CITY OF PORTLAND

HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

EMPLOYMENT

RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PROCESSES

Purpose

Recruitment and Selection

Flow Charts

Recruitment & selection processes are developed and used to attract, evaluate and select the most qualified candidates to fill vacancies for all permanent and limited duration positions. The recruiting, evaluating and selection criteria used in these processes shall be based upon knowledge, skills, abilities, experience and other characteristics needed for the effective performance of duties assigned to position(s) being recruited

Recruitments shall be job related, and shall be developed and administered in accordance with federal, state and City administrative rule guidelines.

The following flow charts describe the recruitment and selection processes further detailed in the Recruitment and Selection Procedures Manual. These are the basic steps that should be followed in all recruitment and selection efforts.

Types of Recruitment & Selection Processes

Recruitment & selection processes for positions in the classified service may be Open, Limited, Continuous, Promotional, or Noncompetitive. Noncompetitive Recruitments may be conducted for unskilled or semi-skilled positions or for those positions in the classified service for which the Director of Human Resources or designee has determined that job related ranking measures are not practical or appropriate.

Open Recruitment: A recruitment open to all applicants (including applicants that are not currently City of Portland employees.

Limited Recruitment:. A recruitment open to applicants who are or have been temporary, limited duration, seasonal, or permanent city employees at some point within the period specified on the announcement

Promotional Recruitment: A recruitment open only to permanently appointed City employees who meet the announced requirements. Applications for promotional recruitments may be restricted to all permanently appointed employees, employees within certain designated classes or to employees with designated time in service, as determined by the Director of Human Resources or designee.

Continuous Recruitment: A recruitment without a closing date.

Noncompetitive Recruitment: Noncompetitive recruitments are conducted for those unskilled or semi-skilled positions in the classified service OR for those positions which the Director has determined that competitive ranking measures are not practical or appropriate. Such processes shall ascertain whether applicants meet the minimum qualifications or requirements established for the position.

Recruitment Announcements

The announcements for each recruitment shall contain, but not limited to, information about the position, salary, and form(s) of competition which comprise the recruitment, qualifications, application procedures including the process for requesting disability accommodation, the application filing location and application deadline.

Applications

Using forms identified in the announcement, completed application materials signed by the applicant, must be submitted at the locations and by the deadline stated on the announcement.

Persons may not apply for continuous recruitments for the same classification more often than the period stated on the announcement.

The Director may require any applicant to provide sufficient supplemental information or documentation to substantiate statements or qualifications submitted by the applicant.

The number of applications accepted for a recruitment process may be limited by specifying the time period during which applications will be accepted and/or any other limiting criteria the Director of Human Resources or designee determine to be appropriate.

Rejected Application

The Director of Human Resources may reject the application of any person who:

1.  lacks the qualifications for the position; or

2.  has made false statements of any material fact on the application; or

3.  has been dismissed for cause from the classified service; or

4.  has resigned in lieu of discipline or termination; or

5.  has provided unclear or incomplete information.

Unsolicited Resumes

The City of Portland does not accept unsolicited resumes and letters of inquiry from persons seeking employment with the City of Portland in lieu of a current recruitment process for that classification. When unsolicited applications are received, the administrative support staff in the Bureau of Human Resources will return the original resume to the sender along with an Employment Information brochure and a Job Interest Form (JIF). The City does NOT maintain any copies of the resume.

Job Interest Form (JIF)

The City of Portland’s Job Interest Form (JIF) is the vehicle by which a person can inform the City of their interest in specific employment opportunities with the City of Portland.

The Bureau of Human Resources maintains a record of the applicants who have submitted a JIF form for one year. An applicant must fill out a new JIF form every year if they wish to be notified of job opportunities. Human Resources will attempt to notify the applicant of the employment opportunity in the specific area (s) identified when it becomes available.

Disability Accommodations

Examination procedures may be modified to reasonably accommodate disabled individuals.

Request for modification in procedures should be submitted to the Bureau of Human Resources at the time of application for the exam.

Veteran's Preference Points

See Administrative Rule on Veteran's Preference Points.

Waiver of Examination

If, after reasonable efforts at recruitment, five or fewer qualified applicants respond, the examination process may be waived and the names of the qualified applicants may be placed on the appropriate eligible list.

Eligible Lists

As soon as possible after the conclusion of an examination process, the Bureau of Human Resources shall prepare and publish an eligible list consisting of the names of persons successful in the recruitment process. See Administrative Rule on Eligible Lists.

Inspection of Written Test Items

Each person competing in a multiple choice or other objectively scored written test must independently identify items, no more than one (1) hour after the completion of the testing period, that they believe should be reconsidered. The candidate must specify the problem with the question(s), what correction is recommended and identify any references to support the claim. Once the testing process has been administered, the Human Resources Analyst responsible for the recruitment will review all items indicated as needing reconsideration. If the human resources analyst and the subject matter expert agree there is a problem with the question, a correction will be made in one of two ways:

1.  The question will be eliminated, or

2.  Multiple correct answers will be accepted

The Bureau of Human Resources administrative staff will send notification of resolution on all test item questions. The notice will include the conclusion of the review along with the action that was taken to complete the testing process.

Examination Review

Examination papers, results and materials shall be available for review by applicants for 10 working days from the date the notice of examination results are mailed. Applicants may take notes unless otherwise instructed. Applicants may review the following as applicable:

•  distribution reports for all test phases

•  answer keys for written tests

•  evaluation sheets

•  application materials

•  signed work skills disclaimer form

Examination Appeals to the Director of Human Resources

Any appeal of examination results must be submitted in writing to the Director of Human Resources no later than ten (10) working days after the notice of examination results are mailed. Within ten (10) working days of the date the Director receives the appeal, the appellant shall be sent a letter acknowledging receipt of the appeal. The Director or his/her designee shall offer to meet with the candidate to discuss the appeal. The Director shall respond in writing to the appeal within ten (10) working days after the meeting, or if a meeting is not held, within ten (10) working days following an offer to meet.

Not all concerns or issues that a candidate may have with an examination qualify as

an appeal. To be considered as an appeal the candidate MUST show

one of the following:

1.  The examination process, in whole or part, was administered in a manner that was contrary to the Human Resources Administrative Rules governing recruitments; or

2.  The examination process, in whole or part, was contrary to the law; or

3.  The examination process, in whole or part, was administered based on decisions that were politically based rather than on merit.

The Director will not consider appeals that do not meet one of these criteria.

The Director may elect to halt or modify an examination process if the Director determines that the appeal raises a probability of questionable validity or integrity of the recruitment process

Examination Appeals to the Civil Service Board

The candidate may appeal the Director of Human Resources decision to the Civil Service Board. See Administrative Rule on the Civil Service Board for procedure and time lines.

Examination for Positions Outside the Classified Service

Upon request by an appointing authority, the Director may assist in the recruitment and selection for positions outside the classified service as defined under Section 4-101 of the Charter. This includes all officers chosen by popular election or by appointment by the Council, the members of all boards and commissions, the deputies of the City Attorney, the City Engineer, the Superintendent and Chief Engineer of the Bureau of Water Works, the Secretary of the Civil Service Board and of the Auditor, the Chief Deputy City Auditor, the secretary and administrative staff of each Council member, the Chief of Police, and all bureau directors hired after December 31, 2000.

Recruitment and Employment Incentives

The Commissioner-in-Charge may determine which permanent or limited duration positions are key, or in need of special recruitment efforts and therefore merit recruitment and/or employment incentives. Such positions are not limited to directors of bureaus, but may also include candidates whose job qualifications are

uniquely suited to a particular City position or in a profession for which there are only a limited number of qualified candidates. Such positions should normally be identified as "key" before recruitment and examination efforts commence. The following recruitment and employment expenses are authorized under these conditions:

Travel Expenses

The City of Portland may pay for reasonable travel expenses for those candidates asked to attend one or more interviews.

Travel expenses may include:

□  economy class round-trip airfare or its equivalent;

□  appropriate ground transportation

□  necessary lodging and meals

Approval of payment for such expenses is at the discretion of the Commissioner-in-Charge, with the affected Office or Bureau bearing the cost.

Relocation Expenses

The City of Portland may pay relocation expenses for new, non-represented employees who incur relocation costs following their appointment to a budgeted position. Recipients of relocation expenses must repay the City a pro-rata amount of those expenses if employment with the City of Portland is terminated, for any reason, within 1 year of date of hire.

The City shall enter into a signed agreement with the new employee identifying household expenses to be paid by the City and employee-responsible expenses. The agreement shall stipulate terms of payment by the City and shall include provisions for the pro-rata repayment of relocation expenses by the employee should his/her employment terminate within one year.

In consideration of the City's payment of relocation expenses, relocation within the limits of the City of Portland may be encouraged by the Commissioner-in-Charge.

Relocation Expenses as a recruitment incentive are not available to Limited Duration appointees.

Vacation Accruals

When authorized by the Commissioner-in-Charge, newly appointed employees in key positions may be credited for prior professional service by placement at the appropriate step of the vacation accrual table contained in the administrative rule on Vacation. Once placed on the schedule, future service with the City shall count normally towards additional vacation accrual rates.

The Commissioner-in-Charge may also authorize the one-time crediting of up to 40 hours of vacation available for use from date of hire.

Administrative Rule History

Adopted by Council March 6, 2002

Effective April 5, 2002