Filling a Vacancy – Staff Human Resources

Related Topics

Staffing Options (Filling a Vacancy)

Related Policies and References

Personnel Policies for Staff Members (PPSM) – employees not covered by a collective bargaining agreement
- PPSM 3-Types of Appointment
- Presidential Policy on Discrimination, Harassment, and Affirmative Action in the Workplace
- PPSM 20-Recruitment and Promotion
- PPSM 21-Selection and Appointment
- PPSM 60-Layoff and Reduction in Time from PPSM Career Positions
- PPSM 66-Medical Separations
Union Agreements – employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement
Fair Hiring Guide

Types of Recruitment

It has always been the policy of UC Santa Cruz to utilize intentional hiring practices to attract qualified applicants with a broad range of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences to fill positions across all levels of staff employment. Hiring Managers (HM) are strongly encouraged to fill positions using a competitive recruitment process. Use either an Open Recruitment to attract external and internal applicants, or a Campus-Only Recruitment to attract qualified internal applicants from within our workforce.

The use of other options to fill career positions (and limited positions expected to exceed 1,000 hours in 12 months), such as transfer, reorganization or Waiver of Recruitment should be limited to exceptional situations, such as an alternative to layoff, reorganization due to change in work or funding, or other unique circumstances outlined in policy and local procedures.

Hiring Managers should consider the following parameters when assessing recruitment options:

Duration of the need (e.g., temporary project vs. an ongoing business need)
Funding availability and duration
Availability of qualified candidates

Comparison of Staffing Options
For consultation when comparing the available methods of filling a staff vacancy, including limited/temporary vacancies, along with a review of the Comparison of Staffing Options chart defining each option, please contact your Talent Acquisition Consultant (TAC) for information about the most effective and appropriate method to fill your vacancy.

Open Recruitment

Open Recruitment is a competitive process that seeks a broad pool of qualified applicants and utilizes a search committee to screen, interview and identify a candidate for hire. A search firm may also be used for this purpose.

Employees hired through an Open Recruitment are defined by one of multiple hire types based on their relationship with the university:

New Hire: the selected candidate is not a current or former UCSC employee and has no employee record in UCPath.
Rehire: the selected candidate is a former UC employee with an employee record in UCPath, and has separated with a break in service between their last appointment and the appointment they will be hired into.
Intralocation Hire (Action): the selected candidate is a current employee in an active UCSC appointment, and they will transfer from a current appointment into a new appointment at UCSC without a break in service.
Interlocation Hire (ILT): the selected candidate is a current employee at another UC location, and they will transfer from their current appointment at the other campus into a new appointment at UCSC without a break in service.

See Open Recruitment for local process.

Pros

Cons

Broader Talent Pool – Increases the chances of finding highly qualified candidates with fresh perspectives, from broad backgrounds, and specialized experience that may not exist internally
Broad Access – Allows greatest opportunity for interested parties to compete
Promotes Fairness and Transparency – Demonstrates a commitment to providing employment opportunity, which strengthens trust in the hiring process and aligns with institutional values and legal standards for fair hiring practices
Encourages Innovation – External hires can bring innovative ideas, industry best practices, and alternative problem-solving approaches that help drive organizational improvement and growth
Validates Internal Talent – If an internal candidate is ultimately selected, a competitive process confirms their qualifications relative to the broader pool, boosting their credibility and confidence in their new role

Cost – Requires allocation of resources for outreach and advertising
Time – Process can take up to three months, or longer

Internal Recruitment

A location may limit competitive recruitment for a career appointment to internal applicants, so long as this internal recruitment is conducted in accordance with established nondiscrimination and equal employment opportunity practices and procedures consistent with University policies, and applicable Federal and State Page 5 of 11 University of California – PPSM-20: Recruitment and Promotion laws (refer to Anti-Discrimination Policy). The Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) has the authority to approve limiting competitive recruitment to internal applicants after consultation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer.

Campus Only Recruitment

Campus-Only Recruitment is a competitive process that normally utilizes a search committee to screen, interview and identify an internal candidate for hire. Only current UCSC employees will be considered for these types or recruitments.

See Campus Only Recruitment for local process.

Pros	Cons
Promotional Opportunity – Allows non-probationary campus employees access to a promotional opportunity Competitive – Provides an opportunity to hire most qualified internal applicant Transparency – Reduces perception of inequity or unfairness that can result from reorganizations	Smaller Talent Pool – Does not allow qualified external applicants to apply Time – If less than 2 internal applicants apply, the job may need to be converted to an open recruitment, which requires an additional 2-week IRD period

Non-Recruitment

Non-Recruitment is a non-competitive process in which the hiring manager (HM) identifies the candidate for hire in lieu of the position being posted and advertised to the public. In special circumstances, Non-Recruitment can be used to fill Limited appointment types for a temporary position.

See Non-Recruitment for local process.

Pros	Cons
Time – Meets hiring unit’s immediate needs Training Opportunity – May provide a current employee new job training or new career experience	Short-term result – If the department business need becomes permanent, a career recruitment is necessary

Waiver of Recruitment

Waiver of Recruitment is a non-competitive process in which the hiring manager identifies the candidate for hire in lieu of the position being posted and advertised.

It is university practice to recruit both within and outside its work force to obtain qualified applicants. Hiring Managers are strongly encouraged to fill positions through a competitive recruitment. However, in exceptional circumstances, a Waiver of Recruitment, with appropriate justification and approval, can be used to fill a career or a contract appointment.

See Waiver of Recruitment for required criteria and local process. If you are ready to request a waiver of recruitment, please complete the Request for Waiver of Recruitment form.

Transfer

Intra-Divisional Transfer without recruitment is the movement of an employee from one position to another, which is in a classification having the same salary range maximum, within the same unit or division. May be used to preserve employment for an employee impacted by a reduction in force.

See Transfer for local process.

Reorganization

Reorganization can be used to reassign the duties of the vacant position within a department.

This action is appropriate when the reorganization is legitimate because of change in work or funding.
A reorganization may result in the need for Classification Review for one or more affected positions.
The Employee & Labor Relations Analyst (ELRA) is available to consult with the Hiring Manager regarding reorganization options.

Pros	Cons
Promotional Opportunity – May offer internal promotional opportunity to existing qualified staff Training Opportunitiy – May provide a current employee new job training or new career experience	Transparency – Others may perceive inequity or unfairness in the selection of the individual for assignment of new duties, particularly if they feel that they would have been qualified to assume those duties

Temporary Staffing Services

Campus units are strongly encouraged to fill vacant positions through competitive recruitment; however, temporary staffing services may be used to fill short-term assignments expected to last less than six months. Assignment extensions require approval by the Talent Acquisition Director.

See Temporary Staffing Services for local process.

Pros	Cons
Time – Expedited hiring process Opportunity – Provides an external individual with UCSC experience	Cost – Fees for service includes administrative costs which do not go directly to the employee