08.111 Recruitment and Selection for EHRA Non-Faculty Positions

Chancellor

Revised August 2026; Revised April 2022; Revised September 2008; Clarified and Reformatted February 1, 2007; Revised December 5, 2003; Revised August 18, 2003; Revised April 26, 2003; Revised April 15, 2003; Adopted September 12, 2000

UNC Policy 300.1.1

• UNCW Policy 02.230 Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
• UNCW Policy 08.150 Verification of Credentials
• UNCW Policy 08.151 Background Checks of Employees
• UNCW Policy 08.224 Employee Reasonable Accommodations (applies to applicants)
• UNCW Policy 02.220 Interpersonal Relationships Among Faculty, Staff, and Students and Conflict Management Plan Form
• Waiver of EHRA Recruitment Form

Human Resources

Policy Details:

Policy Details:

1. Purpose

   This policy establishes guiding principles for the recruitment, selection, and hiring practices for all EHRA non-faculty positions at UNCW excluding the position of Chancellor. The intent of this policy is to ensure consistency and compliance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations including those prohibiting discrimination and in accordance with applicable affirmative action plans and UNCW Policy 02.230 Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action.

2. Covered Positions

   Positions Exempt from the State Human Resources Act ("EHRA positions") are those positions that are not subject to the North Carolina Human Resources Act (N.C.G.S. § 126-1 et seq) and are classified as either Senior Academic and Administrative Officers ("SAAO") or Exempt Professional Staff ("EPS"). All SAAO and EPS employee positions at UNCW are subject to the procedures outlined in this policy

3. EHRA Recruitment Procedures

   1. A full search must be conducted when filling SAAO and EPS positions. A full search includes widespread publicity of the available position, efforts to encourage all qualified candidates to apply, review of applications, and interviews.

   2. Appropriate recruitment activities must be undertaken to fill vacant positions at UNCW when the appointment will be more than 3 days in length. While there is flexibility on how each department conducts its individual searches, the documentation requirements are the same for all.

   3. Vacancy Notice

      1. To post a position whether full-time or part-time, a department must submit a job posting through the HR online employment system. SAAO and EPS vacancies are posted by Human Resources on the University’s jobs website.

      2. All SAAO vacancies must be advertised in a national publication with broad circulation. Electronic, web and listserv media are acceptable. SAAO vacancies must accept applications for at least twenty (20) business days.

      3. EPS positions must be posted for at least ten (10) business days. In addition, media sources deemed appropriate for the level and specialization of the position should be used to ensure a qualified applicant pool.

      4. Human Resources must review and endorse all proposed advertisements for compliance with university policies and state and federal law and regulations prior to the advertisement being distributed through any venue.

   4. Review and Consideration of Applications

      1. Applicant Statuses. Hiring departments must update each applicant’s status in the online employment system including, but not limited to, assigning a final disposition to candidates not selected for interview or hire.

      2. Eligible veterans and eligible members of the National Guard are entitled to preferences as set forth in 126-80 et seq. Hiring departments may contact Talent Acquisition for assistance in applying “veterans and national guard preference”.

      3. Departments must consider all applications that are received during the posting period and that meet the minimum required qualifications for the position.

   5. Hiring Proposal

      1. Applicant Statuses. Hiring departments must update each applicant’s status in the online employment system to identify which candidates were interviewed and to indicate a disposition reason for each non-selected candidate.

      2. After conducting interviews and narrowing the applicant pool to its top candidate, but before extending an offer of employment, the department must complete the Hiring Proposal via the online employment system and submit it for review and approval. The Hiring Proposal indicates the person to whom the hiring department proposes to extend an offer. Only after a department has received notification by Human Resources of approval of the Hiring Proposal may an offer be extended to the chosen candidate.

   6. Request for Waiver of EHRA Recruitment Procedures

      1. Waiver of Recruitment: The university is committed to the open recruitment of vacant positions that afford continuing employment and benefits in order to ensure equal employment opportunity. However, under limited circumstances, a waiver of recruitment may be allowed when one of the following extenuating conditions applies:

         1. Prevent a critical work stoppage: To acquire the services of an individual critical to institutional needs when operating requirements are immediate and a public search would result in undue delay or disruption. Waivers based on critical work stoppage are valid only for a period of one year and, if continuing, the position in question must be subject to an open recruitment before the end of the one-year appointment period. Term appointments for the employee waived into a teaching role will be made as a one-year lecturer. The term-appointed employee may compete for the position during the open search but may not be waived into the position beyond the one-year appointment.

         2. Obtain special skills: To acquire the services of an individual whose academic, research, or professional qualifications are responsive to an express need of the institution and are so noted in their discipline as to negate a reasonable presumption that a better qualified candidate would result from an open search.

         3. Other compelling circumstances: The Chancellor may waive recruitment for any position defined in UNC Policy 300.1.1, Section I-C for other compelling circumstances deemed to be in the institution’s interest. Waivers pertaining to positions defined in UNC Policy 300.1.1, Section I-A, are subject to the express prior approval of the President of the UNC System.

      2. Documentation: A request for a Waiver of Recruitment requires completion of the Waiver of Recruitment Approval Form and submission of additional written documentation regarding the qualifications of the individual recommended for waiver and other relevant details that support the special condition selected. The request for waiver requires the express written concurrence of the hiring authority, the EEO/AA officer, approval authority, and the Chancellor (if required).