HR-45: NON ACADEMIC HIRING PROCEDURES 

This directive outlines the steps to follow when filling a non academic permanent status position.

All nonacademic staff positions at the University of Illinois are covered by the State Universities Civil Service System and must be filled in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Service Statute and Rules and the University of Illinois Policy and Rules-Nonacademic. The following guide is intended to assist departments in hiring non academic staff.

Before submitting the request to interview candidates for a position

• Review the function of the position in the department and plan any desired changes in how the position will operate.
• Update the job description for the position. For assistance in updating job descriptions or determining the proper classification to use, call the Staff Human Resources Classification and Salary Administration section at 333-2136.

Requesting candidates to interview

• Complete an employee requisition (ER card–available from Central Stores) and send it to the Classification and Salary Administration section, Staff Human Resources Office, 52 E. Gregory, Champaign, as soon as the need to hire is determined.
• A current job description for the position must be attached to this card.
• On the ER card indicate the amount of time the person will work and the expected schedule.
• Indicate the type of appointment.
• Indicate the account(s) out of which the position will be funded. If this is a new position or a change to a higher class than most recently used for this CS#, a separate written statement as to the source of funds must be attached. For further information call the Staff Human Resources Office Records section, (217) 333-2143.
• When the ER card arrives in the Staff Human Resources Office, it is reviewed as to proper classification, funding, and relation to affirmative action goals. Where goals have been set and minority and/or female candidates are referable from the register, the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will contact the hiring department to remind the unit of its goal commitment. Hiring officials may not make an offer of employment to any candidate without complying with the provisions of the UIUC Affirmative Action Program contained in Affirmative Action Program of the Campus Administrative Manual.
• At 5 p.m. on the day the ER card reaches Employment Services, the hiring register is frozen. In most cases, applicants who have requested testing prior to the receipt of the ER card must be tested before referrals are made. In other cases, applicant recruitment may be necessary. In these cases, the register is frozen once the appropriate applicants have been tested. Employment Services will inform the department of any delays caused by testing requirements
• All applicants who have tested for the position are placed on registers (lists) in the order of their scores. There are three hiring registers in order of priority: Re-employment (persons laid off in the classification), promotional (persons presently working in lower positions in the promotional line), and original entry (persons not in the promotional line). A person on the re-employment register must be hired in the next vacancy. Promotional candidates have preference for referral; if there are three promotional candidates, no original entry candidates may be referred. If both original entry and promotional candidates are referred, either the original entry or the promotional person may be hired.

The referral of candidates for the position

• Employment Services will notify the top three eligible candidates (by register and examination score) of this vacancy (and any other vacancies for which they may be eligible). In the case of tied scores, more than three candidates may be notified. In addition to the three candidates referred, a department may also request to interview current employees in the classification who are seeking transfers. Those on the transfer (reassignment) list may have no probation.
• At the same time that the candidates are notified, Employment Services will send a Master Referral of Candidates to the department listing the candidates for the vacancy and giving each candidate’s test score, probationary period, salary, and whether he/she is currently employed at the University. Attached to the Master Referral will be the first page of each candidate’s employment application.
• The candidates listed on the attached Master Referral will be instructed to contact the designated hiring official to arrange for an interview before the specified deadline. To speed up the interviewing process, the hiring official may contact the candidates directly. If any candidates referred fail to respond by the deadline, call Employment Services, (217) 333-2137. If some of those who are referred do not respond or decide to withdraw their names from consideration and this results in having fewer than three interested candidates, additional candidates may be referred.

Interviewing candidates

• All eligible candidates must have the opportunity to be interviewed and no offer of employment can be made before all interviews are completed. The following guidelines are suggested for effective interviewing, call the Personnel Office Employment section at (217) 333-2137.
• Review the job description and formulate key job-related questions to ask all candidates.
• Review pre-employment guidelines (See Campus Administrative Manual, Affirmative Action Guidelines and Procedures for Academic Appointments) for legal and illegal interview questions.
• If one candidate is asked to demonstrate a particular knowledge or skill (such as typing a sample letter), all other candidates must be treated in the same manner.
• Secure the names of references to contact.
• Let all candidates know approximately when a decision will be made. Ask candidates to inform the hiring official if they decide not to be a candidate for the position.

Checking references

The employing department is responsible for checking candidate references. (Staff Human Resources does not check references except for security sensitive positions or where the applicant’s record clearly indicates serious problems.) The following guidelines are suggested for reference checks.

• The person who will hire and supervise the new employee should check the references.
• Call each previous employer, speaking if possible to the person who supervised the applicant. Verify the information provided on the application and ask specific questions about the quality of work, attendance, ability to relate well to co-workers and supervisors, and why the person left the position. Ask about the person’s specific job duties in that position and what his/her strengths and weaknesses were in performing them.
• If information acquired during the interview or in checking references suggests that the candidate is unsuited for University employment for one of the reasons listed below, contact the Personnel Officer named on the Master Referral. The Civil Service Rules provide that a candidate may be removed from the register who fails to pass a physical examination given to determine…physical qualifications for employment, uses intoxicating beverages to excess, uses narcotics, has been dismissed from either private or public service for a cause detrimental to his employment by an employer under the System, has maintained an unsatisfactory employment record, has practiced deception or fraud in his/her application, examination, or material pertaining to these, or has committed an offense which in the judgment of the Director disqualifies him for employment.
• If removing an unsuitable candidate from the register results in fewer than three candidates, another candidate may be referred.

Completing the employment process

• • If a candidate is selected, contact that person to confirm his/her willingness to accept the position. Ask the new employee to promptly go to the Staff Human Resources Office reception desk to pick up benefits information, complete an I-9 Form, sign up to attend Orientation, and to schedule his/her physical/health assessment if one is required (see number 3, below). The Master Referral will indicate if a physical/health assessment is required. The employee must satisfactorily complete any required physical/health assessment before beginning work. The employee may start work before attending orientation; however, any delay in signing up for, or attending, Orientation will result in a delay of pay to the employee. The new employee orientation program is offered several times each week.
  • Arrange with the employee the first day of work and be sure he/she knows where and to whom to report.
  • Immediately upon confirming the candidate’s acceptance of the position, notify the Employment Services section by phone of the selection so that the paperwork required before registering the person for orientation can be initiated. At the same time, complete and send the Employment confirmation form which will be attached to the Master Referral. Initial pay may be delayed if this form is not received promptly.
  • All of the other candidates interviewed must be informed that another candidate has been chosen for the position.
  • If a decision is made to withdraw the ER card in preference to hiring any of the eligible candidates, the hiring department will be restricted from resubmitting an ER card for that job for a minimum of 30 days and up to 90 days.

The probationary period

• • • The probationary period for a new employee is a part of the Civil Service examination. If there is doubt about the employee’s attitude, attendance, skill, or any other job-related characteristic and the problem cannot be corrected through counseling or other means, dismissal of the employee should be considered. For further information read Campus Administrative Manual, Probationary Period and contact Employee Relations, (217) 333-4395.
    • The employee is automatically certified if he/she continues to work through the last day of the probationary period.

Further questions concerning this policy statement should be directed to Staff Human Resources, (217) 333-3109.