SECTION 4.45 THE HIRING PROCESS

Last Update: 7/01

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The hiring process for merit system covered positions is a position specific selection process for most positions. A few selected job classes are open to continuous application. Applications for all other job classes are accepted only when vacancies are announced for those job classes. All vacancies must be posted for application for specified time periods, with the exception of open job classes. Ongoing lists are maintained for open job classes. For all other job classes applicant lists are created for the specific vacancy when the vacancy is announced. Following are the steps in the application and referral process:

A. STEPS IN THE APPLICATION AND REFERRAL PROCESS INCLUDE:

Prior to beginning with Step 1, agencies must clear all recall and contract hiring requirements.

Step 1: A vacancy must be posted as open to application or the job class must be open to continuous application.

Step 2: Applicants must apply for an announced vacancy during the posting period. Applicants may apply for an open job class at any time.

Step 3: Applicants must possess the minimum qualification and any selective requirements as stated on the vacancy announcement.

Step 4: Completion of an initial testing process is required for the job class of Correctional Officer. A typing test is required for other selected job classes. Testing is not required for any other jobs upon initial application.

Step 5: A list of the eligible applicants and a copy of their applications are sent to the hiring agency. Interviews are conducted by the agency. At the agency’s discretion, a selection device may be used. This is based on the specific job class and position being filled. In-depth background searches may be conducted before or after the interview is conducted.

Step 6: Post conditional offer screens such as medical/physical evaluations or drug tests that may be required for specific job classes or positions.

Step 7: Successful completion of a six month probationary period.

B. THE PROMOTIONAL HIRING PROCESS

A position may be filled by using Intraagency or Interagency promotional applicant list. All positions must be posted.

1) An Intraagency promotional applicant list contains the names of:

a) All employees within the employing agency who apply for the position.

b) Current Interns within the agency who have completed 90 calendar days of employment with that agency.

2) An Interagency promotional applicant list contains the names of:

a) Any permanent state employees including permanent employees of the Board of Regents and Community-Based Corrections.

b) Interns who have completed at least 90 calendar days of employment with the employing agency.

3) Names of all promotional applicants meeting the established minimum qualifications and selective qualifications are issued on promotional applicant lists in social security number order.

4) In certain instances, applicants may have to complete a typing test, if required. Successful completion of a typing test is required when:

a) The applicant has not completed a typing test previously.

b) The applicant is not currently working in a state job that required a typing test upon hire in that job.

5) Background checks may be completed on promotional applicants, or other conditional screens required for specific classes or positions.

6) Promotional applicants for the class of Correctional Officer will be required to successfully complete the required exams for this job class.

7) It is the final responsibility of the appointing authority to verify that the applicant chosen for hire is currently a permanent state employee or is otherwise qualified to be a promotional applicant. This information is available through the payroll portion of the HRIS system, or, in more limited instances, maybe retained as part of the intern program.

8) Each department should have a promotional hiring policy. This policy must describe the general methods to be used to screen promotional applicants. It is essential that departments have this policy to ensure that equal employment opportunity is present and affirmative action is applied appropriately. Failure to have the policy and use it consistently will make the department more vulnerable when equal employment opportunity or affirmative action challenges occur.

Each supervisor must be made aware of the policy and be held accountable for compliance with its provisions. The policy must include elements that address the following:

a) A general statement that promotions will be given to qualified individuals in accordance with equal employment opportunity and affirmative action policies of the State of Iowa.

b) That no hiring process will be undertaken before the department's affirmative action plan for the year is reviewed to determine if there are remedial affirmative action hiring goals that apply, or if recruitment or other non-remedial actions are included in the plan that should be considered for use during the hiring process.

c) That screening of candidates to determine who will be interviewed will be conducted based on job related factors.

d) These factors must be reviewed to ensure that they do not screen out all members of any protected group. If they do, the business necessity of screening using these factors must be documented.

e) Race, sex, or disability is to be included as one factor to be considered in the hiring process where the department is underutilized and has applicable affirmative action hiring goals.

f) Race, sex, and disability are never to be the sole reason that an individual is selected to be interviewed and that other applicants are to be excluded. Wherever possible, members of groups such as females, minorities, or persons with disabilities who meet job requirements should be present in the final interview group.

C. THE NONPROMOTIONAL HIRING PROCESS

A position may be filled using an All Applicant eligible list. All positions must be posted by DAS-HRE as open to application.

1) All Applicant eligible lists contain the names of promotional applicants as well as nonpromotional applicants.

2) Applicants on this list are listed in social security number order. The nonpromotional applicants are listed first, the promotional applicants are listed next and are identified by the agency in which they are currently employed.

3) A hire may be made from any applicant appearing on the list.

4) The process of selecting applicants from the list to be interviewed should be very similar to that described as elements of the department’s promotional policy.

D. EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE STANDARDS

The following basic standards apply to all processes used to screen applicants in order to ensure that applicants are fairly compared:

· Job requirements based on the competencies required to perform the duties of the position being filled need to be identified as the basis for the screening process to be used.

· Screening methods that will provide information about the applicant’s job related qualifications need to be used in identifying the best qualified applicants.

· Screening methods must treat all candidates in a fair, equitable, and non-discriminatory manner.

· Departments will apply the State of Iowa Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action and the State’s discrimination Policy in all of their screening and hiring activities.

· Use of reasonable accommodations in the screening process must be considered when requested and appropriate.

· Departments must apply veteran’s preference points to their primary scoring system for applicants.

· Screening methods must be job-related and justifiable on the basis of business necessity.

· All persons involved in the screening and hiring process must be trained and familiar with screening process requirements as well as how to fairly, equitably, and accurately apply those processes.

· All candidates must have access to information regarding their status in the screening process. Final applicants must be notified in writing of their status after final decisions are made.

· Records must be kept of the status of all applicants for use in assessing the equal employment opportunity impact of each screening process used.

· Records pertaining to the screening process and how decisions were made regarding each applicant must be maintained for a minimum of three years.

· Screening practices used by departments must reflect the above standards in their design and use.

Although the employment system had undergone major changes to improve the delivery of services, it must be remembered that the employment system remains a merit based system. This means that it remains a system that must be fair, equitable, and based on hiring the most qualified applicants available. Hiring applicants based on their merit (job-related qualifications) is still a cornerstone for making appointments.

For more detailed information on applicant screening information, refer to the DAS-HRE Applicant Screening Manual, published in July 2000.