of employment must be met by the applicant. Examples of these are participation in mandatory benefits program of the University to include direct deposit of payroll check, compliance with federal and state employment laws, and successful completion of the probationary period. No person will be required to agree, in writing or otherwise, to any conditions of employment other than those communicated to the applicant by HR. Completion of the 1-9 and attendance at Employee Benefits Orientation are required before the employee can officially be added to the University payroll.
Documentation of Process	It will be the practice of North Carolina A & T State University to maintain documentation of the merit-based recruitment and selection process in order to support the decisions and to provide fact-based information for monitoring and evaluating recruitment and selection practices and procedures. A file will be maintained for each hiring event for a minimum of three (3) years. Each file will contain: · any record of job analysis conducted for the vacancy including any additional KSAs and /or selective criteria that resulted from job analysis (or a reference to the job analysis utilized for the vacancy) · vacancy announcement · recruitment sources · selection tools and criteria applications and letters received · priority re-employment inventory/register · selection/decision log · inventory of applicants as unqualified, qualified, and most qualified · copies of letters sent
Appeals Process	If an applicant has reason to believe they were denied employment due to political affiliation or influence, the applicant may appeal the hiring decision directly to the Office of Administrative Hearings within 30 days of written notification that the position has been filled if all the following conditions apply: · applicant timely applied for the position in question; · applicant was not hired into the position; · applicant was among the most qualified persons applying for the position; · successful applicant for the position was not among the most qualified persons applying for the position; and · hiring decision was based upon political affiliation or political influence
Monitoring/ Evaluation	The HR staff will periodically review program data across the University to ensure that recruitment and selection activities are in compliance with this plan. The HR staff will compile and analyze an annual summary of selection activity for the Chancellor. This report will include analysis of the impact on demographic groups, exceptions to policy, and other relevant factors. The HR staff will also comply with the reporting and plan update requirements of the Office of State Human Resources.

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MERIT-BASED RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PLAN