SUU Seal (for official use only)
 

POLICY #5.21 
SUBJECT: Procedures for Hiring New Staff Employees [TEMPORARY]

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Policy is to establish procedures and guidelines for hiring new Salaried Staff Employees.

II. REFERENCES

  1. Southern Utah University Policy 5.27 Non-Discrimination / Anti-Harassment
  2. Southern Utah University Policy 8.2 Benefits
  3. Utah Code § 71-10 Veterans Preference

III. DEFINITIONS

  1. Salaried (Staff) Employee: Those employees who work half-time or more and are eligible for University fringe benefits.

IV. POLICY

  1. Hiring Salaried Staff Employees is done under the authorization and procedures of the Human Resources Office. Southern Utah University is an equal opportunity employer. The University hiring policies and practices prohibit discrimination, as defined in Policy 5.27, as intentionally dealing with a person, either preferentially or detrimentally, because of their race, religion, national origin, color, sex (gender), age, disability, marital, veteran, sexual orientation, pregnancy, or other legally protected status, unless otherwise provided by statute1, under this policy as well as state and federal law. (1Veterans’ hiring preference is defined in UC § 71-10.)
  2. Recruitment Process
    1. Obtain Recruitment Authorization Form and other recruitment documents from Human Resources Office or website.
    2. Recruitment Authorization Form signed by supervisor, department chair, and Vice President/Provost must be submitted to the Human Resources Office along with a complete job description including salary level. The President or President’s designee must approve all new salaried and benefit-eligible positions.
    3. All positions will be advertised in-house for five (5) days. Positions may be advertised concurrently in-house and off-campus. All qualified University in-house applicants who meet the minimum qualifications of the job and are currently employed by the University in a salaried, benefits-eligible position will be given careful consideration.

      Staff and Administrative positions will be advertised off-campus for a minimum of 15 calendar days on the University’s website and in local, state, and national print and/or web publications as appropriate for the level of position.
    4. Advertising costs are paid by the hiring department.
    5. Classified and professional staff position vacancies may be filled as promotions from within a department or division at the discretion of the supervisor or director. The requirement to advertise position vacancies is waived in the case of promotions.
  3. Screening and Interviewing Process
    1. When a position closes, all applications will be submitted to a screening committee for review. Members of the screening committee shall screen all applications, choose the best qualified applicants for interview, and submit those applications to the department supervisor or department chair.
    2. The interviewing committee, which is generally the same as the screening committee but does not have to be, must be comprised of at least three (3) people, shall meet with a member of the Human Resources Office before interviewing commences to be advised of rules and regulations on interviewing and hiring.
    3. The interviewing committee must check a sufficient number of references to assess an applicant’s qualifications and competence before final applicant is recommended for hire.
  4. Selection for Hire Process
    1. Selection committees are strongly encouraged to hire the individual with the most applicable educational attainment, experience, and perspective for the position. Appointments are made on a competitive basis and shall be made from a list of qualified applicants who meet or exceed established minimum requirements. After an applicant is selected for hire the following forms need to be completed, with appropriate signatures, and returned to the Human Resources Office along with all application files.
      1. Personnel Action Form,
      2. Equal Employment Opportunity Process Form (EEO), and
      3. Recommendation for Appointment Form
    2. The Human Resources Office will forward the Recommendation for Appointment Form, Personnel Action Form, EEO Form, and application or resume of the recommended candidate to the President or President’s designee for their review and signature.
    3. It is anticipated the person recommended for hire will be engaged in a discussion about acceptable compensation but not be officially notified of their selection until the President or President’s designee has signed the Notice of Appointment form. After the Notice of Appointment is signed, the Human Resources Office will notify the department of the approval at which point the department may notify the successful candidate of their selection.
    4. Following notification, the Acceptance of Appointment form will be completed by the Human Resources Office and signed by the appointee. The appointee will have 10 working days to sign and return the notice of appointment. Following signed acceptance by the appointee, the Human Resources Office will send letters or otherwise notify all unsuccessful applicants who were not previously notified by the Selection Committee.
    5. New personnel are required to report to the Human Resources Office on their first day of work to complete appropriate employment, benefits, and other legal documents.
  5. Benefitted full-time and half-time or greater positions and related notification of appointment forms.
    1. All full-time and part-time (half-time or greater) salaried positions shall be advertised and will provide benefits as specified in SUU policies and procedures. The President, Provost, or Vice Presidents may waive the job posting requirement in exceptional situations through a letter to the Human Resources Director.
    2. Staff and administrator positions reporting directly to the President are at-will employees who serve at the will and pleasure of the President (i.e., Vice Presidents, athletic head coaches, and assistant coaches, etc.) and do not fall under the job posting requirement.
    3. Full-time and part-time (half-time or greater) salaried staff positions imply continuing employment status, following appropriate probationary periods, as specified in the particular SUU staff policies and procedures related to the position in question. If the position is not continuing, notation must be made on the Notification of Appointment form to state the term of employment.
    4. After the first year, the SUU Statement of Salary and Benefits form will be utilized for continuing full-time employees. This form does not require appointee or other signatures.
  6. Non-Benefited less than half-time staff positions and related notification of appointment forms.
    1. Positions of less than half-time will not be advertised and will not provide fringe benefits as per Policy 8.2.
    2. Less than half-time positions are term employment whose duration is only for the period specified in the Notification of Employment. No continuity of employment is implied nor promised.
    3. During the period specified for employment, procedural safeguards for staff positions of less than half-time are provided by appropriate staff policies and procedures related to the position in question. At the specified ending date, however, no procedures are required to terminate any employee hired in a less than half-time position under these conditions.
    4. For any initial or subsequent employment, the initiating authority is responsible to fill out one of the two following forms before hiring is complete: Special Appointment for non-SUU employees or Overload and Additional Compensation Authorization and Supplemental Contract for SUU employees who already hold benefitted full-time or half-time or greater positions. The duration of this employment must be specified on either form with specific beginning and ending dates listed. Such action terminates non-SUU continuing employees at the ending date. It also reduces the continuing SUU employee to the level of employment specified under either their Statement of Salary and Benefits form for full-time employees or their Acceptance of Appointment for part-time employees of one-half or greater.
    5. Both forms for less than half-time employment require signatures by the initiating authority and other administrators for initial and any subsequent hirings which occur.
    6. Part-time positions of less than half-time which are upgraded to a half-time or greater benefit eligible position must comply with staff employment hiring procedures and guidelines as outlined in this Policy.

V. RELEVANT FORMS/LINKS

VI. QUESTIONS/RESPONSIBLE OFFICE

The responsible office for this Policy is the Vice President for Finance. For questions about this Policy, contact the Office of Human Resources.

VII. POLICY ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT DATES

Date Approved: November 2, 1990

Amended: July 26, 2006; February 18, 2016; July 1, 2024 (temporary authorization until November 28, 2024)