SCOPE: REGULAR STAFF
Issued: 4/1/00
Revised: 5/01/02; 1/01/07; 4/01/08; 04/06/18; 06/15/2020
1. Policy: It shall be the goal of the University to fill all staff positions with qualified employees selected from a pool of applicants that reflects the diversity available within the appropriate workforce.
2. New Hire Compensation: Refer to Policy Number 3.5, Section 1
3. Announcement of Openings: All posted classified positions must be advertised a minimum of five (5) working days before a job offer can be made. All professional, non-classified and faculty positions shall be open for a minimum of ten (10) days.
3.1 A Request to Fill a Position Form (F3.1) must be completed and signed by the department head or other individual authorized to commit funds. The F 3.1 is completed by calling the Staffing Manager or visiting with that person. During that time the classification of the position and salary will be reviewed. Only one job classification may appear on the request form. If the requisition involves either the establishment of a new position or the reclassification of a current position, a position audit must have been completed prior to advertisement. This position audit may include the completion of a position analysis questionnaire by the hiring department and must be approved by the appropriate Vice President prior to recruiting.
3.2 Only one (1) position will be filled by each requisition (F3.1). If two (2) or more identical position openings exist, a Personnel Requisition Form must be submitted for each opening.
3.3 A current and complete position description must accompany every F3.1 and must meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
3.4 The Human Resources Office may require the completion of a Position Analysis Questionnaire to validate the classification of the position before the opening is posted.
3.5 The institutional posting requirements may not apply when a promotion or transfer within the unit is for the purpose of changing the organizational structure of the department. In such cases, the Human Resources Office should be contacted before any commitment is made by the department and the position must be audited and salary levels reviewed.
4. Lateral Transfers: A posted position may be filled by the transfer of an employee from one organizational work unit to another under the following conditions:
4.1 The employee interested in transferring must submit an application for the position.
4.2 The employee must possess the minimum qualifications for the position or have clearly demonstrated the ability to perform the job.
4.3 No increase in pay is awarded at the time of the transfer.
4.4 The employee must have completed the probationary employment period.
4.5 The employee's accrued vacation and sick leave balance are transferred to the new organizational unit. Compensatory leave may be taken prior to the transfer, paid by the existing department, or transferred to the accepting department.
5. Promotion: Qualified employees within the department may be considered for regular full-time and part-time position vacancies.
5.1 A position must be available within an office or department.
5.2 The employee interested in promotion must submit an application for the vacant position.
5.3 The employee must possess the minimum qualifications for the position or have clearly demonstrated the ability to perform the job.
5.4 The employee has satisfactorily completed their probationary employment period and has demonstrated job performance deserving of promotion consideration.
6. Recruitment: The recruitment of all persons for non-faculty positions will be coordinated by the Human Resources Department. The Staffing Manager will monitor adherence to all institutional Policies and Procedures. Faculty and professional positions may be advertised in profession-specific journals or web sites. Search Chairs are responsible for placement and the Academic Deans are responsible for the adherence to institutional diversity practices.
6.1 The online “jobs at LU” website will be the official recipient of all applications for employment at Lamar University. Applicants who contact the hiring organizational unit must be directed to the online site to complete a job application form before this applicant will be considered a candidate for the vacant position and any serious discussion of employment is conducted with a nominee by the hiring organizational unit. This is applicable to faculty and staff applicants.
6.2 To ensure compliance with the institution's affirmative action and nondiscrimination policies. All applications including applications for faculty positions must be directed to the Office of Human Resources.
6.3 Positions must be posted for broad distribution or for ―On Campus Only‖. ―On Campus Only‖ postings are intended to give all current regular employees an opportunity to apply for an open position that will be filled by a current Lamar University employee.
7. All applications will be received by “Jobs at LU” and will be placed in the applicant pool if received within the established time limit. Late applications will not be accepted.
7.1. Screening criteria should be sent to the Veterans’ Preference Coordinator, who will provide the screening matrix based on the criteria and will ensure Veterans’ Preference Points are applied appropriately.
7.2 The hiring department will interview a minimum of three applicants, unless there are less than three qualified applicants.
7.3. If a qualified veteran applies for the position, s/he must be included in the interview pool regardless of ranking on the matrix. Additional veterans may need to be included in the interview pool depending on the total number interviewed. Veterans who do not meet the minimum qualifications do not need to be interviewed.
7.4 The hiring department is responsible for checking the selected applicant’s references and completing the reference check form.
7.5 The hiring department will complete the Position Screening Matrix forms on all applicants submitted by the Office of Human Resources and on those invited to interview. Selection for interviews and interview questions shall be based on the bona fide occupational qualifications as defined in the position description.
7.6 A copy of the interview questions and applicants’ answers must be submitted to the Office of Human Resources.
7.7 The Security Sensitive Release form (used for checking criminal history) will be completed by all interviewed applicants and returned directly to the Staffing Manager in Human Resources.
8. Selection: After interviewing the applicants provided by the Office of Human Resources, the hiring organizational unit will select the best qualified applicant without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, age, or disability. The hiring organizational unit will provide the Office of Human Resources the following information: the selected applicant, rate of pay, date to begin work, any special conditions of employment, a copy of interview questions and answers, a statement of reference check, and a Security Sensitive Release form.
8.1 No commitment is to be made to selected candidate until the packet of applications and the Position Screening Matrix have been reviewed by the Staffing Manager for:
8.1.1 objectivity in selection;
8.1.2 compliance with this policy and equal employment opportunity laws;
8.1.3 recommended salary level and start dates;
8.1.4 justification for hire above entry level; and offers above the minimum of the hiring range must have prior approval from the Director of Compensation.
8.1.5 appropriate documentation (Hiring Packet documents).
8.2 The Associate Vice President for Human Resources may require a hiring department to interview other candidates or may oppose a selection based on availability of qualified protected class candidates.
8.3 No offer of Employment shall be made by the hiring department. After reviewing the submitted documents, the Staffing Manager will approve the hire and direct the Staffing Coordinator to contact the applicant. The department will be notified of the applicant’s decision.
8.4 New employees will begin employment only on the 1st and 15th of the month. Exceptions will only be considered after consultation and approval of the Associate Vice President for Human Resources and the appropriate Vice President. No new employee is allowed to begin work without this approval.
9. Orientation: Each new employee will be required to attend the New Employee Benefits and Welcome to Lamar Orientation on or before the first day of employment
9.1 Benefits orientation will assist the new employee with the selection of insurance and retirement benefits. Failure to attend this orientation and complete benefit enrollment documents in a timely manner may mean loss of benefits eligibility.
9.2 Welcome to Lamar provides the new employee with information on policies, information on the campus, and completion of the required anti-discrimination training.
9.3 During the orientation the new employee must provide the required work eligibility documentation, Social Security card, and Selective Service card and/or driver's license if applicable.
10. Exceptions to Normal Recruitment Procedures: Should the hiring department wish an exception to normal procedures and practices such as waiving education and/or experience requirements or offering a salary rate in excess of the minimum of the established salary range for the position, prior approval from the Director of Compensation must be obtained. In such cases, a written request for the exception must be submitted by the hiring department and approved by the appropriate Vice President before submitting the request to the Staffing Manager.
11. Employment Advertisement: The phrase "Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action (EEO/AA) Employer" will be used in all employment advertisements. Advertisements for Faculty positions will automatically be posted via electronic media specializing in affirmative action candidates.
12. Disqualification of Applicants: The University may reject any applicant who lacks the minimum qualification requirements; who has a record of dismissals, removals, or resignations; who is not in good standing as evidenced from inquiries to former employers; who has practiced deception in his/her application; background check findings are inconsistent with the security-sensitive job requirements or for such other causes and reasons deemed sufficient by the Associate Vice President for Human Resources.
13. Agency Fees: The University does not pay employment agency fees.
14. Contracts: No contracts for employment are authorized nor will such contracts be binding upon the University unless prior written approval is given by the President and Board of Regents.
15. Special Criteria for Employment: Because of the special nature of certain positions within the institutions, additional requirements are necessary for the incumbents. Those special employment requirements are as follows:
15.1 Security Sensitive: As provided in Section 51.215 of the Texas Education Code, criminal history record information pertaining to an applicant may be obtained by the University and used in evaluating applicants for employment in security-sensitive positions. See Policy 3.8
15.2 Nursing License: All employees filling positions requiring a valid nursing license (LVN or R.N.) issued from the State of Texas will be asked to provide their current nursing license. The head of the hiring department will verify with the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners the validity of the license and the absence of any restrictions or encumbrances.
15.3 Driver's License: Positions requiring employees to drive vehicles which are the property of the State of Texas will be required to provide a valid Driver's License to a representative of Human Resources. A copy of this license will be maintained in the employee's file. (See Policy 2.17)
15.4 Selective Service Registration: State law requires new hires to present proof of registration or exemption from registration with the selective service system.
Individuals who are exempt from registration include:
a) Females.
b) Lawfully admitted nonimmigrant aliens.
c) Members of the Armed Forces on full-time active duty, including cadets and midshipmen at military academies.
This requirement does not apply to a person employed by state agency before
September 1, 1999, as long as the person’s employment by the agency is continuous. (415)
The Office of the Attorney General issued an opinion that requires only those males who are between ages of 18 and 25 years, inclusive, to furnish proof of either selective service registration or exemption from selective service as a condition of state employment. (416)
16. Falsification of Information:
The information submitted by the applicant on the application and/or resume is used to make decisions regarding hiring; therefore, the applicant must sign the application certifying that the statements made therein are true, complete, and correct to the best of his/her knowledge and belief and are made in good faith.
False statements made on the application that were used by the hiring department in the decision-making process will void the application and any actions based on it. If it is found that an employee falsified his/her application and the hiring decision was made based on the invalid representation, that employee is subject to dismissal from employment.
17. Acceptance of Employment and Other University Applications:
When an applicant accepts employment with a unit of the University all previous or pending applications shall be rendered null and void. To be considered for other positions within the University prior to the completion of the Orientation Period see Policy 4.6, Section 5.
415 Texas Government Code, §651.005
416 Opinion Texas Attorney General, No. JC-0183 (2000)