HR 5.09pr - Classified, Exempt, and Academic Employee Hiring : Procedures

A. Diversity

1. Diversity is one of the college’s four values that guide institutional goals for students, staff, and faculty. In support of Edmonds College’s commitment to inclusive excellence, all hiring managers and subject matter experts (SME) are expected to review implicit bias and cognitive errors resource materials in preparation for recruitment.

B. Resource planning

1. Before you begin the hiring process, verify that your planned salary range has been reviewed and pre-approved by the appropriate unit approver and Human Resources (HR). Appropriate unit approvers will be the head of a division and may be a member of the President’s Leadership Team. Consult the HR Hiring Approval Flow Chart to confirm who needs to approve your salary range.

2. Keep in mind that “resources” are not just limited to salary and benefits, but also space assignment, operational expenses (IT, software, equipment, supplies), professional development and training, and travel.

C. Internal Equity

1. For new or revised positions, consider any impacts to job duties/responsibilities for existing positions or if it will impact existing team structures or reporting lines.

D. Roles and Responsibilities

1. Human Resources roles and responsibilities:

a) Approval for hiring: HR is responsible for determining whether a position is classified or exempt, and whether the position is overtime eligible or overtime exempt.

(1) For classified positions, HR assigns the job classification.

(2) For exempt positions, HR must confirm that the position meets one or more of the exemption criteria, and then assign the position to a salary grade and pay range.

b) Human Resources recruiters work with hiring managers and departmental administrators to post jobs to the Edmonds College employment website and place other recruitment-related advertising (hiring department is responsible for the cost of advertising beyond the employment website). During the selection process, recruiters assist departments in:

(1) developing interviewing tools;

(2) reviewing the applicant pool for top candidates;

(3) advising on required reference checks;

(4) developing offer letters; and 

(5) conducting background checks. 

2. Hiring Managers roles and responsibilities:

a) New hiring managers will contact Recruitment to set up an account in NEOGOV. 

b) Hiring managers will be given their own Manager Workbench where they can view and keep track of all their recruiting and selection activities in the Online Hiring Center (OHC).

c) The hiring manager or the supervisor is responsible for initiating the request for a background check.

3. Criminal background checks: 

a) At the time of recruitment for a new or vacant position (or before a volunteer can be engaged) each employing department is responsible for determining whether the position is properly designated as security/safety sensitive in accordance with the established criteria for designating security/safety sensitive positions. Recruitment can assist with identifying if the position fits these criteria. 

(1) A background check will be flagged for review for the Director of Human Resources if any criminal activity, beyond low-level offenses such as minor traffic violations is found. Upon review, the Director of Human Resources may either: 

(a) approve the background check;

(b) contact the potential employee for additional information; or

(c) reject the application on the grounds of a failed background check and provide the potential employee information on how to appeal the decision.  

II. Process for Hiring

A. The hiring manager will assess the need for a new position or replacement of a vacant position. 

B. For new positions, the first step is to contact Recruitment in HR and discuss the position, classification, job description, and salary range.

1. During the position development stage, hiring managers should assemble a draft position description that captures the duties, responsibilities, reporting structure, required skills, experience, and other relevant position details. Hiring managers may choose to revise an existing position description for a similar position type or work with a recruiter to draft a new position description. Please reach out to Recruitment for examples of past/current position descriptions.

C. The hiring manager opens a requisition in the OHC in NEOGOV. 

D. The requisition will be reviewed and approved by unit approvers and/or the President in NEOGOV. 

E. Once the requisition is approved, Recruitment will post the position to the Edmonds College employment website, where applicants can apply for the position.

F. Recruitment will review resumes against all requirements and then place top candidates in the hiring manager workbench in OHC in NEOGOV for review.

G. The hiring manager will chair the search committee, establish the search committee members, review resumes, conduct interviews, and check references on final candidates prior to making a final hiring decision. The hiring manager will review interview questions with Recruitment prior to conducting interviews. During the hiring manager’s review and evaluation of candidates, the hiring manager will disposition candidates to track and document their status in the hiring process.

H. Once the hiring manager has selected a qualified final candidate, they will need to establish a proposed salary and obtain approval for the salary offer.

I. Recruitment will review and approve the proposed salary offer.

J. Designated department approvers will review and approve the salary.

K. Once the salary has been approved, the hiring manager can make an offer to the candidate. Contact your recruiter if salary negotiation is needed. Offers must be made contingent upon a successful background check.

L. After an offer is accepted, select the Department Hire (pre-hire activity) in ECHIRES to alert Recruitment that the offer has been accepted and request a start date. Start dates for onboarding occur on the first business day of each pay period, generally the 1st or the 16th of each month.

M. The supervisor/hiring manager will submit a background check request for the candidate.

N. The recruiter will send the candidate hiring and onboarding information and enter employee data in NEOGOV. Hiring is complete.

III. Additional Hiring Guidelines by Employee Type

A. Hiring Classified Staff

1. Classified Staff Compensation Overview

a) The Washington Public Employees Association (WPEA) UFCW Local 365 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) specifies how classified positions are paid and evaluated for possible reclassification. Civil service rules specify how classified non-union positions are paid and how they are evaluated for possible reclassification.

b) All classified employees are paid within a salary range determined by the Office of Financial Management. An employee receives salary step increases in accordance with the CBA or rules covering the position until the employee reaches the top automatic step of the salary range, after which there are no more automatic step increases.

c) Job specifications that are used to determine a position’s job classification are general in nature and are not intended to serve as a job description. Each job specification is divided into sections; depending on the particular specification and its revision date, the sections are as follows:

(1) The Class Series Concept distinguishes one class series (grouping of related job specifications) from another series. It describes the general duties and responsibilities of the group of specifications, and how the series is unique. The Class Series Concept is usually, but not always, included in the lowest level of the class series. Not all class series have Class Series Concepts.

(2) The Basic Function (Definition) describes the class duties and responsibilities in summary form.

(3) The Distinguishing Characteristics distinguish classes within a series from one another. They describe the duties and responsibilities that separate the class from the next lower level, and if necessary, from the next higher level class in the series.

(4) Typical Work statements contain examples of job duties and responsibilities normally assigned to employees in the class. They are listed in order from most important to least important. These examples of duties help to define the information contained in the Class Series Concept, Basic Function, and Distinguishing Characteristics sections. There can be considerable overlap between Typical Work statements for related job classes or similar job class series.

(5) The Minimum Qualifications section is used in recruitment and is not used to make job classification determinations. However, the candidate must meet the minimum qualifications for the desired job class.

2. Classification Review

a) If HR, a supervisor, or an employee believes that a position’s duties have changed enough so that the position’s assigned job profile no longer fits the work, Compensation will review the position to determine if it should be assigned to a different job profile through the position review process (see the WPEA CBA).

3. Temporary Salary Increases

a) Supervisors may temporarily assign a classified non-union or contract classified employee the duties of a higher-level classified or professional staff position in accordance with the provisions of the applicable civil service rules or labor contract. All temporary salary increases will have to be approved by the President. After approval by the President and HR, the employer may assign temporary assignment pay added to base salary to recognize specialized skills, assigned duties, and/or unique circumstances that exceed the ordinary. Assignment pay is intended to be used only as long as the skills, duties, or circumstances it is based on are in effect. The increase is effective the first day of the assignment. For classified non-union staff, temporary higher level duty salary increases are limited to eighteen months. For contract classified staff, temporary higher level duty salary increases are governed by the provisions of the applicable labor contract.

B. Hiring Academic Employees

1. The principal functions of Edmonds College are academic excellence, student success, and community engagement. Its chief instrument for performing these functions is its faculty, and its success in doing so depends largely on the quality of its faculty. The policy of the college should be to enlist and retain distinguished faculty members with outstanding qualifications.

2. The college will follow hiring procedures as outlined in the Faculty CBA with the Federation of Teachers, Local 4254 AFT, AFL/CIO found on the college’s HR website.

C. Hiring Exempt Staff

1. All exempt staff positions must meet one of the Exempt Management Bands under OFM’s State HR Director’s exemption criteria. HR evaluates each exempt staff position to determine the exemption criteria, assign a job description associated with the exemption criteria and a compensation determination that is based on the position’s duties, responsibilities, and other factors. All exempt position salary ranges will be established by the Executive Director of HR. All specific salaries within the approved range that are offered to final candidates will be approved by the Executive Director of HR in consultation with the hiring manager. Any salary offered outside the approved range must be approved by the President.

IV. Internal Recruitment, Promotion, and Temporary Positions

A. Edmonds College encourages employees to make full use of their talents, skills, and potential growth within the college. No employee will be adversely affected as a result of expressing an interest in another job opening. Edmonds College employees are encouraged to complete one (1) year in their current position before pursuing other job opportunities at Edmonds College.

B. Internal Recruitment

1. Lateral Transfer: A lateral transfer is a move to a position with the same or similar job title in the same pay grade. Such transfers provide opportunities to work with new colleagues, to master a different range of skills, or to transfer special skills and experience to a new environment.

2. Temporary and Interim Positions

a) An interim appointment is defined as the appointment of an existing employee to perform the duties of a vacant or soon to be vacant position, while recruitment is underway to permanently select a successor. If an interim appointment is deemed necessary, a department has the obligation to make its best judgment regarding the selection of a temporary replacement. If the hiring manager makes the judgment that an interim appointment is necessary for the effectiveness and continuity of operations they need to get approval from the President’s Leadership Team member of the division, the Vice President for Human Resources and Operations, and the President. Interim appointments are for the duration of one year or less. The hiring managers should, when practical, follow these steps:

(1) When a position vacancy occurs and it is necessary for the college to appoint an individual to fill in as an interim appointment, the President or their designee may:

(a) Open an internal competitive selection by posting the position.

(b) Appoint an individual for the interim position due to business needs or until a recruitment process for a replacement can be completed. 

b) An interim appointment should not exceed one calendar year unless business needs justify an extension. Examples of justifiable business needs could include but are not limited to:

(1) Failed recruitment process.

(2) Recent or foreseeable changes in college organizational structure or purpose demonstrates a need for stability in the position.

(3) Termination of interim appointment would cause a disruption in the services provided by the college.

c) Any justification for extension of the interim appointment should be documented at the time of the extension and approved by the President. 

d) When a position arises from a special fund source such as a grant, contract, or self-support project, a determination should be made concerning the probable length of appointment. If there is a strong likelihood that the position will continue longer than one year, the position should be opened for recruitment before or within the first year of operation. 

C. Promotional Positions

1. A promotion is a change from one position to another open position at a higher pay level or an increase of the level of responsibility and duties that, with a completely new position, would normally be accompanied by an increase in salary. The major criterion used in the promotion process is the demonstrated ability of the applicant to perform satisfactorily in the new job. The decision to promote will be made after considering factors such as competency, growth and development, demonstrated ability to take on new responsibility, experience, potential for growth, and seniority.

2. When a position is an open position at a higher pay or an increased level of responsibility and therefore increased pay, the position may either be: 

a) Opened for internal consideration only;  

b) Opened competitively; or

c) An internal candidate may be appointed to the position if:

(1) The employee has been with the college for over 12 months;

(2) the employee meets all minimal qualifications; and

(3) the appointment is approved by the Vice President for Human Resources and Operations and the President.

3. In accordance with our policies and procedures, the college will not tolerate promotions that are based on:

a) Discrimination.

b) Fraternization.

c) Favoritism.

d) Nepotism.

RELATED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
HR 5.0 Human Resources Management Policy

SOURCE INFORMATION
(was) C 6.3.200 R103 Hiring Regulation for Classified Service Personnel

(was) C 6.3.200 R104 Hiring Regulation - Administrators, Professional Exempt Employees, and Confidential Assistants

(was) C 6.3.200 R101 Hiring Regulation - Full-Time Academic Employees

(was) C 6.3.200 R102 Part-Time Academic Employee Hiring Procedur

2020-Apr 06  Approved by President’s Leadership Team