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Staffing Options (Filling a Vacancy)

Related Policies and References

Types of Recruitment

It has always been the policy of UC Santa Cruz to hire the most qualified individuals. Because our staff workforce lacks diversity of women and people of color in many position types (per federally defined analyses), Hiring Managers (HM) are strongly encouraged to fill positions using a competitive recruitment process.  Use either an Open Recruitment to attract external 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 versus ongoing need)
  • Funding availability and duration
  • Availability of qualified candidates
  • Job group underutilization based on position classification (job code)

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, diverse applicants and normally utilizes a search committee to screen, interview and identify a candidate for hire.

For employees that are hired into an Open Recruitment, there are multiple types of hires based on their relationship with the university. 

Please see types of hires below:

  • 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 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, 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
  • Assures greatest access to available pool of qualified candidates
  • Allows greatest opportunity for interested parties to compete
  • Invigorates and brings new skills and perspectives to unit workforce
  • Provides an opportunity to address underutilization within the classification and/or job group
  • Recruiting the most qualified candidates is critical to campus succession planning
  • Requires allocation of resources for outreach and advertising
  • Process can take up to three months, or longer

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
  • Allows non-probationary (check policy) all campus employees access to a promotional opportunity
  • Provides an opportunity to hire most qualified internal applicant
  • Reduces perception of inequity or unfairness that can result from reorganizations or use of Non-Recruitment process
  • Limits pool of applicants to UC Santa Cruz employees – this impacts the diversity of the pool of applicants
  • Does not allow qualified external applicants to apply
  • 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 on a temporary basis.

See Non-Recruitment for local process.

Pros

Cons
  • Meets hiring unit’s immediate needs
  • May provide an opportunity for a current part-time employee to augment percent time
  • Does not provide for equal opportunity because pool is limited to those known by the hiring unit
  • Can result in perceptions of inequity because there is no competitive process
  • Short-term solution – i.e. if position 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 Recruitment. However, in exceptional circumstances, a Waiver of Recruitment can be used to fill limited, career and contract appointments.

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.

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 affected positions.
  • The Employee & Labor Relations Analyst (ELRA) is available to consult with the Hiring Manager regarding reorganization options.

Pros

Cons
  • May offer internal promotional opportunity to existing qualified staff 
  • 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 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 Manager.

Your Employee Relations Analyst (ERA) is available for consultation, as you consider the use of temporary staffing services. 

See Temporary Staffing Services for local process.


Pros

Cons
  • Expedited hiring process
  • Provides an opportunity 
  • Diversity of pool is not known
  • Cost of service includes administrative costs which do not go directly to the employee