4.3.9P
CLASSIFIED HIRING: REGULAR
ADOPT: MARCH 10, 1998
REVISED: APRIL 10, 2001

1. SELECTION PROCEDURES FOR REGULAR CLASSIFIED STAFF
   1. District hiring procedures are based on a recognition that responsibility for selecting well-qualified regular classified employees is shared cooperatively by both administrators, classified staff members (and may include faculty), participating effectively in all appropriate phases of the hiring process.
      1. The responsibilities include: following the District's staff diversity/affirmative action policy and plan; formulating and reviewing job announcements; assisting in advertising positions; and screening, interviewing, and selecting the recommended candidates for final interview. All phases of classified hiring shall be strictly confidential.

   2. All participants in the process are given regularly updated, appropriate training in affirmative action procedures and District goals and timetables to ensure success in reaching the goals. Each search committee should include members of historically underrepresented groups (i.e., ethnic/racial minorities, women, people with disabilities) who are knowledgeable about District affirmative action goals.
      1. The District Compliance Officer shall ensure to the extent possible that person(s) from historically underrepresented groups participate on each hiring committee.

      2. The District Compliance Officer or designee shall serve as a consultant on District and state guidelines and be responsible for monitoring the District's affirmative action procedures, including but not limited to a review of the job descriptions and announcements, composition and procedures of selection committees, and the adequacy of the pool of applicants.

   3. The need for regular classified positions shall be cooperatively determined through a well-defined plan involving college administrators and other constituencies serving on the Classified Staffing Committee.

2. SEARCH, SCREENING AND SELECTION PROCEDURES FOR REGULAR CLASSIFIED STAFF
   1. When a new position is created, or an existing position becomes vacant, the Department where the vacancy exists shall generate a Personnel Requisition and forward it to the Human Resources Department for routing of signatures.
      1. Once the Requisition is signed off and approved, positions that are 50% or greater will be placed on the Classified Employee Transfer Line for a minimum of five (5) working days. (Ref. SCJCD/SEIU Agreement, Article 14.)
         1. Regular Classified employees may apply for transfer to positions which are at the same range or lower than their current range and for which they meet the minimum qualifications. If interested, employees must complete a Transfer Request Form and return it to the Human Resources Department by the deadline date.

         2. If qualified, Human Resources will schedule an interview between the employee and the supervisor of the position. The interview for the position will take place within three (3) working days following the deadline date. If desired, the supervisor may establish a committee to participate in the interview(s). A copy of the Transfer Request Form will be forwarded to the supervisor for review prior to the interview.

         3. The supervisor (or committee) shall follow an interview procedure that shall be fair to all candidate(s) and may include, but not be limited to, appropriate oral demonstrations, writing samples, or other performance indicators related to the responsibilities of the position. The supervisor (or committee) shall evaluate candidates based on knowledge and competence, commitment to service, and potential contributions to the Department and District. When the supervisor (or committee) conducts interviews, a written record shall be maintained on the appropriate forms for each candidate's interview in order to facilitate the final recommendation. All interview procedures shall be reviewed in advance by the District Compliance Officer, or designee.

         4. Following consideration of the candidate(s) strengths and weaknesses as they relate to the position, the supervisor (or Committee) shall record and forward a written recommendation to Human Resources that either: a) the transfer be offered to the employee; OR b) that the position be opened for advertising to the general public.

         5. If an employee is offered a transfer, they must respond within twenty-four (24) hours as to whether they wish to accept the position.

         6. Note: If an employee is offered a transfer to a different classification, they will serve a new six month probationary period for that classification. If a transfer is offered for the same classification, there is no new probationary period.

   2. If the position is not filled via the Transfer Process, clear and complete job announcements, including all job-related skills, essential functions, requirements and any additional qualifications recommended by the Department when appropriate, are prepared for each position. The job announcements are reviewed and signed off by the District Compliance Officer and Human Resources Director (or designee) before each position is announced, to ensure conformity with the college's affirmative action and nondiscrimination commitments. [Title 5, Section 53022]

   3. Search committees shall be comprised of no fewer than three (3) members. The membership shall include: the area supervisor and/or department chair or designated administrator to serve as Committee Chair; regular classified staff member(s) appointed by SEIU; and may include a non-voting affirmative action representative. The Committee Chair may invite the participation of additional management or faculty who are subject experts in the area. Membership of the committee must have prior approval of the District Compliance Officer, or in his/her absence the Director of Human Resources (or designee).
      1. The Human Resources Department will notify the SElU President of any impending recruitments to request appointments of classified members in consultation with the Committee Chair. The SEIU President will notify the Human Resources Department of its appointment(s).

      2. The Committee Chair shall be responsible for establishing the remainder of the Committee, if any, and for notifying the Human Resources Department of any additional non-classified appointments.

      3. The affirmative action representative, if one is appointed, shall participate in all aspects of the hiring process, and shall: assist the District compliance Officer, after the initial paper screening, in determining whether the applicant pool is sufficiently diverse; monitor the interview procedure to make certain that all applicants receive the same amount of interview time, or at least an opportunity to use the full amount of time allowed if they wish to do so; monitor that all candidates are asked and receive the same questions by the same interviewers; monitor the discussion of candidates after interviews to ensure that job related factors are the only ones considered in determining the finalists; assist in the tallying of interview scores. The affirmative action representative may recommend a suspension of the hiring process at any time a question of non-compliance is raised. He/she shall review any concern regarding the selection process with the District Compliance Officer, who shall determine the appropriate action to be taken.

      4. All search committee members, except for the affirmative action representative, shall be voting members.

      5. In order to serve as a member of a search committee, a committee member must commit to participating in each phase of the process (paper screening and interviews) in its entirety. Additionally, each committee member must have participated in an affirmative action and procedures training within the last year.

   4. The search committee shall review all applications which are complete and meet minimum qualifications, and select candidates for interviews using a mutually agreed upon rating system that is based on specific qualifications referred to in the job announcement.
      1. When candidates have been selected for interview, the District Compliance Officer or designee shall review the selections to ensure an adequately diverse group of candidates exist. If an adequate group does not exist, the District Compliance Officer must meet with the committee to try to augment the group. If a group of candidates cannot be augmented, the District Compliance Officer may recommend reopening the recruitment to the Director of Human Resources, or designee, who will decide the appropriate course of action.

      2. The committee shall follow an interview procedure that shall be fair to all candidates and may include, but not be limited to, appropriate oral demonstrations, writing samples, or other performance indicators related to the responsibilities of the position. The committee shall evaluate candidates based on knowledge and competence, commitment to service, and potential contributions to the Department and District. When the committee conducts interviews, a written record shall be maintained on the appropriate forms for each candidate's interview in order to facilitate the selection of finalists. All interview procedures shall be reviewed in advance by the District Compliance Officer, or designee.
         1. Following a discussion of the candidate's strengths and weaknesses, according to the qualifications listed in the job announcement and the goals and timetables of the District for that classification, the chair shall record the committee's list of finalists to forward to the appropriate administrator.
            1. If the committee cannot recommend any of the candidates, the committee shall communicate its rationale and a recommendation to reopen the recruitment to the Human Resources Department.

      3. The search committee shall recommend three candidates (or more if interviewing for more than one position) for final interview. The District Compliance Officer shall certify the selected finalists. It the committee does not find three acceptable candidates, the committee chair, their administrator and the District Compliance, Officer will discuss available options such as proceeding with one or two finalists or reopening the position.

      4. The appropriate administrator will interview the finalists in preparation for the final selection meeting with the committee chair. Every attempt will be made to schedule both committee and final interviews to accommodate the time and travel concerns of the candidates. For candidates coming from distances exceeding 200 miles, special interview arrangements may be developed as needed.
         1. Each final interview shall be scheduled for the same amount of time and shall address the same basic set of questions, which shall focus on professional or job-related criteria. All interview questions shall be reviewed in advance by the District Compliance Officer, or designee.

         2. When the administrator conducts an interview, a written record shall be maintained on the appropriate forms for each candidate's interview in order to facilitate the follow-up discussions. This record along with the selection committee's records of its interviews and all other application materials shall help to form the basis of discussions of strengths and weaknesses in the joint consultation and final selection meeting.

      5. Following the final interviews, the administrator shall meet with the chair of the selection committee. Taking into consideration their evaluations of the candidates, the evaluation of the search committee, and District goals and timetables, the administrator will select a final candidate.

      6. In the event that exceptional circumstances and compelling reasons exist whereby the administrator cannot agree with any of the committee's final recommendation(s), then the administrator shall communicate the reasons for his/her objections to the selection committee chair and the District Compliance Officer and the position may be reopened.

      7. The administrator shall conduct reference checks on the final candidate with a written record maintained on the appropriate forms. He/she will forward the name of the final candidate along with all documentation to the Human Resources Department for salary placement and formal job offer. The final candidate's name will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees for approval.

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