University Policy 6020

Virginia Code Section 23-9.2:3, as amended, grants authority to the Board of Visitors to establish rules and regulations for the institution. Section 7.01(a)(6) of the Board of Visitors Bylaws grants 7authority to the President to implement the policies and procedures of the Board relating to University operations.

• Code of Virginia Section 2.2-1201.1, as amended, Criminal Background Checks for certain positions
• Virginia Department of Human Resource Management Policy 2.05 - Equal Employment Opportunity
• Virginia Department of Human Resource Management Policy 2.10 - Hiring
• Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures, Code of Federal Regulations

Budget Unit Director - The University employee on record with the Office of Finance Data Control Department as having signature authority and financial management responsibility for a specific budget code.

Classified Employee - A salaried employee whose terms and conditions of employment are subject to the Virginia Personnel Act, Code of Virginia Section 2.2-2900 et seq., as amended, and who is employed in a classified position.

Final Candidate - The applicant selected for employment by the hiring supervisor.

Hiring Supervisor - The management level employee with the authority to hire, assign work, manage work schedules, approve leave, evaluate, and discipline employees.

Wage Employee - A non-salaried employee who receives pay for hours worked and is not covered by the provisions of the Virginia Personnel Act. (Wage employees are sometimes referred to as hourly employees.) Wage employees have no guarantee of employment for a particular term or a particular daily or weekly work schedule; they serve at the will of the designated hiring official and may be terminated at any time.

This policy applies to all Budget Unit Directors and hiring supervisors in the recruitment and selection of classified and wage employees.

Old Dominion University has established procedures for recruiting wage and classified employees that comply with Federal and State policies and regulations and support the University's Affirmative Action objectives. Old Dominion University is committed to a policy of positive affirmative action in the recruitment of women and minorities and of non-discrimination in employment practices. Equal opportunity for employment shall be provided to all applicants on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without regard to race, including hair texture, hair type, and protective styles such as braids, locks, and twists; color; religion; sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions); national origin; ancestry; age; political affiliation; genetic information; marital status; disability; sexual orientation; gender identity; or veteran status.

1. Hiring supervisors must obtain Budget Unit Director approval to fill vacant positions. The University must make a good-faith effort to actively recruit qualified candidates from underrepresented groups using appropriate sources and methods. Classified positions must be open to the public except for internal recruitments when a sufficient pool of qualified candidates exists. Whether such qualified candidates exist on campus will be determined by the Department of Human Resources and/or The Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity. Direct hiring of wage employees without a recruitment requires the approval of the Department of Human Resources.

2. Job vacancy postings may be limited to Old Dominion University's current employees (to include classified, wage, and faculty) to provide promotional and career opportunities. The decision to limit the opening should be made in consideration of Old Dominion Univer­sity's affirmative action objectives, availability of qualified applicants, and other factors determined to be consistent with both the University's and the Commonwealth's policies and needs. Prior approval by the Department of Human Resources and the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity is required.

   Positions advertised to the general public are open to the Old Dominion University community. Vacancies are advertised for a minimum of five work days on the State Position Vacancy Listing/Job Posting System (RMS) and on Old Dominion University's on-line Position Action/Performance Evaluation and Recruitment System (PAPERS).

3. A selection committee designated by the hiring supervisor must be approved by the Department of Human Resources. Hiring supervisors must select a diverse search committee/interview panel that include individuals with subject matter expertise, when appropriate. Interview questions must be job-related and based on the established minimum and preferred qualifications described in the position description.

4. The hiring supervisor is responsible for reviewing candidate qualifications against the minimum and preferred qualifications in the job posting and entering selection and non-selection information into PAPERS for review by the Department of Human Resources. The Department of Human Resources must approve the hiring supervisor's on-line selections for interviews prior to interviews being scheduled. The hiring supervisor is responsible for scheduling the interviews.

   Use of work samples requires prior approval from the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity and the Department of Human Resources.

5. The hiring supervisor is responsible for conducting reference checks on the candidate selected for employment and forwarding this reference information via a Reference Report Form to the Department of Human Resources before approval will be given to offer the position to the candidate. Employment rather than personal references must be contacted. No supervisor may recommend hiring a candidate until reference checks have been completed.

   1. Hiring supervisors should check references with the current and at least one former supervisor prior to making a selection recommendation to the Department of Human Resources. If the applicant is currently employed at Old Dominion University in the same department as the hiring supervisor and the hiring supervisor has personal knowledge of the applicant's qualifications, the hiring supervisor can provide reference information directly to the Department of Human Resources.

   2. When obtaining employment references, dates of employment, job titles, and major duties listed on the application and/or résumé should always be verified with the current or former supervisor.

   3. Exceptions to a. and b. must be approved by the Department of Human Resources.

   4. All questions asked of references must be job-relevant.

   5. The Department of Human Resources is available to provide further guidance and assistance in the reference checking process.

6. Access to Reference Information by Applicants

   Applicants do not have access to their reference information since educational institutions are exempt from this disclosure per State Policy 2.10, Hiring.

7. Before an offer of employment is made, all interview results must be entered into PAPERS and required signed applications and a Hiring Proposal (for classified positions), or E-1 Form (for wage positions) must be completed and submitted to the Department of Human Resources for review and approval. Reference Report Forms must also be provided to the Department of Human Resources. The Department of Human Resources will then initiate the pre-employment criminal convic­tion investiga­tion.

   The ODU Police Department conducts its own background investigation of applicants for positions in the ODU Police Department. In addition, the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies conducts its own background investigation of applicants for positions working with children in the Children's Learning and Research Center, which includes a sexual assault/molestation, child abuse and criminal history report. Other University units and programs such as the College of Health Sciences and the Office of Teacher Education Services may require additional background checks.

   The candidates complete the Criminal Background Authorization and Consent for Release of Information Form which is keyed into the appropriate system by staff in the Department of Human Resources. Employment offers should not be made until after the results of the background check have been received.

8. Recruitment-related forms and complete procedures are available from the Department of Human Resources.

Official records are retained by the Department of Human Resources for a period of three years following selection then destroyed in accordance with the Commonwealth's Records Retention Schedules, General Schedule 103 (Personnel Records), Series 012185 (Recruitment, Hiring, Interview, and Selection Records). The non-record duplicate materials held by the hiring supervisor are immediately destroyed when notified by the Department of Human Resources.

Recruitment and Employment Manager, Department of Human Resources

• Virginia Department of Human Resource Management Policy 1.60 - Standards of Conduct
• University Policy 3700 - Records Management Policy
• University Policy 6130 - Policy for Direct Employment of Wage Employees
• Department of Human Resources Recruitment Web Site