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Managers, Supervisors and HR Professionals


Guide to Managing Human Resources

Chapter 1: Employment

Introduction

Many aspects of the recruitment process are now automated through our web-based HRMS eRecruit system. Much of the process takes place on line for applicants, departments, and central OHR.

Applicants search and apply for jobs online and maintain an applicant profile, which they can update as needed. They can track the status of any application, and they receive email notifications at key points in the process.

Departments enter and approve their requisitions, view their applications, record the selection of applicants for interview, schedule interviews, record interview results, prepare and approve maximum offers, and record acceptance of offers on line. At the end of the process, the successful candidate's basic information is transferred automatically to the Administer Workforce part of the system so that a hire can be processed.

Employment Services approves requisitions and posts them, manages the Special Placement Consideration process for applicants with preferential rehire rights, screens applicants if the department desires, and routes applications to the departments for review. Employment also reviews and approves maximum offers in the system.

Summary

Because the campus depends on the quality and talent of its employees, hiring decisions are among the most important choices you make. The campus tries to recruit, select, develop, and retain a qualified and diverse workforce to promote and support the University in its mission. At each stage of the employment process, from determining your staffing needs through recruitment, interviewing, and selection, you have opportunities to make choices that will result in effective management of your operation. The recruiters in Human Resources can advise you in making these choices, but in the end you are the person who knows which candidate best meets your needs.

It's important to:

  • Continue to value diversity in the workplace at all levels
  • Comply with Equal Employment Opportunity and federal Affirmative Action laws and regulations
  • Plan your staffing needs well in advance
  • Recruit a qualified and diverse applicant pool, including targeted outreach to underutilized groups
  • Interview the top candidates fairly and equitably
  • Select the best qualified person for the position

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Hiring Guidelines and Laws

See Chapter 2: Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action


Determining Staffing Needs

Staff planning helps you run your department efficiently. Determining and planning your staff needs in advance, rather than waiting until a vacancy occurs, will help you achieve these results. Campus positions may be limited, career, or contract (see http://hrweb.berkeley.edu/
hrms/appointmentype.htm to determine when to use each type of appointment).

New Positions: All new positions must be classified before recruitment. See Chapter 3: Classification.

Replacement: If there are no significant changes in the duties or responsibilities of the position, the job does not go through the classification process before recruitment but can be submitted directly to Employment Services for listing through eRecruit at http://blu.berkeley.edu.

Non-competitive Career Ladder Promotions

A department may wish to advertise a vacant non-bargaining unit and non-MSP (Management and Senior Professional) position at more than one level and fill it at the level that best fits its business needs. The range of jobs advertised in this way is called a "career ladder." To do this, a job description must be written for each level advertised, and each level of the position must be classified by the Compensation Unit.

There are two ways to use a career ladder to fill an open position:

  1. The department decides that filling the position at the lower level best meets its business needs. In this case, the job should be posted at the lower level and the job posting should state, "This position will be filled at the MSO I level, with potential for promotion to the MSO II level."
  2. The department decides it can fill the position at either level, depending on the quality of the candidates that apply. In this case, the position should be posted at the lower level (same as option 1) and the job posting should state that the position may be filled at either level. For example, using an MSO I and II career ladder, the position may be filled at either the MSO I or II level. If filled at the MSO I level, there will be the potential for promotion to the MSO II level.
  3. If an employee is hired into the top level of a career ladder or is hired into a non-career ladder position, the employee cannot be promoted using these criteria. Some other basis, such as reclassification, must be used.

Employees who have been laid off or medically separated from the University have preferential rehire and/or recall rights to open positions on campus. These individuals are referred to as SPC (special placement consideration) candidates. Before you list a position in eRecruit be sure you inform anyone who has recall rights to your position. A recruiter can assist you with this process.

For more information, see Chapter 3: Classification.

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Recruitment

Your management of the recruitment process will directly affect:

  • The quality and diversity of your applicant pool
  • The effectiveness of your interviews
  • How quickly you get your position filled
  • Your ability to choose the best qualified person for the job
    Guiding Principles

    Your goals in recruitment are to:

    • Identify the talent needed to perform the job
    • Attract the best qualified candidates for the position
    • Promote the campus as a dynamic, diverse employer
    • Meet the campus' equal employment opportunity commitment
    • Support affirmative action efforts by targeting outreach to underutilized groups

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Before You Begin
Preparing for the recruitment process is essential. Before you list and advertise your position, take time to analyze the job for which you are recruiting, prepare a job description and requisition, and develop the criteria you will use to select your candidate. These are the steps you'll need to take:

Job Analysis
Your first step is to conduct a job analysis, which is the process of identifying the duties of a position and the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform those duties, including:

    • The approximate percentage of time the employee will spend on major duties
    • A description of the major duties in order of importance
    • Any licenses or certificates needed to perform the job
    • The physical, environmental, and mental (PEM) demands of the position

You should also determine whether the position is “sensitive” and if so, it will require a background check.

You need to conduct a job analysis when you have a newly created position or when an existing position has been vacated and the duties have significantly changed. If your vacated position has no changes, a job analysis may not be necessary; however, you may still want to review the position to confirm that no changes have occurred.

The department may determine that it is appropriate to fill a job using a career ladder approach, which involves advertising the job at more than one level and filling it at the level that best meets the business needs of the department. In this case, a job description must be written for both levels of the position and classified by the Compensation Unit.

Job Description
You can now develop the Job Description using the information from the job analysis.

Job Requisition
The third step in the recruitment process is to develop your online requisition, which is used to advertise your position. The requisition should be completed and submitted on line via the eRecruit system. The information requested on the requisition is critical to the posting process; please make sure to complete every required field in the requisition.

Developing a clear, recruitment-oriented job posting that summarizes the major duties and qualifications is essential to an effective recruitment process. In the eRecruit system, there are five areas where you will enter the job description information. The four required areas for your job description are designated by *. Some of the important items include:

    • If this is a career ladder position, that position should be posted at the lower level and the lower level job title should be used.
    • Job Title: Select the Payroll Title for the position. You may also add a working title if it would be more informative for posting. (Example: Job Payroll Title is __ Assistant II; Working Title is Payroll/Personnel Assistant II)
    • *Description: Start with an introductory statement summarizing the position. In this paragraph, you will want to provide an overview of the position. You should also list the major duties of the position, using functional verbs, in descending order of importance. (Example: Account Assistant II: Assume responsibility for all aspects of accounting for 26 funds including state/federal grants and gifts. Provide financial reports. Reconcile general ledger. Provide budget projections. Process purchase requisitions, travel vouchers, and check requests.)
    • *Responsibilities: State the responsibilities of this position by listing the expectations of the position as well as the overall duties of the job. Don't leave out any responsibilities even though you make think they are not significant. It is important that the applicants have a clear view of the overall responsibility of the job.
    • *Requirements/Qualifications: List the skills, knowledge, abilities, certificates, and licenses (including California Driver's License) required to successfully perform the duties. For most positions, the campus cannot require a degree or number of years of experience in determining whether someone is qualified for a position. However, some positions do require a certificate or license. Indicate whether any supplemental application questions, writing samples, etc., are required. If the position is a critical position requiring bondability or a background check, this should be indicated in the required qualifications.

      As required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), you should also identify the job duties that are essential functions of the position by placing an asterisk (*) before them. A job duty is considered essential if:
      • Performance of the duty is considered to be of major importance.
      • A limited number of employees are available to perform the duty.
      • The duty is highly specialized, requiring special expertise or abilities.
    • If you have desired qualifications for your position, you should list them in the requirements text box. Be sure you designate which qualifications are desired and which are required; it is very important to distinguish between them.
    • *Salary: You will have the opportunity to enter the salary range for the position. The eRecruit system will display the salary for the position you are listing and you will have the option as to how you would like it displayed in the text box. If you prefer not to list a salary range, state that "The salary for this position is commensurate with experience."
      • eRecruit also has a text box labeled "Other." In this text box you should enter additional information pertinent to this position. Anything that is important for the candidate to know that is not part of the description, responsibilities, requirements, etc., should be listed in this area. This is where you should state that a background check may be required if the position is designated as “sensitive”.
      • Familiarize yourself with the affirmative action placement goals identified for the position. The identified goals will automatically populate when you are creating your requisition in eRecruit.
      • Determine the posting period for recruitment. Options are listed below; your recruiter can help you decide which is the best option based on the specifics of your recruitment (e.g., occupational area, time of year, etc.).
        • Recruitment with firm closing date: This type of recruitment has a fixed closing date, which could be from two to four weeks or more. In order to extend the close date beyond 14 days, you will need to enter the number of days you want your requisition to be listed in the posting duration page of the requisition. The recruitment period can be extended as needed. Recruitments with firm close dates will have the SPC matching process stop at the close date.
        • Open Until Filled recruitment: Normally, positions are listed with a closing date. Those that are quite difficult to fill may be initially listed as Open Until Filled, without a specific closing or review date. You will need to select Open Until Filled in the posting duration page of the requisition. Please note that for Open Until Filled requisitions, the SPC matching process continues until the position is filled.

Physical, Environmental, and Mental Demands (PEM) Form
This online form helps departments determine the physical, environmental, and mental demands of positions and recognize any accommodations required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. For all new or significantly changed positions, complete the form and be sure you keep the PEM with your recruitment file. For currently filled positions, attach a copy of the PEM form to the Job Description in the employee's personnel file. Mention any PEM demands unusual for the classification.

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Submitting Job Posting Information

If there are no significant changes in the position you are recruiting for, submit the requisition on line at http://blu.berkeley.edu. If the position is new or is an existing position with significant changes in duties since it was last filled, you also need to submit the Job Description form and the Physical, Environmental, and Mental Demands (PEM) Form for classification review by the compensation analysts. (See Chapter 3, Classification, The Classification Process.) After review, Compensation will notify you of the results. You will then need to submit your requisition on line at http://blu.berkeley.edu.

Targeted Recruitment

Targeted recruitment shows good faith efforts to help the campus achieve its affirmative action objectives through outreach to underutilized groups (women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities), to ensure their representation in the applicant pool. Targeted recruitment includes advertising in publications that serve minorities, women, and people with disabilities, as well as announcements to community-based organizations and campus staff organizations.

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Advertising Methods

To fill your position quickly and attract a well-qualified, diverse applicant pool, you may want to select additional advertisement. Some options you have are:

    • Job Listings - Posted at http://jobs.berkeley.edu.
    • External Advertising - Placement of ads in print media (newspapers, journals, magazines, newsletters, etc.) or electronic outlets (bulletin boards, listserves, etc.). To request external advertising, select the advertisement options you prefer when you are creating a requisition in eRecruit. The system will require a chart string, so be sure you have it available. Employment Services will work with the contracted advertisement agency to secure an estimate for your approval, place the ad for you, and bill your department. Please note that all external advertisements must be reviewed for approval by your recruiter to ensure compliance with federally mandated programs.
Selection Criteria

The next step in the recruitment process is to develop selection criteria. These are the standards against which you will measure all candidates to determine whether they have the qualifications to perform the job.

Selection criteria are developed from the skills, knowledge, and abilities identified in the job analysis and stated in the job description.

To develop selection criteria, look at each of the skills, knowledge, and abilities on the job description and define the standard for successful performance of the related functions.

Example:

  • Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities: Effective oral/written communication skills
  • Selection Criteria: Demonstrated ability to orally convey ideas and information articulately. Demonstrated ability to read and write; ability to understand concepts and information as presented; ability to develop clear written materials.

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Reviewing Your Applications

Your recruiter is available to discuss the status of your recruitment and may recommend additional recruitment options and extension of the closing date to improve the quality and/or diversity of the applicant pool. The employment assistant or recruiter will route all applications/resumes to the originator once your position has met the required two-week posting time, provided that there are no SPC candidates. The Employment office will email an Interview Data Form (IDF). This form is required to track and record all candidates that were interviewed for your open position. You will need to document and retain this form in the recruitment file for your open position.

Waivers of Recruitment

A waiver of recruitment is an exception to the recruitment policy, allowing a specific individual with unique skills to be hired without listing the position for open recruitment and advertisement. It is always preferable to list temporary positions through the eRecruit system to allow equal access and opportunities for applicants.

    • Before any written documentation is prepared, the Department Head, Department Personnel Manager (DPM), or designee should discuss the proposed limited waiver request with the supervisor.

      The DPM or designee should ask:

      • Why the position is not being listed for recruitment

      Documentation:

      • A memorandum that addresses the need for a limited waiver, based on the criteria outlined in this chapter.
      • A Job Description card describing the essential duties and responsibilities of the position.
      • A requisition specifying qualifications required to perform the duties of the position and qualifications required to perform the duties.
      • Application or resume of the prospective candidate.
      • Recommended salary offer (normally at the minimum of the salary range/grade).

      Approval:

      • Employment Services approves or denies the limited waiver request for any appointment longer than 900 hours.

      Monitoring Process:

      Departments should maintain activity reports that summarize limited waiver activities including:

      • title of the position
      • the name of the employee hired
      • gender/ethnicity
      • appointment percent
      • start and ending date of the appointment
      • salary
      • specific unit
  • Career Waiver. Waiving recruitment for a career position is unusual and the circumstances for considering such a waiver vary. Submit written requests electronically to Jeannine Raymond, PhD, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Human Resources, with a copy to the Campus Affirmative Action Officer, Edith Ng. The requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Please note that recruitment for career positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement is controlled by that agreement and may not be waived. Please make sure to:
    • Explain your reason for requesting a waiver of regular position.
    • Include a copy of the candidate's resume and job description with your request.
    • If needed, request that a compensation analyst classify the position. Make sure the classification request has the proper signatures from your department and approval from compensation. This paperwork can be sent or faxed under separate cover
  • Criteria for Waiver of Recruitment Requests. A waiver of recruitment must be based on business necessity and requires documenting the reasons that listing the vacant position would cause the department undue hardship in meetings its goals, such as disruption of critical services or research activity. Factors should include any specific constraints that would adversely affect the successful completion of a project if recruitment were conducted. Waiver requests should address applicable issues that support the need to waive recruitment, such as:
    • A specific applicant possesses a unique skill, knowledge, and/or ability. Documentation should identify a specialized skill necessary to perform the duties of the position and its role in achieving project or program goals.
    • Program funding transfer. Proposed hire of a Principal Investigator (PI) is bringing project funding to the Berkeley campus along with the filled position.
    • Off-campus work site. Location of the job makes recruiting difficult. For example, if the job site were in southern or central California, it would be difficult to recruit for the position in the Bay Area.
    • Specific skills are scarce in the labor market. Factors can include previous efforts such as the number of positions previously opened for recruitment for which recruitment difficulty existed, including the specific skill, knowledge, and ability required; when and how long the search was conducted; and results of the recruitment.
    • Extreme time and/or funding constraints on project completion.
    • Transfer or re-employment of an employee because of rehabilitation or medical separation (permanent or trial employment).
    • Temporary position to extend the employment of a Berkeley student/GSRA/postdoctoral candidate. In these situations, the employee has just completed the degree requirements and can no longer hold a casual/restricted (student status) appointment. These waivers are to complete a specific project.
    • I-4 separation/rehire. These are employees who do not work any hours for a three-to-four-month period and are automatically dropped from the personnel/payroll system. The appointments are normally on an on-call or as-needed basis.
    • Conversion to career. Temporary employees who are assigned through employment services may be eligible for conversion to career appointments. Career conversion must be authorized through the hiring department and must be funded through the hiring department's budget. All conversions are governed by either personnel policy or union contract, depending upon the title classification. Please consult your recruiter regarding the conversion of any temporary employee to a career position.

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Special Placement Consideration (SPC) Preferential Rehire and Medical Separation Referrals

Whenever possible, the campus helps employees who have been laid off, reviewed for medical separation, or medically separated to locate and acquire alternative positions. The purpose of preferential referral is to give these employees (laid-off or pre/post-medically separated) first consideration for career positions for which they are qualified and for which they have preferential hire rights. Please note that University policy requires you to hire employees in these categories who meet the required qualifications you have listed for a position. The benefits of hiring a referred employee are:

  • Reducing training and orientation time
  • Minimizing the loss of staff knowledge and expertise resulting from layoffs and medical separations
  • Obtaining a qualified employee who has related campus experience
The Referral Process

When a candidate with preferential hire rights (SPC-special placement consideration) is referred to you by a recruiter, you will be required to review the resume and interview the employee if he or she is qualified. Other resumes submitted for your position will not be routed until the SPC candidate is reviewed. Before the recruitment closing date, the recruiter will contact you and route the employee's resume and email you the referral form indicating that you should check references and may review the employee's personnel file. The recruiter will partner with the hiring manager and the candidate (as well as Vocational Rehabilitation as needed) to facilitate the process.

If the employee meets the required qualifications, he or she should be hired. Before making a job offer, you should contact the referring recruiter to verify the employee's previous salary.

If you determine that the referred employee does not meet your required selection criteria, contact the referring recruiter to review your reasons for non-selection. If your reasons are determined to be appropriate, the recruiter will then route all other resumes for your position. You will be asked to provide a written statement of the reasons for non-selection. Please note that you are responsible for notifying the employee of the non-selection and the reasons for non-selection. (See sample letter.)

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