725 Filling Vacancies (Excluding Academic)

RATIONALE:  The purpose of the policy is to provide guidance to the Oakland University (OU) community for filling position vacancies in the following categories: Administrative Professional (AP), Oakland University Professional Services Association (OUPSA), Oakland University Campus Maintenance and Trades (OUCMT), Police Officers Association of Michigan (POAM), and Police Officers Labor Council (POLC).

POLICY:  All position vacancies are filled in accordance with collective bargaining agreements, the Administrative Professional Manual, and relevant OU policy, namely the Internal Promotions and Transfers policy and are consistent with applicable laws.

SCOPE AND APPLICABILITY:  This policy is applicable to all OU faculty and staff who are responsible for or take part in filling position vacancies in the above referenced categories.

DEFINITIONS:    

Applicant:  Any person who applies for an available position at the Jobs at Oakland site. 

External Applicant:  An Applicant who does not presently hold a regular position at OU.

Internal Applicant:  An Applicant who currently holds a regular position at OU.

Personnel Requisition:  Electronic document used to request a position.

Position Vacancy:  A position of at least 20 hours per week with benefits, which is funded and approved to be filled.

TEAMS-Total Employee and Management Source:  The online system used for position management found at https://wwwp.oakland.edu/uhr/

PROCEDURES:     

1.  Establishing Job Requirements and Position Descriptions

The hiring supervisor and the Benefits, Compensation and HRIS Services Manager will develop job requirements for positions vacancies that will become part of the position description module. The hiring supervisor is responsible for maintaining up-to-date position descriptions for positions under their authority. All position descriptions are maintained in an online system and must be approved by Human Resources.

2.  Personnel Requisition

The department is responsible for creating the Personnel Requisition in the online system. A Personnel Requisition is required when filling position vacancies. All Personnel Requisitions must be created from approved position descriptions.

3.  President

Newly funded positions and positions changed as part of a reorganization must be approved by the President prior to the creation of a requisition. Existing funded positions where no changes have been made to job requirements do not need approval by the President. Hiring supervisors must submit their requests for new positions to their administrative head.

4.  Job Posting and External Searches

The Employment Services Office (ESO) is responsible for preparing the job posting based on the information provided in the Personnel Requisition. Unless subject to the requirements of the collective bargaining agreement or the Internal Promotions and Transfers policy, external searches and job postings are required for all position vacancies.

5.  Advertisements

Position vacancies for which an external search will be conducted will be advertised. The ESO in partnership with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will work with the department to identify recruitment sites which may be utilized to attract a qualified and diverse pool of Applicants. The ESO will process advertising for any sites which charge a fee because such fees are charged back to the department. The hiring department is encouraged to place advertisements on sites which are free of charge or with those organizations or list services with which they have a membership or previous association.

6.  Applications

All Applicants must submit applications and required documents (e.g., resume, cover letter, etc.) via the online job application site. Human Resources initially screens Applicants for positions in the OUPSA and OUCMT bargaining units as required by the applicable collective bargaining agreement. All other Applicants are screened by the hiring supervisor.

7.  Department Screening and Selection of Applicants

The hiring supervisor selects Applicants for interview based on the job requirements for the position. It is the hiring supervisor’s responsibility to designate all Applicants to the appropriate status on the online system prior to seeking approval to interview. For example, Applicants can be designated selected for interview, less qualified than other candidates, and not qualified.

8.  Interviewing Applicants

Interview pools (phone, teleconference or in-person) must be approved by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion prior to the hiring supervisor scheduling the interviews.

9.  Reference Checks

Reference checks must be conducted by the hiring supervisor on the selected Applicant. At least one reference should come from a previous supervisor. Hiring supervisors must review the application to verify that permission has been given for OU to contact each employer(s) prior to the reference check. If, an Applicant stated that an employer could not be contacted he/she must complete an Authorization to Release Information Form before the disallowed reference may be contacted.

The Telephone Reference Check Form is also available for use.

10.  Selection

The hiring supervisor must complete the Applicant Selection Criteria Grading section in the online hiring system. An entry must be submitted for each Applicant interviewed. When complete, the hiring supervisor must then email the ESO with the name of their selected Applicant, a proposed salary and start date.

11.  Background Verifications

The ESO, upon receipt of the supervisor’s selection email, will contact the selected candidate and request completion of the appropriate background verification forms. The time period the selected Applicant has resided/worked in Michigan and type of position held will determine the type of background verification required, which includes but is not limited to criminal, credit and driving record checks. An offer of employment will not be extended until the background verification(s) has been deemed acceptable by the ESO Manager or designee.

12.  Degree Verifications

If required for the position, an official college transcript(s) for the selected candidate must be received in a sealed envelope and include an official raised seal from the issuing institution.

13.  Physical Examinations

Applicants for university positions may be required to pass the OU approved physical examination after an offer of employment is made if job related and consistent with business necessity.

14.  Offers of Employment

All official offers of employment are made by Human Resources. With prior approval, administrative heads may extend an offer to a direct report. No offers should be made without Human Resources prior approval.

15.  Transfer Date

When an employee accepts a promotion or transfer within OU, the date the employee begins the new position should be mutually agreed upon by the employee’s current and future supervisors.

16.  Personnel Files

Human Resources is charged with the maintenance of official employment records of all staff employees. An employee may inspect the contents of his/her personnel file during OU’s normal business hours by filing a written request for reviewing the file. Requests are generally honored within twenty-four (24) hours.

RELATED POLICIES AND FORMS:  
   

APPENDIX:    

Manager's Toolkit - Website designed to provide the manager with tools they will need for the life cycle of an employee.

TEAMS