University of North Carolina at Greensboro

MERIT-BASED RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PLAN

Philip H. Richman, Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs 
Alan Bridge, Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resource Services 
4/21/98

Purpose

The purpose of this merit-based recruitment and selection plan is to fill positions subject to the State Personnel Act from among the most qualified individuals.

In the recruiting and selection process, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro will give equal employment opportunity to all applicants, without regard to race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, or political affiliation/influence; and will be based solely on job related criteria. The recruitment and selection process will be consistently applied, nondiscriminatory, and promote fairness, diversity, and integrity. The recruitment and selection process will comply with all Federal and State laws, regulations, and policies.

Commitment  
from Management

The Chancellor and executive management 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 management 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 Personnel. Positive efforts will be made to recruit qualified individuals including minorities, women and persons with disabilities for applicant pools. In addition, the Department of Human Resource Services, Recruitment Manager, and the Recruitment Coordinator will demonstrate efforts to consider and apply contemporary human resource practices.

Ethics Statement

The citizens of North Carolina and the state work-force deserve strong assurance that knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) are the basis for state government hiring decisions, not political patronage. In order to assure the integrity of state government, every employee has a responsibility to view public service as a public trust and to act impartially. Preferential treatment will not be given to any private organization or individual based on political affiliation or influence.

Communication

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro will implement strategies to inform employees, applicants, and the general public of the merit-based recruitment and selection plan.

After receiving approval from the Human Resources Commission, employees will be informed of the merit-based recruitment and selection plan and processes through Campus Weekly. Additional information, such as a copy of the agency plan, will be available in Human Resource Services. Employees with questions may contact Human Resource Services at 334-5009.

In addition, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro 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

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro will provide merit-based recruitment and selection training to managers/supervisors and human resource staff on a scheduled basis. Updates and revisions to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro's merit-based recruitment and selection plan will be communicated through written materials and training sessions.

Role Definitions/ 
Expectations

A.  Executive Management staff is 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.   Human Resource Services 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 actions; ensuring the training of managers and supervisors on a variety of issues relating to merit-based recruitment and selection; monitoring recruitment and selection activities for adherence to merit-based policies and procedures; and maintaining recruitment and selection 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 Human Resource Services between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 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. Human Resource Services cannot forward incomplete applications or applications received after the deadline date for inclusion 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

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro 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 manager, with assistance and guidance from the Human Resource Services 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 
· revise the position description if necessary.

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. As long as there is a job analysis on file that accurately assesses the position, there is not a requirement to conduct another one.

The hiring manager and the Human Resource Services staff should 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) may be utilized for recruitment and selection purposes where they are sufficient for differentiating qualifications of applicants.

Information from the job analysis and position description will guide the hiring manager in drafting the vacancy announcement. The Human Resource Services staff will ensure the vacancy announcement meets the requirements of State policy.

The hiring manager with assistance from the Human Resource Services staff will determine the appropriate option in posting a vacancy (internal to the agency/university, state government, or external). In addition, the Human Resource Services staff assists the hiring manager to determine additional recruitment sources, if needed, to target specific audiences, including professional journals, newspaper, and technical colleges/universities.

Prior to the vacancy closing date, the hiring manager 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 Human Resource Services staff should be consulted for assistance and will be responsible for 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

1) Selective criteria - additional essential qualifications specially related to the duties and responsibilities of the individual position

2) Knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) 
 

· knowledge - information which makes adequate performance on the job possible 
· skill - a proficiency that is readily observable, qualifiable and measurable (examples include skill in typing; skill in operating a vehicle) 
· ability - capacity to perform an activity at the present time

3) 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

4)  Essential qualifications (minimum qualifications) - minimum training and experience requirements including knowledge, skills, abilities, and selective criteria included on the vacancy announcement.

5) Qualified - those applicants whose credentials indicate the possession of training and experience, selective criteria, and KSAs included in the vacancy announcement.

6) Most qualified - the group who, to the great extent, possess qualifications which exceed the essential requirements described in the vacancy announcement and are interviewed. This is determined by the hiring manager.

B. Differentiating qualified and most qualified applicants

1) The recruitment coordinator: in Human Resource Services will analyze all applications to determine which applicants meet essential qualification requirements. These applications are forwarded to the hiring manager.

2) Determining most qualified applicants

Once the hiring manager has received all applications for applicants that meet the essential qualification requirements, the hiring manager or designee will evaluate the applications to determine which applicants meet the preferred 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 manager, interviews may be conducted from the pool of applicants that 
meet the essential qualification n requirements. The applicants interviewed will 
constitute most qualified pool or the manager may elect to re-advertise the vacancy.

Applications must be reviewed in relation to all applicable policies and issues.

C. Individual hiring manager or designee/panel for evaluation process 
 

1) Key Points - Use of individual hiring manager or designee for evaluation process

· Applications will be submitted to the designated Human Resource Services representative who is responsible for screening all applications to determine whether they meet essential qualification criteria. 
· Applications from candidates that meet or exceed the essential qualification  requirements will be sent from Human Resource Services directly to the hiring manager 
· The hiring manager or designee will be familiar with selection guidelines and screen applications to determine those who meet preferred criteria 
· The hiring manager or designee will To: maintain the confidentiality of the material reviewed

2)    Key Points - Use of panel evaluation process

· Applications will be submitted to the designated Human Resource Services representative who is responsible for screening all applications to determine whether they meet essential qualification requirements 
· Applications from candidates that meet or exceed the essential qualification requirements will be sent from Human Resource Services directly to the hiring manager 
· The hiring manager will identify panel members  
· The panel members will be familiar with selection guidelines 
· The panel members will represent the University's diversity 
· The panel will consist of 2-5 members depending upon the number of applications being reviewed 
· The panel will have a chairperson designated by the hiring manager

· Panel members will maintain the confidentiality of the material reviewed

Employment/ 
Re-employment  
Priorities

The Human Resource Services staff (or an individual with responsibilities which include human resource functions) 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 manager. All individuals involved in application evaluation, including the hiring manager, will receive advice and guidance from the Human Resource Services 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 manager 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 manager will also be responsible for documenting the selection process and justifying the hiring recommendation and/or decision. The Human Resource Services staff will be available for guidance and assistance to the hiring manager at any time during the selection process. The Human Resource Services 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 Request for Appointment should be completed to request that Human Resource Services communicate a job offer to the top ranked applicant. A ranked listing is required for all applicants interviewed (including the applicant proposed for appointment) along with the key, job-related reasons that justify the relative ranking. The Request for Appointment requires the signature of the Vice Chancellor or Provost unless that responsibility has been delegated to the supervisor or others.

The supervisor should complete and sign the Personnel Action Form, except for the salary and start date, for attachment to the Request for Appointment. These two forms, along with the Reference Check and original application should then be forwarded to Human Resource Services.

No offers of employment, formal or informal, may be made except by Human Resource Services.

Upon the receipt of the Request for Appointment package, Human Resource Services reviews the appropriateness of all steps in the employment process and determines the salary allowed by policy.

The top ranked 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, compliance with federal and state employment laws, and successful completion of the probationary period. These terms will be communicated to the selected at the time of the offer. No person will be required to agree, in writing or otherwise, to any conditions of employment other than those stated to the applicant by Human Resource Services.

Completion of the 19 and attendance at New Employee Orientation are required before the employee can officially be added to the University payroll.

Documentation  
of Process

It will be the practice of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro 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 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, resumes 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 Human Resource Services staff will periodically review program data across the agency to ensure the recruitment and selection activities are in compliance with the agency plan. The Human Resource Services 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 Human Resource Services staff also will comply with the reporting and plan update requirements from the Office of State Human Resources.

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