The Department of Human Resources (HR) is providing these guidelines to assist you and your Department during the recruitment process. Your adherence to these guidelines will ensure that the University of Nebraska Lincoln's (UNL) recruitment procedures are being applied uniformly. It also ensures that UNL is in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations. Along with these guidelines, also refer to the Office/Service Recruitment Checklist to assist you with this process.

Please Note: The hiring department is responsible for ensuring adequate funding and approval prior to the recruitment process.

1. Send an approved Human Resources Requisition authorizing recruitment for the position to the Department of Human Resources at 407 Canfield Administration (0438).

2. A position may be posted for recruitment internally or externally. With Human Resources approval, a search may be limited to the department or to all University employees.

Internal postings allow only individuals receiving a University paycheck to be considered or referred for positions. External postings allow anyone (University employees and the general public) to be considered or referred for positions. No applicants, internal or external, will be considered or referred unless they meet or exceed minimum qualifications.

Please Note: Approved "Department Only" searches do not eliminate the need to conduct and document the recruiting process. Instead, it places the responsibility for the entire process on the hiring unit. A minimum of five working days is required for posting all office/service positions unless otherwise approved.

3. The employment staff will conduct routine recruitment efforts on a local basis. If newspaper advertisements are needed to secure qualified applicants, the employment staff will prepare the copy and place the advertisements in appropriate publications. Content and placement of ads will be discussed with the hiring unit prior to placement. The hiring unit is responsible for the expense. Please Note: newspapers will bill your department directly for advertisements (you may want to use your departmental purchasing/procurement card).

4. The Job Line will be created each week by Human Resources. The Job Line will be available via: 1) a telephone recording (402-472-2303), 2) posting on specified bulletin boards and 3) the Human Resources Employment web site: http://hr.unl.edu/employment/ . Positions will be listed for the posting period indicated on the Human Resources requisition and verified by Human Resources. Office/Service openings will be removed from the Job Line after the closing date indicated on the HR requisition, unless Human Resources receives prior notification. To extend or re-open a position posting for the following week, Human Resources must be informed by Wednesday, no later than 11:00 a.m. Call Human Resources at 472-2120 to request an extension or to re-open the job posting.

5. All applicants, both internal and external, will be instructed to apply directly to the Employment Office, 32 Canfield Administration Building.

6. The employment staff will conduct the initial interviews (time and schedule permitting) and screening of applicants for office/service positions. The employment staff will refer the top qualified applicants to the hiring unit for interviews; no less than three and no more than ten applicants are normally referred to the hiring unit. The hiring unit is required to interview all referred applicants. If the hiring unit does not find a suitable candidate after interviewing all referred applicants, the hiring unit may request in writing that additional candidates be referred. The request should include reasons why the candidates referred initially were not acceptable.

7. The hiring unit may request that the position be re-advertised if a suitable candidate is not found.

8. Upon request of the hiring unit, the employment staff will schedule applicant interviews for the hiring manager or screening/search committee. A copy of each candidate's application form will be provided before the interview.

9. All hiring officials and/or staff involved in recruiting and screening at any level must attend a Search Committee training session. These sessions are provided on an on-going basis by Equity, Access & Diversity Programs. A screening committee is recommended for all positions. For additional information, refer to the Solving the Puzzle of on Target Interviewing publication obtainable from Equity, Access and Diversity, 128 Canfield Administration Building, 14th & R Streets, Lincoln, NE 68588-0437 Phone: (402) 472-3417.

10. An office/service employee is eligible to apply for a transfer to another department after completing six months of satisfactory service in the present position. An employee with less than six months of service is eligible to apply for promotion and/or transfer within the same department.

11. Former employees who were dismissed from UNL are ineligible for rehire; former employees whose performance is documented as below satisfactory may be ineligible for rehire. Internal applicants whose performance is documented as less than satisfactory and those who are under corrective action are ineligible for transfer. Questions about eligibility policy should be directed to Human Resources (472-3101). Conducting reference checks with supervisors of current and former UNL employees is strongly recommended.

12. Once interviews have been completed and the applicants are ranked, the hiring unit should check the references of the top candidate. Conducting reference checks with supervisors of current and former UNL employees is strongly recommended. It is important to be consistent in conducting all reference checks. For a list of suggested reference questions, review the Telephone Reference Check List or PDF Version

13. When the reference check process has been completed, the hiring unit must confer with a member of the HR-Employment staff regarding the appropriate salary and effective date of employment. A member of the HR-Employment staff will extend a formal offer of employment or authorize the hiring unit to do so. Certain positions require that the selected candidate pass special tests or checks prior to beginning to work. Job offers are made "contingent" upon the successful completion of the test or check. When applicable, Pre Placement Physicals (UNL Policy) or D.O.T. mandated Commercial Driver's License (CDL) drug testing (UNL Policy) or police background checks (required for cash handling positions) must be completed and details arranged with the Employment Office. Please call 472-2120 for more information regarding these pre placement processes. When applicable, the Employment Office administers all skill, knowledge or ability tests during the screening process. Please Note: Hiring units must obtain approval from Equity, Access and Diversity Programs before administering any skill, knowledge, ability tests during the hiring process.

14. Approval of salary offers above the minimum hiring rate or advertised rate (Office/Service Pay Schedule) must be obtained from Human Resources (472-2120). An employee who transfers to a position in the same salary grade will not receive an increase in salary as a result of the transfer. An employee, who is promoted to a higher salary grade, will receive a minimum increase of five percent per salary grade to a maximum of fifteen percent per salary grade or the minimum regular rate of the new salary grade, whichever is greater. The new salary must be within the established range for the new salary grade. Salary increases exceeding five percent per pay grade (or appropriate regular rate) must have prior approval of Human Resources, Classification and Compensation. Please review policy on salary changes for employees who are promoted or who transfer.

15. After the verbal offer of employment is made, a Letter of Offer listed below.

must be mailed to the successful candidate. The successful candidate must reply to the Letter of Offer in writing with either a Letter of Acceptance or by signing and returning the Letter of Offer. The Letter of Acceptance must include the start date, the position title, the salary, and confirmation of the terms of probation. A copy of the letter of offer and acceptance should be submitted with the PAF. Occasionally, unsuccessful candidates inquire about the status of their application. It is best to respond to an inquiry from an unsuccessful candidate by indicating that a candidate whose qualifications better matched the needs of the unit was selected for the position. Additional reasons should not be given. The hiring unit may refer persistent unsuccessful candidates to Human Resources-Employment. After the hiring process has been completed, the hiring unit is responsible for sending a

16. The hiring unit completes the necessary paperwork to officially hire the new person. Please refer to the Recruitment Checklist to assist you with this process. All newly hired employees must serve an original probationary period usually six months. This probationary period is an extension of the selection process and is used to determine an employee's suitability for UNL employment. Note that current UNL staff members (transfer employees) who have regular status do not serve another original probation.

17. The hiring unit will complete the following and mail to the appropriate Budget Office:

• Personnel Action Form (PAF) (select Downloads, then select UNL campus, select your system, select Business Forms, select Human Resources)
• Personnel Data Form (PDF) (select Downloads, then select UNL campus, select your system, select Business Forms, select Human Resources)
• Hiring Certification Statement or PDF Version
• Copies of Letter of Offer and Acceptance
• The Affirmative Action Application Log and other relevant search forms should be completed and sent to the Office of Equity, Access and Diversity, 127 Canfield Administration, 0437.

If a new hire: Insurance forms

• I-9 Form 
• Direct Deposit Form (In SLUGO select Downloads, then select UNL campus, select your system, select Business Forms, select Human Resources)
• W-4 Form (In SLUGO select Downloads, then select UNL campus, select your system, select Business Forms, select Human Resources).

18. Human Resources- Employment will prepare and mail a letter to the new employee (copy also to hiring department) confirming position title, salary, and effective employment date.

19. Additional information about benefit provisions can be found at Direct Deposit Form/ Overtime Agreement or PDF Version/ UNL Photo Identification Card / Parking Permit (Temporary) Information or PDF Version/ New Employee Orientation

20. Application Records Retention Policy: All materials pertaining to the recruitment process must be maintained within the department for a period of four years. These materials will be important to you in the event you to respond to any legal action or inquiry in connection with the hiring process. Each hiring unit is responsible for ensuring that hiring practices and decisions uphold the intent of UNL's Non-Discrimination Policy. To ensure full compliance with UNL's Recruitment Policies and Procedures, please be sure to complete and submit the Hiring Certification Statement.

21. If you have questions at any time during the selection process, please call Human Resources-Employment (472-2120).

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