08.110 Recruitment and Selection Plan for Permanent and Time Limited SHRA Employees

Purpose

To provide uniform and consistent standards for the recruitment and selection of permanent and time-limited employees who are subject to the State Human Resources Act (SHRA).
Scope

Applies to all permanent and time-limited SHRA positions in all university departments.
Recruitment Policy

It is the policy of UNCW to meet its work force needs through selection procedures designed to identify, attract, select, employ, and develop the human resources necessary for present and future work requirements. All permanent and time-limited SHRA positions must be recruited through Human Resources. UNCW is committed to employing and promoting those persons whose education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities best match the requirements of the positions for which they have applied.
Statement of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
1. In the pursuit of excellence, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington actively fosters, encourages, and promotes inclusiveness, mutual respect, acceptance, and open- mindedness among students, faculty, staff, and the broader community. Diversity is an educational benefit that enhances the academic experience and fosters free exchange of ideas from multiple perspectives. Diversity includes, but is not limited to race, gender, gender identity, sex (such as marital status or pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, educational disadvantage, socio-economic circumstances, language, and history of overcoming adversity.
2. To ensure that equal employment opportunity exists throughout UNCW, a results- oriented equal opportunity/affirmative action program has been implemented to overcome the effects of past discrimination and to eliminate any artificial barriers to educational or employment opportunities for all qualified individuals that may exist in any of our programs. UNCW is committed to this program and is aware that with its implementation, positive benefits are received from the greater utilization and development of previously under-utilized human resources.
Advertising SHRA Vacancies
1. Recruitment Planning
  1. Prior to recruitment, the hiring official, with assistance from Human Resources, assesses the need for filling a vacant SHRA position and determines if the existing position description is still current.
  2. All position recruitments begin in PeopleAdmin position management. The position's duties and responsibilities in the job description are revised by the hiring official using the PeopleAdmin system and then reviewed by Human Resources for the appropriate classification and business need.
2. Initiating Recruitment
  
  Departments update the position description to initiate a requisition to recruit and fill a vacancy using the PeopleAdmin system.
3. Posting Content
  1. The updated position description will flow through PeopleAdmin to the posting.
  2. Listing of preferred qualifications is encouraged, and should include directly related training or experience that would bring immediate value.
  3. Screening and selection decisions should be made in accordance with the minimum and preferred qualifications as well as the required knowledge, skills, and abilities as stated in the vacancy announcement. If a hiring official desires to make any changes to the content of the vacancy announcement after it has been made public, the posting will be canceled, the position description will need to be updated in PeopleAdmin position management and the posting recreated, and advertised in the same media of the original announcement with an extended deadline.
4. Scope of Recruitment
  
  Human Resources posts all vacancy announcements on its website through PeopleAdmin.
  1. Internal Posting
    1. UNCW is committed to promoting qualified employees whenever possible. When a vacancy occurs which provides a promotional or advancement opportunity for UNCW employees, the department head may request in writing that the opening be filled from only current permanent and time-limited SHRA, EHRA non faculty, and faculty within UNCW. (Temporary employees and student employees are not eligible for consideration for internal postings.)
    2. Human Resources may approve the internal posting if the availability of minorities and women in the expected applicant pool is equal to or greater than the availability in the external labor market for the job group. If an internal posting is conducted and the applicant pool does not provide the desired qualifications, then the department may proceed with a public posting.
  2. Public Posting
    
    For public postings, notices of staff vacancies are also listed with the N.C. Division of Employment Security and may be listed with the following to supplement recruitment:
    1. Regional minority employment outreach organizations
    2. Office of State Human Resources
    3. UNC Collaborative Job Site
    4. Other publications, listservs, or websites on request
5. Advertising Costs
  
  The department with the vacancy provides an account number which Human Resources charges for all external recruitment costs. Costs for advertisements containing multiple vacancies are prorated among the respective departments.
6. Deadlines for Receipt of Applications
  
  SHRA vacancies are advertised for a minimum period of five work days.
  
  If the applicant pool does not provide the desired qualifications, the department may re- advertise and extend the deadline or close the recruitment and initiate a new one at a later date.
7. Exceptions to advertising
  
  In accordance with the UNCW EEO/AA plan, exceptions to the posting requirement must be requested in writing. Exceptions may include:
  1. Vacancies which must be used to meet management necessity such as those committed to a budget reduction, used for a disciplinary transfer or demotion, used to avoid reduction in force, or transfer an employee to an existing opening due to an administrative decision based upon extenuating circumstances.
  2. Vacancies which must be filled immediately due to a critical need in order to protect public health, safety, or security.
  3. New vacancies which duplicate career banding, classification title, nature of work, preferred qualifications, department, supervisor and work hours may share an applicant pool from a previous vacancy advertised within 90 days.
  4. Temporary positions which are not benefits-earning.
Applying for SHRA vacancies
1. Job Application
  1. All applicants interested in posted permanent or time-limited SHRA positions must submit an application via UNCW’s PeopleAdmin system for each position for which they wish to be considered. Paper application materials, unless otherwise indicated in the vacancy announcement, will not be accepted.
  2. Personal assistance with the PeopleAdmin system is available in Human Resources and the Wilmington office of the North Carolina Division of Employment Security (NC DES). Computer workstations are available in Human Resources, UNCW Library, Public Libraries, and NC DES.
    
    Note: Application materials and references are construed as confidential personnel documents under the State Human Resources Act, Privacy of Personnel Records [GS 126- 22] and specifically exempt from public release under the Public Records Act [GS 132-6]. By extension, the status of an individual as an applicant is confidential personnel information and not public information. Hiring officials and search committee members should maintain the confidentiality of the applicants and neither confirm nor deny an individual’s status as an applicant, nor should they confirm or deny the presence of internal applicants within the pool.
2. Application Deadlines
  
  Applications received via the PeopleAdmin system by 11:59 PM (EST) on the deadline date are considered to have met the deadline.
3. Employment Eligibility and Qualifications
  1. Age Limitations
    
    The minimum employment age is set in accordance with the Child Labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Departments must contact Human Resources if an applicant under 18 years of age is under consideration for the vacancy. Law enforcement officers must be 20 years old. There is no maximum age for employment.
  2. Citizenship
    1. All applicants are subject to the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and the Immigration and Nationality Act, which require all employees to be either U.S. citizens or aliens with proper work authorization from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. A new employee must complete and sign the employee's portion of Federal Form I-9 (INS Employment Eligibility Verification) and present appropriate, original documentation supporting identity and employment eligibility on the first day of employment.
    2. The supervisor (or departmental representative) must send the employee to Human Resources preferably by the first day but no later than the third day of employment in order to complete the I-9 and E-Verify process.
  3. Selective Service
    
    State law requires selected applicants to indicate on their application if they are in compliance with the federal Military Selective Service Act. Failure to comply with the registration requirements bars a person from employment.
  4. Substance Abuse
    
    A history of drug or alcohol abuse, while not automatically disqualifying, may be considered in making the employment decision concerning any applicant. Law enforcement officer applicants (new hires and lateral transfers from other law enforcement agencies) must pass a drug test in accordance with requirements of the N.C. Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission prior to a final employment offer. The cost of such drug tests shall be paid for by the hiring department. UNCW complies with the Drug Free Workplace Act and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act amendments of 1989, which prohibit possession or use of certain drugs on university property or while at work.
  5. Arrests and Convictions
    
    Generally, prior arrest records are not relevant to the selection process but may be considered in the selection of law enforcement officers in accordance with N.C. Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission standards. Felony or misdemeanor convictions, other than minor traffic violations, must be disclosed on the application and the criminal background check release form, if one is provided to the applicant. If an applicant has a criminal history, the university will assess the conviction using the factors described in policy 08.151 Background Checks of Employees.
  6. Education and Experience
    
    Minimum education and experience standards are established for each job by the N.C. Office of State Human Resources. Specific job-related qualifications may be required in addition to minimum state standards, subject to approval by Human Resources. Significant qualifications used in the screening process must be indicated in the vacancy announcements.
  7. Misrepresentation or Material Omissions.
    1. All information provided on the application or during interviews is subject to verification. Any misrepresentation or material omission may result in the applicant being disqualified from further consideration, and, if the individual is a current state employee, he or she may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
    2. Discovery of misrepresentation or falsification of education or experience after an individual is hired may result in a disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.
  8. Accredited Schools
    
    An educational degree may be used to meet the minimum or preferred education or experience requirements only if the degree is from an appropriately accredited college or university. The accreditation of the college or university is confirmed when educational credentials are verified after an individual is hired.
    
    If a degree (or coursework) from an accredited institution is needed to either qualify for the offered salary, or meet minimum or preferred qualifications, the individual may be dismissed if the degree is not from an accredited college or university.
Hiring Preferences
1. The State of North Carolina has adopted the following hiring preferences to further the employment of targeted groups. Human Resources monitors the selection of applicants in the preference categories listed. The hiring official should evaluate applications on the basis of education and experience directly related to the position without regard to membership in a preference category. A Human Resources representative discusses preferences with hiring officials, as appropriate.
2. Veteran’s Preference
  1. To claim veterans’ preference, all eligible persons must submit a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, to Human Resources prior to the deadline date of the position for which they have submitted an application. Human Resources will verify eligibility in accordance with the State Human Resources Act.
  2. During the screening process, where a structured interview, assessment center, in- basket, or any other procedure, not numerically scored, is used to qualitatively assess the relative ranking of applicants, the veteran who has met the minimum qualification requirements and who has less than four years of related military experience beyond that necessary to minimally qualify, shall also receive additional experience credit for up to four years of unrelated military service.
    
    The amount of additional experience credit to be granted for unrelated military service in individual cases shall be determined by assessing the amount of related military service possessed by the eligible veteran beyond that required to meet the minimum qualifications. If the total of such experience equals or exceeds four years, the additional credit for unrelated military service does not apply, but if the total of such experience is less than four years, the veteran shall receive direct experience credit for unrelated military service in an amount not to exceed the difference between the related military service and the four-year maximum credit which may be granted.
  3. After applying the preference, the qualified eligible veteran shall be hired (subject to the subsection “Preference Among Equals” noted below) when overall qualifications are substantially equal to one or more non-veterans or non-eligible veterans among those interviewed in the most qualified applicant pool. Substantially equal qualifications occur when the hiring official and Human Resources cannot make a reasonable determination that the qualifications held by one or more persons are significantly better suited for the position than the qualifications held by another person.
3. Preference Among Equals
  
  The following preference requirements apply only when no single individual stands out as the most qualified applicant for a particular position. These preferences are to be extended in the following priority order among applicants in the most qualified applicant pool whose qualifications are determined to be "substantially equal."
  1. a current State employee with career status who is seeking a promotional opportunity; or a qualified employee separated from an exempt policy-making/confidential or exempt managerial position for reasons other than just cause; or a qualified State
    
    employee with career status notified of or separated by reduction in force, or an employee returning from workers’ compensation leave [Note: The priority of RIF employees is equal to that of SHRA employees applying for transfers.]
  2. qualified applicants with Veteran’s Preference
Reasonable Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities
1. Reasonable accommodations that do not pose an undue hardship will be made for a qualified applicant with a disability who would be able to perform the essential duties of the job if such accommodation is made. These accommodations may include job restructuring, making facilities readily accessible and usable, and the acquisition or modification of equipment or devices.
2. Human Resources may require medical documentation of the individual’s functional limitations to support the request and the proposed accommodation’s impact on the individual’s ability to perform the essential functions of the job.
Hiring of Relatives and Household Members
1. UNCW recognizes the sensitive nature of having family members employed by UNCW and will take care to avoid difficult situations. Any relative hired must meet all selection standards and fulfill all job qualifications.
2. UNCW shall not allow a relative in a manager-subordinate relationship or where one member occupies a position which has influence over the other's employment, promotion, salary administration, and other related management or personnel considerations. When a hiring action occurs in this instance alternative reporting relationships shall be required and documented.
3. For more information, please see the UNCW policy 08.190 Employment of Related Persons (Anti-Nepotism) policy.
Screening to determine “Qualified,” “Most Qualified” and Interview Pools
1. Human Resources Screening
  1. Human Resources determines the minimally qualified and most qualified applicants by screening all applications for advertised requirements, preferred qualifications and related experience noted in the advertisement. During the posting period, applications are not available for departmental review. The hiring official will be provided with the qualified applicant pool within three working days after the posting close date.
  2. After screening by Human Resources, applications may be referred directly to the hiring official or to a designated search committee. If applications are referred directly to the hiring official, only the unranked pool of the most qualified applicants will be made available. If there is an applicant with priority re-employment rights in the pool however, only that applicant and other qualified state employees are referred to the hiring official.
2. Search Committee Screening
  1. Departments may use a search committee to screen the applications of all qualified individuals in the applicant pool. The search committee may not include the hiring official. Human Resources screens all applications for advertised minimum requirements and forwards them to the search committee chair.
  2. The search committee further screens for the preferred qualifications and related experience to identify the pool of “most qualified” applicants. Only the unranked pool of “most qualified” applications are initially referred to the hiring official.
  3. The hiring official forwards the names of referred applicants to Human Resources for an EEO/AA compliance review.
3. Work Sampling Exercise
  1. Departments with a position requiring a specific job-related skill may utilize a work sampling exercise to assist in the screening process. The work sampling exercise must be approved in advance by Human Resources, be directly related to the duties to be performed, and be administered in a fair and consistent manner. Results must be quantifiable and the screening decision must relate to the exercise results.
  2. The hiring decision itself may not be based solely on the work sampling exercise. Work sampling exercises may be used to help determine the “most qualified” and “interview” pools or may be used to supplement the interview process.
4. Identification and Approval of Interview Pool
  1. The hiring department screens the “most qualified” applications (referred from either Human Resources or a search committee) based on specific job-related education and experience and selects a number of individuals to interview.
  2. As a step in this screening process, the hiring department may contact references and prior employers with the applicant’s permission (refer to section XII). If appropriate to the position, the department may also administer a pre-interview work sampling exercise as a screening aid with prior approval of Human Resources.
  3. When departmental screening is complete, the hiring official identifies the names of applicants to be interviewed in the PeopleAdmin system and submits the request to Human Resources for an EEO/AA compliance review. Departments may interview only those applicants approved by Human Resources.
  4. Hiring officials normally interview three or more applicants. Departments who
    
    desire to interview only one applicant must submit a letter detailing how the qualifications of the selected individual far exceed those of others in the referred pool. For positions advertised publicly, the pool of one may not be a current UNCW permanent, time-limited, or temporary employee.
5. EEO/AA Compliance Review
  1. The EEO/AA Officer (or designee in Human Resources) is responsible for ensuring UNCW recruitment practices comply with UNCW's EEO/AA policy. This requires an analysis of referred applications and proposed interview pools to identify potential adverse selection mechanisms in the screening process. This analysis may result in the department or search committee being asked to conduct a “second look” at the qualifications of qualified men and women from all racial, ethnic, or other minority group applicants who did not progress in the search.
  2. If a minority or woman applicant receiving a “second look” is substantially equally qualified to the “least qualified” applicant in the active applicant pool remaining under consideration, then the applicant is added to the active applicant pool.
Interviews
1. Applicants to be Interviewed
  
  Departments may interview only those applicants approved by Human Resources.
2. Impartial Treatment of Applicants
  1. All contact with applicants shall be conducted in a manner which assures fair and impartial treatment of applicants. Interviewing provides the most direct information about the job applicant. The interviewer may ask only questions that solicit information needed to evaluate the applicant’s ability to meet work expectations.
  2. Questions or comments that intentionally or unintentionally solicit information concerning the applicant’s race, gender, gender identity, sex (such as marital status or pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, political affiliation, veteran status, or relationship to other university constituents must be avoided. Training for hiring officials and search committees on hiring practices, suggested questions, interview topics, and legal guidelines are available from Employment Services in Human Resources.
3. ADA Considerations
  1. The ADA defines an individual with a disability as a person who: (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, (2) has a record or history of a substantially limiting impairment, or (3) is regarded or perceived by an employer as having a substantially limiting impairment.
    
    An applicant with a disability, like all other applicants, must be able to meet the employer's requirements for the job, such as education, training, employment experience, skills, or licenses. In addition, an applicant with a disability must be able to perform the "essential functions" of the job’s fundamental duties either on her/his own or with the help of "reasonable accommodation." However, an employer does not have to provide a reasonable accommodation that will cause "undue hardship," which requires significant difficulty or expense.
  2. A medical exam/inquiry may be conducted only if it is a stated requirement for the job in the vacancy announcement and if all new hires in the same job category are required to undergo the exam/inquiry, regardless of disability. An exam/inquiry may not be requested of a person for any individualized reason; it must be a job requirement, irrespective of who is selected.
4. Courtesy Interviews
  1. Courtesy interviews consist of a meeting between a Human Resources staff member and a prospective applicant about UNCW's recruitment process. Human Resources staff members are available to assist applicants in submitting applications, résumés, or cover letters and to discuss their suitability for university employment.
  2. Courtesy interviews are intended to extend a courtesy, where appropriate, to an individual or to a constituent of UNCW without regard to the applicant's qualifications for a specific position vacancy. Courtesy interviews, of necessity, are not part of the selection process and are distinct from job interviews conducted by hiring officials. Job interviews conducted by the hiring official as a courtesy to the applicant, which are not based on the applicant's personal merit for the position, are not allowed.
  3. Situations which may call for a courtesy interview include the following:
    1. Individuals interested in university employment who are not familiar with our application procedures or who are not aware of the kinds of positions for which they may qualify.
    2. Individuals who have applied repeatedly for SHRA positions and have become frustrated in their efforts to obtain university employment.
    3. Individuals referred by significant constituents of UNCW including members of the General Assembly, Executive Branch of State Government, the UNC Board of Governors, the UNCW Board of Trustees, or local supporters of UNCW.
5. Interview Travel Expenses
  
  Applicants who incur travel costs in order to interview are responsible for those costs unless the hiring department has agreed in writing to reimburse the prospective employee. Please see the UNCW travel policies for more information.
Reference Checks
1. Reference checks verifying job related information are required as part of the selection process. Hiring departments must obtain an applicant’s permission prior to contacting his or her references. Verification of professional registrations, licenses and certifications are to be completed by the hiring department prior to the effective date of employment and communicated to Human Resources as part of the reference check process. Verification of professional registrations, licenses and registrations must come from the issuing source. Reference checks may be made either by telephone or in writing.
2. If any damaging or derogatory information is discovered during the reference checks or if information or statements on the application are shown to be false or inaccurate, the hiring official should discuss the conflicting information with Human Resources and/or the Office of General Counsel prior to making a determination concerning the applicant. Personal references may be checked but should not be the sole source of information on the applicant's record. Information obtained from reference checks is not shared with applicants.
3. Human Resources verifies educational credentials used to meet job requirements or set salary within ninety (90) days after the employee’s effective date of employment.
Selection

The selection of the finalist is based on the careful consideration of the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, and skills, as determined through the job application, résumé or other requested information, interviews, work sampling exercises, and reference checks, and in accordance with Section VII, if applicable.
Criminal Background Checks
1. It is the policy of UNCW that applicants for vacancies have a criminal background check completed prior to receiving an offer of employment. The results of the criminal background check will be used to ensure that the university is making an informed hiring decision. Applicants who refuse to consent to a criminal background check are not eligible for employment. In accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, an applicant must personally authorize the background check before it can be done. In order to maintain the utmost discretion and privacy where possible, applicants submit completed forms directly to Human Resources. Human Resources will submit the request to the third party provider to conduct the criminal background check.
2. The results of the criminal background check will be evaluated and processed according to UNCW policy 08.151 Background Checks of Employees.
Approval and Offer of Employment
1. Hiring Proposal
  
  Once the finalist has been selected for the vacancy, the hiring official must submit via PeopleAdmin a hiring proposal which includes the following:
  1. Narrative describing the reasons why the individual selected is the best qualified or best matched for the vacancy. The narrative must compare and contrast the strengths of the selected applicant to the other interviewees. Strengths are better presented in the form of job-related skills, knowledge, abilities, experience, and education as indicated in the vacancy announcement.
  2. Summary of comments from references.
  3. Confirmation of supervisor.
  4. Recommended starting salary.
  5. Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest or nepotism issues.
    
    The hiring proposal must be reviewed and approved by at least one supervisory level above the hiring official, and is then forwarded to Human Resources via PeopleAdmin.
2. Human Resources and EEO/AA Approval
  
  After reviewing the information described in section XV. A. above, Human Resources authorizes the hiring official to extend an offer of employment to the applicant at a specific salary after any needed approvals have been obtained. No offer may be extended, including conditional offers, without Human Resources approval.
  
  In the event Human Resources does not approve the search process based on EEO/AA concerns, the EEO/AA Officer shall consult with the supervisor of the hiring official to determine if remedial measures can rehabilitate the search process. In the absence of agreement on remedial measures, the EEO/AA Officer shall have authority to suspend the search process, upon notification to the Provost, division vice chancellor, or Chancellor, as appropriate.
3. Starting Salary
  1. Starting salaries are approved by Human Resources. Salaries for new employees must conform to the advertised hiring range, if one is given, and be consistent with the employee’s qualifications and internal equity. Salaries for promotions, transfers, and new hires will be determined in accordance with UNCW Policy 08.340, Career- Banding Salary Administration, as applicable.
  2. Before an offer is extended the hiring department must ensure that funds are available in the position to support the proposed salary.
4. Starting Date
  
  New employees may be hired and employees may transfer between positions on any day of the month. Actual transfer dates for a UNCW employee should be determined between the hiring official and current supervisor. Overlapping a new employee with a separating employee (for training purposes) is permissible with the approval of the department head, Human Resources, and the Budget Office.
Acceptance of Employment
1. Appointment Letter
  1. Once the applicant accepts the offer of employment and agrees to a starting date, the hiring official must notify Human Resources via the PeopleAdmin system.
  2. Human Resources prepares the official appointment letter and sends a copy to the hiring official.
  3. The applicant must sign the letter and return to Human Resources prior to starting.
2. Applicant Follow-up and Notification
  1. Applicants can determine status of vacancies by referring to the PeopleAdmin system.
  2. Hiring officials are expected to personally notify campus interviewees not selected for employment.
  3. Upon the employee being seated in the position, a system-generated notification is sent to all candidates in the pool advising of the recruitment ending.
3. Record Retention
  
  Applications and search related materials are confidential materials under State law and should be maintained in accordance with the UNC General Records Retention and Disposition Schedule (http://oshr.nc.gov/policies-forms/employment-records/personnel-records). Generally, printed application materials, interview notes, and other search related materials should be retained for a period of three years after the date the position is filled and then destroyed in office if no charge of discrimination has been filed. Search committee members should send such documents to the search chair for retention.

08.110 Recruitment and Selection Plan for Permanent and Time Limited SHRA Employees

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