Policy 2a

Staffing

Approved Executive Committee of the Board of Governors 67.23

STAFFING

PRINCIPLE

  1. The University strives to attract and retain the best possible applicants in order to meet the support staff needs of faculties and services. The University also wants to ensure an efficient and healthy administration through the uniform application of appropriate laws and policies.

    OBJECTIVES

  2. In accordance with the above principle the University has established the following objectives:

    1. To carry on staffing while respecting the employment and non-discrimination standards of the province of Ontario.
    2. To promote career advancement of its employees.
    3. To give placement priority to employees whose job security is in peril for reasons other than dismissal for just cause.
    4. To encourage the human resources planning.
    5. To familiarize support staff with the methods and principles of staffing.

    RESPONSIBILITY

  3. The Board of Governors has delegated to the Administrative Committee the authority to appoint, promote and dismiss members of the support staff, with the exception of powers that govern the appointment, promotion, or dismissal of senior officers including the directors of administrative services.

  4. The Board of Governors has delegated to the deans of faculties and to the directors of services, jointly with the Director of Human Resources Service, all powers relating to the appointment, promotion, transfer, demotion, dismissal and salary determination for all support staff positions of up to 570 points inclusively, within approved procedures and policies of the University.

    For positions with 571 points and more, the Director, Human Resources Service makes his recommendation to the Administrative Committee for approval.

    RECRUITMENT

  5. Faculty deans and service directors, or their respective delegates, are responsible for approving recruiting requests and for forwarding these requests to Human Resources Service according to the steps set out in Procedure Human Resources 18-1. However, the establishment of selection criteria is to be done jointly by Human Resources Service and the person in charge of the request.
  6. It is the responsibility of Human Resources Service, Staffing Division, to implement the recruiting procedures which are most appropriate.
  7. The University favours career progression for its regular staff. With this in mind, all regular positions to be filled must be posted usually for five working days throughout the campus.
  8. Interested employees may apply for an advertised position without informing their superiors, and their application will be treated in confidence. Employees who have not finished their probation period cannot apply without the approval of the Director of Human Resources Service.
  9. In exceptional circumstances, the Director of Human Resources Service, jointly with deans or directors, may make appointments without resorting to internal posting. Such circumstances are relatively rare and deal with cases such as when job security is in jeopardy for reasons other than dismissal for just cause. In cases of disagreement between the Director of Human Resources Service and deans or directors, the matter must be submitted to the Administrative Committee.
  10. Only Human Resources Service is authorized to use external media for the recruitment of support staff positions. In such instances, the faculty or service where the vacancy occurs is responsible for paying the entire cost of all advertising in newspapers.
  11. All employment and transfer applications must be forwarded to the Staffing Division of Human Resources Service.

  12. The person responsible for the vacant position should supply interested applicants with information relating to the nature of the position. He/she should ensure that the applications are sent to Human Resources Service, where interviews shall be organized.

    SELECTION

  13. Once the recruiting procedures are complete, Human Resources Service will determine, along with the unit concerned, the selection procedures which will provide the best results.

  14. Selection criteria must aim at assessing the overall competence of the applicants. Should the competence of applicants be of equal value, the determining factor in the selection will be the employee's seniority at the University.

    REFERENCES

  15. To protect the confidentiality of applications for employment and requests for transfers, the staffing officer or other delegated person shall not verify references before the interviews unless he/she has obtained the candidate's consent.

    TEMPORARY APPOINTMENTS

  16. The appointment of temporary personnel may be made by the administrators of services or faculties, provided the rate of pay has been established in cooperation with the Staffing Division of Human Resources Service.

  17. Temporary appointments may only be made for limited periods, to counter the effects of an increased workload or to replace an absent employee. Accordingly, the terms of the hiring codes (1ST, 1S6, 1S7) must be respected. Exceptions to the above rule must be submitted to the Director of Human Resources Service for approval.

    PROBATION PERIOD

  18. Employees who are promoted or transferred are not submitted to a probation period unless the change in employment is a result of unsatisfactory performance. However, newly-hired employees for regular positions (1S4) are subject to a probation period which is determined as follow:
    1. a) For positions up to 275 points inclusively: 3 months, renewable for 2 months.
    2. b) For positions with 276 points up to 570 points: 6 months, renewable for 3 months.
    3. c) For positions with 571 points and more: 12 months, non-renewable.

  19. To ensure the easy and efficient integration of the employee, the supervisor will facilitate the employee's training and will offer, as the need arises, constructive criticism. It is highly recommended that an official performance review be done and documented half-way through the probation period particularly when the new employee is experiencing difficulties in the new position.

    END OF THE PROBATION PERIOD

  20. A performance appraisal is essential in order to determine:

    If the employee possesses the qualifications required to be confirmed in the position.

    If the probation period should be extended.

    If the employee should be dismissed.

    The performance appraisal must be discussed with the employee and be forwarded to Human Resources Service, Staffing Division. Human Resources Service must be consulted prior to any decision involving a dismissal in order to ensure that the general policies are respected while the particular circumstances of each case are taken into consideration.

  21. An employee who is absent from work for a relatively long period of time will see his/her probation period extended accordingly. It is the immediate supervisor's responsibility to inform in writing the employee of this procedure and to send a copy of this letter to the Staffing Division.

  22. When an employee is dismissed, the following notice (or the equivalent salary) will be given according to the period of service completed within the probation period.

    Service Notice

0 to 3 monthsone week
3 to 6 monthstwo weeks
more than 6 monthsfour weeks

PROCEDURE

  1. The procedures concerning the staffing of regular and term positions are defined in Procedure Human Resources 18-1.

    INTERPRETATION

  2. The Director of Human Resources Service is responsible for the interpretation of this policy. The application of the policy is the joint responsibility of the faculty and service administrators and the Director of Human Resources Service.

    APPLICATION

  3. The present policy applies to employees and/or situations not covered by provisions of a collective agreement.

    EXCEPTION

  4. No exception may be made to this policy without the written consent of the Vice-rector, Resources and Planning.
  5. Revised August 16, 1988
  6. (Human Resources)