Personnel

B.2.1 Hiring

Approved/revised: November 1, 2005

  POLICY

NVIT reserves the right under Section 41 (Exemptions) of the BC Human Rights Code to favour persons of Aboriginal ancestry in hiring and promotion.

Subject to this exemption and where applicable, hiring related clauses in the collective agreement, and the instructor qualifications policy, all appointments to positions (including student employment) will be based on merit, i.e. NVIT will appoint the most relevantly qualified and available applicant who meets the needs of the position.

Hiring processes will apply selection criteria fairly and equitably. Employment opportunities will normally be posted publicly on the NVIT website.

This policy applies to employment opportunities throughout the institution.

  PROCEDURE

Employment vacancies will be publicly posted (the President may make exceptions for immediate need situations) on the Human Resources Department bulletin board and through the Institute’s website.

NVIT employees are expected to avoid conflict of interest situations by not participating in hiring selection processes when an apparent or actual conflict of interest would exist if they participated.

The Human Resources Department will establish recruitment, selection and appointment procedures consistent with this policy and the collective agreement.

  RECRUITMENT, SELECTION & APPOINTMENT PROCEDURES

In conjunction with policy B.2.1, the following procedures will be used for all recruitment, selection and appointments with NVIT except in the hiring for instructors teaching in Continuing Studies. These procedures will complement those situations where the hiring procedures are dictated by the collective agreement.

When an employment vacancy is identified, Human Resources will verify the vacancy and the budget, and create a posting.  Where the vacancy is for the instruction of a course that has been taught by a term employee or contractor a minimum of two times within the preceding three years with satisfactory results, at the discretion of the Dean of Academic & Partnership Development or the Dean of Instruction & Enrolment Services, a posting is not required and an appointment may be offered through the Human Resources department upon approval of the appropriate Dean or delegate. 

Employment vacancies will be publicly posted for a minimum of 10 business days for all unionized positions and a minimum of 5 business days for all excluded and contract positions. Where it is unclear whether an employee or a contractor will fill the position, the posting shall normally be posted for a ten-day period.  Closing dates for applications may be extended or may be identified as remaining open until a suitable applicant is appointed where necessary.

Prior to initiating the selection process, the Director of Finance & Administration will consult with the Senior Manager of the division with the vacancy. The selection process for unionized positions will be initiated by the creation of a hiring committee established through the Human Resources department. The procedures for hiring unionized positions will be in accordance with the hiring procedures as specified in the collective agreement.  The recommendation for hiring will be submitted to the President through the Director of Finance & Administration.

The selection process for excluded positions and contract positions will include a consultation between the Director of Finance & Administration and the Senior Manager of the division with the vacancy. Upon approval from the divisional Senior Manager, a hiring committee will be established through Human Resources. Where the hiring committee determines a suitable applicant for appointment, a recommendation will be submitted to the President or President's delegate. 

The Community Education (CE) department shall conduct a general call for contract and casual instructors on an annual basis and at other times as needed.  Individuals may be pre-qualified through the selection process and be assigned courses for that academic year.  Although all CE vacancies will normally be posted, some exceptions shall apply:

-  In the case of casual employment of less than or equal to 14 hours, an appointment may be offered upon approval of the appropriate Dean or delegate.

-  In the case of a community request for an instructor, or the ability to hire a qualified local instructor in distant communities, subject to the collective agreement, an appointment may be offered without a posting, upon approval by the appropriate Dean or delegate in consultation with the Director of Finance & Administration.

-  In the case of an emergency (such as an assigned instructor pulling out at the last moment), an appointment of an individual may be made without a posting in order to meet NVIT commitments.  Such appointment requires the approval of the appropriate Dean in consultation with the Director of Finance & Administration.

In both unionized and excluded vacancies, the “Director of Finance & Administration in consultation with the relevant Senior Manager involved” will normally act as the President’s delegate. In those cases where this authority is not delegated, the President’s approval to appoint will be required.  The Director of Finance & Administration will consult with the hiring Senior Manager, and will authorize Human Resources to make a job offer if the recommendation to hire is accepted by the President.  The Director of Finance and Administration is responsible for all aspects of the job offer and for finalizing the appointment. Once the individual accepts the job offer, Human Resources will discuss with the individual the terms of their employment.

The Continuing Studies department will have a minimum of one (1) call for instructors annually to recruit for those non credit based courses offered through this department.

NVIT employees are expected to avoid conflict of interest situations by not participating in hiring selection processes when an apparent or actual conflict of interest would exist if they participated.

The President may make exceptions to these procedures for immediate need situations.