Administrative Policy #3.01 - Recruitment and Selection
Purpose
The City of Corvallis strives to be an employer of choice and recognizes the value of recruiting and retaining exceptional employees by fulfilling the mission of enhancing community livability. The recruitment process is developed and utilized to attract individuals with appropriate qualifications to apply for jobs with the City of Corvallis. Selection is based upon an applicant's knowledge, experience, skills, and ability determined through a competitive process.
Definition
External Recruitments: Recruitments open to all applicants.
Internal Recruitments: Recruitments open to current regular and casual City employees and employees on an approved leave of absence or in layoff status.
Regular Recruitments: Recruitments for authorized, vacant, full-time-equivalent (FTE) positions with benefits.
Casual Recruitments: Recruitments for positions with annual scheduled hours of less than 1,040.
Temporary Appointment: Temporary appointments filled using a temporary staffing agency not to exceed 1,039 hours in a 12-month period. Not an employee of the City, but an employee of the temporary staffing agency.
Internship Recruitments: Paid or unpaid opportunities with the City.
Qualified Rehabilitation Facility (QRF): QRFs are non-profit enterprises that provide employment services to disabled members of the community.
Policy
This Policy provides information and guidelines on the procedures for the City of Corvallis recruitment process. This Policy is set forth to ensure compliance with applicable Federal and State laws.
Procedures
Human Resources staff will manage the recruitment process. For all recruitment types, the hiring manager will prepare an assessment memorandum briefly describing the reason for recruitment; a position assessment and budget information; alternatives considered to filling the position; and a recommended course of action, including a recruitment timeline. Human Resources staff will initiate the requisition based upon the assessment memorandum, create the job announcement, and advertise for the position. Once the job posting deadline closes, Human Resources staff will screen applications for minimum qualifications.
An interview and/or testing process will be administered to select a top candidate. A pre-employment background check and/or physical examination will be completed for the top candidate. Following a formal job offer and acceptance, the recruitment will be closed.
Candidates for casual positions or temporary assignments may or may not be subject to a pre-employment background check and/or physical examination.
All new hires are required to attend a new employee orientation as part of the City of Corvallis on-boarding process.
Goals
Equal Employment Opportunity
The City of Corvallis is committed to the principles of equality of opportunity for all members of our community and beyond. The City will recruit, hire, transfer, and promote without regard to color, race, national origin, citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, religion, religious observance, marital status, familial status, veteran status, or source and level of income. Recruitment will be on the basis of qualifications only, without regard to color, race, national origin, citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, religion, religious observance, marital status, familial status, veteran status, or source and level of income.
Accommodation
Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and ADA Amendments Act.
Veteran's Preference
The City of Corvallis provides qualifying veterans and disabled veterans with preference in hiring and promotion in accordance with Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 408.225, 408.230, and 408.335. The City will grant preference to an eligible veteran or disabled veteran who successfully passes an initial application screening for minimum qualifications. Applicants requesting veteran's preference are required to submit documentation of their eligibility with application. Preference is not intended to help an applicant pass minimum requirements but only to provide greater consideration or weight for positions for which the veteran is qualified.
Job Announcements
Job announcements maybe posted for a minimum of 14 days and contain essential functions of the position, minimum qualifications and special requirements for the position, salary information, full-time equivalency, union or non-union representation, and how to apply with application deadline.
Applications
Employment applications and any additional required materials must be submitted by the application deadline. Applications submitted without completing the work history section and/or with "see resume" will not be considered. A separate application must be submitted for each open recruitment.
Applications are only accepted for open positions. Resumes are accepted only when attached to a completed application.
Eligibility Lists
An eligibility list may be established during a recruitment for future vacancies within the same classification. An eligibility list consists of candidates who have successfully passed the recruitment and selection process. The eligibility list will remain active for a pre-determined time frame established by the Human Resources Director. If, after an initial recruitment effort is completed, no viable candidates are found, related eligibility lists may be used to fill the vacancy.
Direct Appointment
With the approval of the City Manager and the Human Resources Director, an employee may be hired without a competitive recruitment process. Prior to approving a direct appointment, Human Resources staff will certify that the applicant meets the minimum qualifications and any special requirements for the position. Applicants offered direct appointment are subject to all pre-employment requirements.
Under-fill Recruitment
An under-fill recruitment allows for the ability to hire a candidate who does not yet meet the minimum qualification(s) for the position. The position will be offered to the candidate at a lower job group or rate of pay until the minimum requirement(s) of the position are met. Under-fill recruitments require approval of the Human Resources Director prior to the recruitment being initiated. Under-fill opportunities must be stated in the job announcement and are for non-represented internal recruitments only.
Temporary Staffing Agencies
Human Resources staff is responsible for negotiating and maintaining contracts with temporary staffing agencies. The hiring manager must consult with Human Resources prior to contacting a temporary staffing agency. After contacting Human Resources, the supervisor is responsible for contacting the contracted temporary staffing agency and providing the agency representative with requirements for the temporary appointment.
The City of Corvallis will make a good-faith effort to use a qualified rehabilitation facility (QRF) temporary staffing agency to fill a temporary appointment. In the event the QRF temporary staffing agency is not capable of fulfilling the needs of the temporary appointment, the hiring manager may choose to contact a non-QRF temporary staffing agency.
Internships
Internships may be paid or unpaid. If a Department would like to recruit for an unpaid intern, they must review the requirements from the Bureau of Labor and Industry: https://www.oregon.gov/boli/TA/pages/t_faq_interns.aspx. Unpaid internship opportunities must comply with the primary beneficiary test under Federal and State law. All unpaid internship programs with the City are required to be approved by the Human Resources Director. Interns are subject to the same Pre-Employment Background Check requirements set forth in this policy.
Oregon Equal Pay Act
Employers are prohibited from asking applicants information on their current or historical pay information before making a formal offer of employment which must list the compensation being offered. All new employees will be hired at Step 1, unless extenuating circumstances exist, such as prior experience and education that exceeds the minimum requirements listed. In order to hire any employee above Step 1, the Hiring Manager in conjunction with the HR Analyst managing the recruitment will complete Pay Equity Assessment Worksheet. The worksheet must be sent to the Human Resources Director along with a request from the Department Director for approval to hire beyond Step 1.
Pre-Employment Background Checks
The City of Corvallis will conduct pre-employment background checks for City positions prior to hire or placement into a position. Current employees promoted or transferred may be subject to a more-comprehensive background check, dependent upon the position. Background checks may consist of, but are not limited to, the following:
- Criminal History
- Driving Record
- Sex Offender Registry (State and National)
- Social Security Verification
- Employment Verification
- Reference Checks (Personal and Professional)
- Credit History
- Drug Screen
- Physical/Medical Evaluation
- Psychological Evaluation
- Professional License/
Certification Verification - Education Verification
Candidates must consent prior to the City performing the background check. When performing a background check, candidates are protected under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. At the discretion of the Human Resources Director, a candidate who possesses an unfavorable background, after determining job relatedness, will not be considered for employment in the specific position. In addition, candidates who do not disclose all required information to Human Resources staff when required may be denied employment for misrepresentation on their employment application.
It is the responsibility of Human Resources to ensure that all contracted temporary staffing agencies who provide temporary workers to the City have conducted required pre-employment background checks on the employee(s) prior to job placement with the City.
The City of Corvallis does not conduct background checks on minors.
Employment Incentives
Employment incentives may be available for management-level positions and/or positions that are difficult to fill. Employment incentives may only be offered with prior approval from the City Manager and the Human Resources Director.
Employment incentives may include salary level, vacation accrual, travel expenses, and/or re-location expenses.
Physical Examination
After a conditional offer of employment, the candidate may be required to have a physical examination, which may include a drug test, based upon the essential functions of the position.
Employment Eligibility
All prospective employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States in accordance with the Department of Homeland Security.
Review/Update
The Human Resources Director will update this Administrative Policy as needed and submit to City Manager for review and approval.
Last reviewed: 12-2018
