Recruitment and Selection Policy

Policy number: CS-1313-2006
Policy title: Recruitment and Selection
Policy owner: Chief Human Resources Officer
Effective date: September 26, 2006

Last Revised: April 27, 2023

1. Purpose

As a College community, we strive to be equitable and inclusive in all our interactions, practices, and processes. We make every effort to preserve the sense of dignity and belonging of all our diverse members, knowing that this is integral to our collective work experience and well-being.

Mohawk College strives to attract and retain the most qualified and diverse individuals to ensure the attainment of its strategic priorities and aims to support existing employees to reach career goals and maximize potential. Accordingly, the College aims through its recruitment and selection practices to ensure its workforce reflects the diversity of the community it serves.

The purpose of this Recruitment and Selection Policy is to ensure a timely, equitable and effective employee recruitment and selection process that complies with relevant employment legislation and applicable collective agreements. The recruitment and selection process must be transparent, impartial and applied consistently.

2. Application and Scope

This policy applies to the recruitment and selection of all permanent, short-term temporary and casual (e.g., part-time, sessional, partial load, contract and students (including summer students)) positions below the level of President.

This policy does not apply to the procurement of contractor and consulting services.

3. Definitions

“Applicant” is an individual who has applied for employment with the College.

“Candidate” is an applicant who has been selected to participate in the interview process.

“Conflict of interest” refers to a situation in which an employee engages in activities or has any personal interests which might harm, or even have the appearance of harming, the interests, obligations or duties of Mohawk College or one of our students.

“Vacancy” is an open position created through the departure of an employee or development of a new position, for which approval to fill has been granted. The significant evolution, change, or realignment of duties within a populated position may, in some circumstances, also create a vacancy through the displacement of the incumbent (e.g., required by a collective agreement), but such change does not always create a vacancy.

4. Principles

Recruitment and Selection is proactive and founded on the vision, mission and values of the College and departmental workforce plans and strategies.

As an equal opportunity employer, the College seeks to have an open, transparent and fair process for filling vacant positions. To that end, it is the default expectation that all vacant positions be filled through a posting and open recruitment process. Exceptions to that expectation may occur based on the following principles/criteria:

A relevant collective agreement requires the appointment of an individual (e.g., appoint through an approved Employment Stability Committee joint recommendation);
The vacant position provides for a viable appointment for an employee who would otherwise lose their employment due to restructuring and/or layoff;
An approved and relevant succession plan exists for the vacant position that provides for a firm basis of an appointment;
The vacancy is short term in nature, with a level of time sensitivity that makes a recruitment process problematic from a work continuity or workload perspective;
Any other relevant rationale which has been approved by the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and the area’s Vice President.

5. Accountability and Compliance

5.1 Accountability and Compliance

This policy has been approved by the Senior Leadership Team.

5.2 Compliance

The Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) is responsible for the interpretation of this policy. Its application and compliance with any additional applicable provincial and federal legislation, College policies and procedures, collective agreements and terms of employment are the joint responsibility of Senior Leadership Team (SLT) members and the CHRO.

Deans and Chiefs are responsible for ensuring departmental compliance with this policy.

Hiring Managers are individually accountable for adherence to this policy.

6. Responsibilities

6.1 Human Resources, Talent Acquisition

Collaborates, consults, and supports hiring managers to ensure recruitment and selection practices are consistent and compliant with all statutory, Administrative Terms and Conditions of Employment and collective agreement requirements.
Supports the hiring manager with full-cycle recruitment initiatives including posting job ads, building selection criteria, customized interview questions, coordinating and scheduling interviews, generating offer letters and rate calculations (where applicable).
Provides advice to hiring managers on selection committee design and participates on selection committees where appropriate.
Provides advice to hiring managers on sourcing strategies to attract diverse candidates.
Works closely with the hiring manager to ensure a positive and inclusive candidate experience.
Maintains best practices in recruitment and selection and provides consultation to the hiring manager.
Note: the above excludes part-time Faculty positions as these positions are managed at the department level.

6.2 Human Resources, Strategic Partners

Supports the Hiring Manager in the development of staffing models, position complements, and job descriptions.
Reviews all position and recruitment requests to ensure position set-up is aligned to HR policies and relevant collective agreements.

6.3 Hiring Manager

Identifies the vacancy/recruitment need and seeks appropriate approval to begin the recruitment process, including both complement and budget approval.
Seeks budget approval, if appropriate, if budget does not already exist for the role.
Complete any relevant training related to the hiring process to ensure they have the appropriate knowledge and skills.
Works in partnership with Human Resources, Talent Acquisition to recruit and select highly qualified employees within their department.
Applies the supporting infrastructure for the College’s recruitment and selection process, including using developed templates, tools and resources.
Actively engages in the sharing and promotion of the vacancy to an appropriate and diverse talent pool.
Establishes the selection committee comprised of diverse employees (where applicable).
Conducts reference check for final candidate(s).
Makes the final decision regarding the selection of a candidate.
Informs unsuccessful candidates in a timely manner in partnership with Talent Acquisition.
Is accountable for making the final hiring decision.

6.4 Selection Committee Member

Participates in the recruitment and selection process.
Complete any relevant training related to the hiring process to ensure they have the appropriate knowledge and skills.
Demonstrates commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
Provides feedback and makes recommendations to the hiring manager regarding the preferred candidate.
Evaluates the merit of each candidate against selection criteria.
Provides an objective perspective.

6.5 Financial Planning Department

Review vacancy/recruitment requests to determine if the request is within the department’s approved budget.
Where sufficient budget is available to support the vacancy/ recruitment request, confirm that sufficient budget exists.
Where sufficient budget is not available to support the vacancy/ recruitment request, they notify the hiring manager, and identify the budget shortfall and amounts needed from the College to meet the vacancy/recruitment request.

7. Recruitment Practices

7.1 Forming the Selection Committee

The hiring manager is required to form a selection committee for full time positions and long-term contract appointments and other positions where possible.

Selection committees will generally include 3-5 panel members and will include individuals with different perspectives and expertise. For senior level positions, the selection committee may be larger in size, and/or built to span multiple interview phases. The selection committee should be diverse and representative of the college community. Human Resources, Talent Acquisition is available to provide consultation upon request.

7.2 Reference Checks

Reference checks are required to be completed for final candidate(s). For external candidates, at least two professional references from current or recent employers will be completed before hiring can proceed. At least one reference must be a current or recent direct supervisor and/or manager of the candidate. The hiring manager will only contact references provided by the final candidate(s) in writing. If there are any concerns about this requirement, please contact Talent Acquisition.

A reference check will be conducted for each recruitment process. Human Resources, Talent Acquisition will provide sample guides upon request. The reference checks will be sent to Human Resources, Talent Acquisition to be stored in the employee file.

For internal candidates, only one reference is required and can include the current manager if the employee provides consent in writing.

7.3 Employment Offers

The hiring manager is responsible for extending the verbal offer of employment to the final candidate. Human Resources, Talent Acquisition will determine salary placements in accordance with Collective Agreement provisions and the colleges compensation guidelines.

Once the verbal offer is extended, the hiring manager will notify Human Resources, Talent Acquisition. For full-time Administrative, full-time Support, full-time Academic, Appendix D and RPT positions, Human Resources, Talent Acquisition will prepare and send the written employment contract and new hire paperwork to the candidate and include the hiring manager in the communication.

8. Accessibility

The College will support applicants/candidates who have self-identified a disability through each stage of the recruitment and selection process.

Job postings will include communication regarding the College’s commitment to providing individual accommodation.

Job assessment and selection materials and procedures, including application forms, testing materials and interviews, will be made available in accessible formats and methods for those applicants who have self-identified a need and requested accommodation.

Where the successful candidate has a disability, an individual accommodation plan will be developed to support them in undertaking their new role.

Information related to accommodation needs will be held in the strictest of confidence.

9. Awareness

Employees involved in any aspect of recruitment and selection must be aware of and act in accordance with applicable policies, procedures, legislation, and Collective Agreements.

10. Confidentiality

Applicant information and discussions/decisions during the recruitment and selection process are to be held in the strictest of confidence. All documentation relating to recruitment and selection must be treated with confidentiality in accordance with College’s policies and relevant legislation.

Each member of the selection committee is responsible for securely storing candidate interview notes until they can be sent to HR for inclusion in the recruitment file.

11. Conflict of Interest

Mohawk College does limit the hiring of individuals based on their marital or family relationship to existing employees. Employment will not be permitted where the potential employee would be subject to the supervisory control of their relative in such matters as: promotion, salary, performance or conduct, situations which could give rise to risk in internal financial controls and accounting practices, situations which could give rise to breach of confidentiality.

To avoid conflict of interest in the hiring process, no employee shall engage in proceedings that could affect the hiring, promotion, or salary of a family member, and should disclose any situations of actual or potential conflict in line with the College’s Conflict of Interest policy. Use of influence or authority to help ensure the hiring of a family member is strictly prohibited.

Mohawk College limits the hiring of employees who have received a voluntary separation package. These former employees will not be employed in any capacity (independently or as part of a consulting firm) for a minimum period of time that is equivalent to the term of notice and/or payment provided upon departure from the College. Employees who are laid off under the terms of the Support Staff or Academic collective agreements and maintain their recall rights are excluded from this provision.

Any employee whose employment with the College has been terminated for cause, will be prohibited from any future employment opportunities with the College.

12. Equity

No applicant shall be discriminated against in any way on the basis of age, ancestry, color, race, citizenship, ethnic origin, place of origin, creed, disability, family status, marital status, gender identity, gender expression, sex and sexual orientation.

Mohawk College is an equal opportunity employer.

Mohawk College only hires qualified persons. No preference will be granted to any applicant beyond bona fide requirements and qualifications for the job.

13. General Requirements

To be considered for employment, an applicant will meet the following general requirements. The applicant will:

be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant, or possess an employment visa or other authorization to work in Canada if not a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant, and;
be required to produce a Social Insurance Number issued by the Canada Employment and Immigration Commission.

Note: Criminal background checks and validation of credentials will be conducted where appropriate.