Effective from January 2007

Recruitment & selection

1. Policy Statement

Recruitment and selection is one of the most important management functions. The whole process represents a significant investment in both financial and other resources. Our policy is to adopt good recruitment practice to ensure the recruitment of a diverse workforce that will add value to the organisation and assist the council achieve its aim of providing a cost effective and quality service to the people of Northamptonshire.

2. Who does this procedure apply to?

The procedure applies to all employees other than:

Staff within schools may be covered by this procedure by specific acceptance of the governing body

3. What are the principles?

Effective recruitment is central to the county council's ability to successfully deliver services. We need to find people with the necessary skills, experience, qualifications and attributes to deliver our objectives and with the ability to make a positive contribution to our values and aims.

This procedure is designed to help appoint the best person for the job. It will also help to ensure that the county council recruits a diverse workforce and will help to ensure that the process is cost effective.

All posts will be advertised; this may take a number of different forms. The recruiting manager is responsible for adopting the most appropriate method.

The county council recognises the need to increase the diversity of its workforce in order to reflect the community that we serve. Recruiters need to be fully aware of equal opportunities legislation and understand how discrimination can occur both directly and indirectly in the recruitment process.

Under the `two tick' disability scheme which the county council has adopted, all applicants who indicate that they have a disability and meet the essential criteria for a job are guaranteed an interview.

The county council's policy is to work towards ensuring that all those taking part in short-listing, selection and interviewing have been appropriately trained in recruitment and selection techniques. Where this has not already been achieved, at least one person taking part in the process must have attended such a course.

Human Resources will continuously monitor recruitment processes to ensure that they are non-discriminatory. Statistical reports will be drawn up on a quarterly basis and sent to key management groups, to enable the county council to assess how the policy is being applied.

4. What is the law?

Under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, and the Employment Equality Regulations - Sexuality (2003), Religion & Belief (2003) and Age (2006) is unlawful to discriminate directly or indirectly on the grounds of gender, race, marital status, disability, sexuality, religion & belief or age in employment. This includes applying requirements or conditions which have a disproportionately disadvantageous effect on people of a particular racial group, marital status or with a disability unless these can be justified. In terms of gender this also covers any “provision, criterion or practice” that may be applied. The legislation makes it unlawful to apply pressure to discriminate or to apply discrimination through another person.

Under the Race Relations Act 1976 employers are able to take positive action, for example, encouraging employees and applicants and providing training for employees, to encourage members of black and minority ethnic groups to apply for jobs in areas of employment where they are under represented. Employers are also able to appoint members of a particular racial group where membership of this group is a `genuine occupational qualification' for the job. For instance, where the job-holder provides people of that racial group with personal services promoting their welfare and where these services can be most effectively provided by a person of that racial group. Similar provisions apply under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.

Under the general duty in the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 employers have a requirement to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and good relations between people of different racial groups. Employers have a specific employment duty to monitor progress in achieving race equality. If existing minority ethnic employees have equal opportunity to secure promotion there is an argument that internal recruitment could be a positive outcome. Any change in arrangements must include maintaining access to job opportunities to black and minority ethnic applicants and other under-represented groups, for example, people with disabilities and in the case of more senior and professional jobs to women.

Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 employers are required to make reasonable adjustments, where it is practicable and reasonable to do so, to help the candidate compete in the selection process and to enable a successful candidate to meet job requirements.

It is unlawful to refuse employment on the grounds of trade union membership or non membership.

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 provides that if a convicted person completes a specified period without being convicted of further offences the conviction may be regarded as `spent'. These sentences do not have to be revealed and may not be used as grounds for exclusion from employment. However, some jobs (e.g. some involving work with children and vulnerable adults) are exempt from the provisions of the Act.

Under the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 it is an offence to employ a person without an entitlement to work in the UK.

Recruiters must comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 for job applicants.

Therefore, appropriate security measures should be taken to prevent unauthorised or unlawful processing, disclosure, destruction, loss or alteration of information.

Further guidance on the legal aspects of recruitment and selection, is available from the Human Resources.

5. What to do when a vacancy first arises

The arrangements made for recruitment and selection must be appropriate to the needs of the job, the nature of the vacancy and the job market. They must be lawful and follow good practice.

Before preparing to fill a post, the recruiting manager has a responsibility to first decide whether the post is still required or needed in its present form. It might be appropriate to re-distribute the workload, or change the duties of the post to fit the service needs better.

Once the recruiting manager has confirmed that they need to recruit. They need to:

Click here for Recruitment flow chart

6. Approval to fill the post

The recruiting manager has a responsibility to obtain approval to fill the post before undertaking any recruitment activity.

Click here for approval to recruit and advertise form

For appointments at Chief Officer level the Chief Executive or his representative will manage the recruitment process with the involvement of appropriate members.

For appointments below Chief Officer level, the Head of Service will determine the level of authority necessary to recruit.

7. Determining the contract type

The recruiting manager has a responsibility to consider the type of contract arrangement that is needed to meet the vacancy requirements.

Examples of employment contracts covered by this procedure are:

permanent, open ended contracts

Examples of other contract types not covered by this procedure are:

Advice on any of these is available from Human Resources.

8. Job description and person specification

You have a responsibility to always be clear about the content of the job and the attributes the job holder needs to undertake it. The job description and person specification are therefore an essential part of the preparation for recruitment.

Click here for guidance on preparing these documents

Click here for job description form and person specification

Where a job description is new or has been significantly revised it should be submitted for job evaluation so that an accurate grade and salary scale can be determined.

9. The selection panel

Establishing who will be involved in the short-listing and selection decision is important to ensure the availability of panel members. The panel composition may change at selection stages. However all selection decisions should be taken by at least 2 panel members and it is recommended to ensure consistency that at least one panel member is involved throughout the selection process.

In the case of uniformed fire fighters, one individual should oversee the whole recruiting process, with key decisions on selection being made by qualified and competent officers, reporting to that officer.

The county council is aiming towards full equality of opportunity, therefore it is good practice to try to ensure appropriate representation of under-represented groups on recruitment panels. Mixed panels can help candidates, who may be members of under-represented groups, feel at ease during the selection process.

Panel members should have relevant skills, experience and training in recruitment, selection and equality standards. Where this has not already been achieved, at least one person taking part in the process must be trained, normally by attendance on the council's Corporate Recruitment and Selection Course.

Panels may have members from outside the county council. This may include service users or representatives from external agencies. These panel members should be appropriately briefed by you on their role and the county council's equality standards.

Where the council will be the employer for the post, council managers are responsible for ensuring that the council's procedures are followed and therefore are responsible for the selection decision.

Click here for guidance on Service User involvement in recruitment.

Click here for information on Service User involvement.

10. Attracting candidates

There are many different forms of advertising, please ask Human Resources for further information.

The purpose of the advertising method is to:

11. Redeployment and ring fencing

The council is committed to minimising compulsory redundancies and redeploying employees who are no longer able to fulfil their current role. One way of achieving this is to redeploy employees at risk to other jobs within the council. Details of employees at risk are contained within a redeployment register. This means that redeployees can be appointed to another job without the need to compete in the normal way, other than with other redeployees. They need only demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria in the person specification for the job during the selection process. The post must be deemed to be suitable alternative employment. Further details can be obtained in the guidance on managing redeployment.

If the recruiting manager wishes to ring fence a post, they should seek approval for this when they seek approval to fill a vacancy. Ring fencing limits the number of applicants to a defined pool. It may be considered appropriate for example where:

12. Advertising

For appointments of less than 6 months, where practical, the post should be advertised; you may choose to advertise in the employee vacancy circular or use the county council's `bank' of secretarial/administrative staff administered by Human Resources.

Managers now have the flexibility to advertise their appointments, over six months internally only in the Employment Vacancy Circular and on the county council's internet site. This policy is a positive step forward designed to create opportunities for employees to apply for internal promotion and career development opportunities. This policy may be varied from time to time to reflect the organisational needs and recruitment priorities.

The recruiting manager may seek approval to advertise externally simultaneously where it is considered that this will help to attract a more appropriate pool of applicants.

All advertisements placed under the county council's name have to conform to an agreed style.

Click here for more information on advertising

The recruiting manager must also make sure that arrangements are in place to respond to demand.

13. Attracting applicants from under represented groups

It is critical that the council has a diverse workforce reflecting the local population with the optimum mix of skills and experience. Good recruitment and selection practice must be adopted to enable applicants to demonstrate their ability regardless of race, gender, age, disability, marital status and sexuality.

Managers should adopt a more targeted approach to vacancies so that consideration is given to;

The council should consider investing in positive action to;

To specifically target applicants from under-represented groups, managers may wish to consider the following;

14. Positive action programme funding

The Human Resources improvement plan identifies the achievement of a diverse workforce as a high priority for the Council. Therefore, it is intended that a programme of positive action will be implemented. This will include;

Managers have a responsibility to be required to demonstrate their commitment to this high priority by allocating some funding to this programme.

15. Other methods of recruitment

In line with good management practice, it may be appropriate to consider other methods of recruitment or recruitment initiatives if specific employee groups are difficult to recruit or are under-represented in your service area.

Examples include:

Click here for advice on recruiting people with a disability

If there is difficulty in recruiting or the recruiting manager wants to look at other initiatives advice is available from Human Resources.

16. Speculative enquiries

Casual enquirers or those who write unsolicited letters of application should be responded to in a positive way. However they must still follow the normal application process.

17. After the advertisement appears

Job applicants should be sent a recruitment pack containing information to help them decide whether they wish to apply.

Click here for sample recruitment pack contents. Applicants can gain access to the recruitment pack by applying on-line at www.northamptonshire.gov.uk

Remember that, if requested, Human Resources can organise for job and application details to be provided in non-standard formats, such as large print, on cassette tape, on floppy disk and in braille.

When an employee is unable to complete an application form unaided, and this ability is not essential to the performance of the job, appropriate help should be given (e.g. assistance in filling an application form, accepting application forms on audio cassette etc.).

Curriculum vitae may be accepted. However, applicants must still be sent an information pack, including an application form. Applicants may refer to their CV for appropriate sections of the application form but must be advised that their application must include all the information requested on the application form and their signature. Applicants must ensure that they complete `Section 7 - Supporting Statement' on the application form.

18. Short-listing

Short-listing should not begin until after the closing date and should be undertaken by members of the selection panel. The recruiting manager has a responsibility to make sure that:

Click here for standard short-listing form

Click here for short-listing information for applicants

Remember that, throughout the process, it must be the person, or people, who are best fitted to the job, as it has been described and specified, who are shortlisted and ultimately selected for it.

A disabled person must always be interviewed if they meet the essential criteria.

If there are a substantial number of applicants who meet the essential criteria, and it would be impracticable to interview them all, the panel should agree on the criteria to be used to reduce this to a manageable number. The criteria must be justifiable and based on elements of the person specification. Conversely, if there are no applicants who meet the essential short-listing criteria to form a shortlist, the post should be re-advertised.

19. Pre-employment checks

All appointments are subject to the receipt of:

Click here for declaration form.

Click here for more information on how to carry these out.

Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure

Some posts are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act or require additional types of checks (e.g. convictions for offences against children). The recruiting manager has a responsibility to ensure that they have told Human Resources so that they can process them. Applications for posts which require a CRB should be asked to disclose criminal convictions when they attend interview.

Click here for disclosure of criminal conviction form

See policy A9 - Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure policy

20. The Selection Process

Selection decisions will be based on a range of selection tools. These will include the application and interview and may also include work-based exercises, presentations or psychometric tests.

The recruiting manager has a responsibility to determine the selection methods to be used. Advice may be obtained from Human Resources.

The recruiting manager should ensure that:

The recruitment process is a 2 way process in which we assess the applicant and the applicant assesses us as a potential employer. It is therefore advisable to ensure the candidates are:

Click here for guidance on interviews

21. Using Psychometric tests

Tests can be used to measure intelligence, aptitude and dimensions of personality. The key point about any test is that it will provide only a very specific piece of information about a candidate. The recruiting manager has a responsibility to, therefore:

Contact Human Resources, if you need some advice on selection tests.

22. After the selection decision

Once a decision has been made, the successful candidate should receive:

Click here for advice on making a verbal offer

Click here for the appointment form

Click here for travel input form

Remember that an offer of appointment is conditional upon the attainment of appropriate pre-employment checks which are satisfactory to the county council.

If the successful candidate is disabled, the recruiting manager needs to explore in detail any adjustments that must be made in order for them to carry out their duties.

Unsuccessful candidates should be informed promptly that they have not been selected. It is good practice to provide feedback if they request it. This should be given based on the assessment of how they met the person specification.

External applicants who are dissatisfied with the recruitment process, can send a written complaint to the HR Manager, HR Customer Service Centre. The complaint will then be investigated and formally responded to in writing.

Internal applicants (current employees) who are dissatisfied with the recruitment process should address their grievance to the recruiting manager. The employee will be invited to attend a meeting to discuss their complaint following which they will receive a response, which will be confirmed in writing. Internal applicants who remain dissatisfied with the outcome can appeal to the HR Manager, HR Customer Service Centre. The employee will be invited to attend a meeting to discuss their appeal and a final outcome will be decided. Once again this will be confirmed in writing.

All candidates can claim interview expenses. However, expenses should not be paid if the candidate withdraws their application without good reason or refuses an offer of appointment without reasonable grounds.

Click here to access interview expenses claim form

Application forms for all candidates, short-listing records, interview records, test results and references, should be kept by Recruitment Team for at least 12 months from when the recruitment decision is made.

23. Recruitment Monitoring

Recruitment Monitoring is central to the effective implementation of this policy and the council's Equal Opportunities policy and action plans. The collection and analysis of monitoring statistics at the end helps provide information necessary to gauge the extent to which our policies and procedures are succeeding and any action which is required. Monitoring should include the specific requirements under the Race Relations Act but also gender and disability. Given the high level of internal appointments, it is important to monitor recruitment and selection procedures to ensure that discriminatory practices are not occurring.

Equal Opportunities monitoring is undertaken for each vacancy on completion of the interview process. Returns will be forwarded to Service Support after completion of the appointment process.

24. Induction

All new employees must receive a thorough induction. More details can be found in the Human Resources Handbook under `Induction'. New employees should also attend the Corporate Induction Programme.

Policy A5 Version 1.4