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Policy: Employment Policy for Support Staff

EFFECTIVE DATE

April 1, 1998 (replaces policy dated April 1, 1995)

AUTHORITY

VICE-PRESIDENT (FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION)

PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to establish clearly-defined guidelines with regard to the hiring of support staff, and the procedures to be followed in filling a vacant support staff position.

SCOPE

This policy and the procedures outlined herein apply to all support staff positions at the University. Whenever a position falls within a bargaining unit, the appropriate collective agreement shall govern.

RESPONSIBILITY

The Director of Human Resources is responsible for the communication, administration, and interpretation of this policy. The Human Resources Department provides support to the hiring process, including the provision of guidance to those involved in the hiring process.

POLICY

The University of Winnipeg intends to fill all vacancies with the best qualified persons available, without regard to race, nationality, religion, colour, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, physical handicap, ethnic or national origin, political belief, or family status, consistent with legislative requirements and collective agreement provisions, as they apply. Under special Employment Equity initiatives The University of Winnipeg will promote the filling of a vacancy with the best fully-qualified member of a designated target group.

For conflict of interest reasons, members of the same immediate family shall not be hired to work in the same department unless prior authorization of the Vice-President (Finance and Administration) is obtained. For the purposes of this policy, immediate family shall mean a parent, spouse/partner, brother, sister, child, aunt, uncle, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent, or grandchild.

The University shall provide University support staff members with an opportunity to apply for support staff position vacancies by posting them internally. All employees shall be encouraged to apply for those higher level position vacancies for which they may be qualified.

Procedures

1. Recruitment

Recruitment procedures begin when the Human Resources Department receives a "Request to Fill Support Staff Position Vacancy" form from the department, faculty or other unit.

The Human Resources Department shall prepare the job posting and confirm the wording of the job posting with the hiring department prior to distribution. All support staff position vacancies which have been approved to be filled shall be posted throughout the University. Unless a longer period is requested, the posting period shall be five (5) working days. The hiring decision shall not be made prior to the expiration of the posting period.

During the posting period, the Human Resources Department shall coordinate the advertising of specific vacancies in appropriate publications, as required, following consultation with the hiring department.

In special circumstances, positions may be filled without postings or receiving applications if approval is received from the Human Resources Department. In such cases, the Human Resources Department shall ensure that all provisions of University policy and of the relevant collective agreements are fulfilled.

Examples of special circumstances in which such approval may be given are:

(a) the placement of an employee who has returned to work from a period of long term disability;
(b) the placement of an employee who has been or is about to be laid off; and
(c) the placement of an employee who has been unsuccessful during his/her trial period in another position.

2. Application

Employees who wish to be considered for posted positions must complete and submit an "Application for Employment" to the Human Resources Department. The hiring department shall not be required to consider an application form submitted after the closing date for applications.

3. Selection

The Human Resources Department shall screen all applications and administer relevant tests, as agreed upon with the hiring department. The Human Resources Department shall then forward the employment file to the hiring department. This file will include all internal applications and all external applications received from qualified applicants, together with a summary sheet indicating whether the applicants are internal or external, the seniority or University service of the internal applicants, and an initial assessment of the applicants' qualifications.

The Human Resources Department shall provide the hiring department with assistance in arranging interviews and in providing information regarding University policies or collective agreements.

The hiring department shall establish an interviewing panel of at least two (2) employees. The interviewing panel shall include one representative from the Human Resources Department who shall participate in the interviews and serve in an advisory capacity to the hiring department. Where the position being filled is that of a Director or Head of an Administrative Unit, the hiring panel shall include one additional person external to the hiring department. The hiring department shall review the applications and advise the Human Resources Department of those applicants to be interviewed. The Human Resources Department shall then coordinate and confirm the interview appointment times with the applicants and the hiring department.

The Human Resources Department shall obtain employment references on the prospective successful external candidate(s) unless otherwise arranged for the hiring department to do so.

The hiring department shall obtain employment references on the prospective successful internal candidate(s) including one from the current supervisor.

When the selection decision has been made, the hiring department shall return the complete employment file to the Human Resources Department. The hiring department, supported by the Human Resources Department, shall provide written reasons for its decision.

4. Placement

The hiring department shall consult with the Human Resources Department on an appropriate salary level and start date. Salary commitments shall not be made by the hiring department. The Human Resources Department shall extend the offer of employment to the successful applicant at the agreed salary and start date, and shall inform the hiring department of the acceptance of the offer of employment. The Human Resources Department shall then confirm the offer of employment in writing to the successful applicant. Copies of the letter of offer shall be forwarded to the hiring department, and the appropriate Dean, Director, or Head of Administrative Unit.

Where the successful applicant is a current University employee, the effective date of the appointment must be agreeable to both the new and the current department. The current department should not expect to receive more than ten (10) working days notice unless special circumstances prevail. If the current department requires the services of the employee after the arranged appointment date (up to a maximum of ten (10) working days), that department shall obtain the approval of the hiring department. The current department shall pay the employee the greater of the employee's present salary or the salary of the new position for all time worked after the arranged appointment date.

5. Notification of Unsuccessful Applicants

The Human Resources Department shall advise all internal unsuccessful applicants in writing as soon as possible after the appointment of the successful applicant has been confirmed. As well, lists of the positions filled and the names of the successful applicants shall be posted on a weekly basis throughout the University.

6. Appeals

An employee who is unsuccessful in applying for a position may appeal the selection in accordance with the grievance procedure in the relevant collective agreement or University policy. Where a grievance has been submitted regarding a selection decision, the appointment of the successful applicant will be considered temporary until the grievance has been resolved. If the grievance is resolved in favour of the grievor, the following procedures shall follow unless the grievance resolution provides otherwise:

(a) The grievor shall be placed in the position in question.
(b) The temporary appointment of the successful applicant to the position in question shall be terminated. The employee shall be returned to his/her former position and salary or placed in a vacancy comparable to that which the employee held prior to the job posting.

7. Probationary and Trial Periods

All successful applicants must complete:

(a) a probationary period, in the case of a new employee to the University; or
(b) a trial period, in the case of an employee who has completed a probationary period with the University.

The probationary or trial period shall be for a period of 420 working hours unless a greater period is specified on the job posting. "Working hours" shall include only time when the employee is actually at work.

The employee's performance during the probationary or trial period shall be reviewed with the employee by the supervisor. Where the supervisor finds that there is reasonable doubt concerning an employee's performance during the probationary or trial period, the supervisor may decide to extend the probationary or trial period by an additional period which is not greater than the length of the original period. The employee shall be notified in writing of the extension and of the areas of concern. The Human Resources Department is available for advice and assistance in such matters.

An employee whose performance is found to be unsatisfactory during the probationary period may have his/her employment terminated with five (5) working days notice.

In the event that an employee on a trial period proves to lack the ability to perform the job satisfactorily, the employee shall be placed in a vacancy comparable to the employee's previous position and salary. If a comparable vacancy cannot be found, the employee shall be laid off.