Arkansas Administrative Code
Agency 016 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Division 14 - Department of Finance (Administrative Services)
Rule 016.14.12-007 - Policy 1069 - Recruitment Program.

Universal Citation: AR Admin Rules 016.14.12-007

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 9, September, 2024

1069.1.0 Implementation and Modification

1069.1.1 The Department of Human Services Career Opportunities Policy and the procedures that implement it will be administered without regard to face, creed, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability status, veteran status, orpolitical affiliation.

1069.1.2 Applicants with disabilities are invited to request any needed accommodations to participate in this program. Alternate formats (large print, audiotape, etc.) will be provided upon request.

1069.1.3 This policy and the supporting procedures apply to all positions within Department of Human Services and all applicants for employment with Department of Human Services, unless otherwise stated as exempt or ineligible.

1069.1.4 Department of Human Services -Recruiting and Placement Department shall have primary responsibility for the implementation of this policy and shall propose and coordinate any modifications to these procedures for approval by the Department of Human Service's Executive Staff.

1069.2.0 Definitions

1069.2.1 Covered Positions - This policy applies to all regular, classified positions, full or part time and permanent Extra Help positions. See section 1069.9.0 for procedures concerning employees classified as Professional/Executive Pay Plan positions. This program does not extend to emergency hire appointments, temporary extra help appointments, interim appointments or any other temporary appointments.

1069.2.2 Eligible Applicants - All Department of Human Service's employees and all non-Department of Human Service's employees are eligible to apply for Department of Human Service's positions except for the following:
A. Department of Human Service's employees who are on disciplinary probation, or who are terminated with codes, 02 (involuntary termination) or 2 J (gross misconduct).

B. Employees who have not completed six (6) months in their present position or if their present position requires completion of a formal training period, the employee must complete six (6) months in the position after completing the training program. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis, with the approval of the division director or designee.

C. Department of Human Service's employees who have been suspended cannot apply for six (6) months from the first day of the suspension.

1069.2.3 Minimum Qualifications - Applicants must meet the stated minimum qualifications for a position. Minimum Qualifications are essential job-related background and preparation-including education, experience or a combination of both from which one acquires the necessary knowledge, abilities and skills to satisfactorily perform the job at entry. Minimum Qualifications are established by the Office of Personnel Management -, Department of Finance and Administration -, and are listed on each state job specification. Department of Human Services Recruiting and Placement Department will screen the State of Arkansas Employment Application and determine if the applicant meets the minimum qualifications for each particular position.

1069.2.4 Veteran's Preference - Ark. Code Ann. § 21-3-301 et seq. bestows a preference in state employment on eligible U.S. military veterans who have been honorably discharged from a tour of active duty (unless the tour was for training only) or who have served honorably in the National Guard or Reserves for a period of at least six (6) years. In order to receive veteran's preference for Department of Human Services employment, eligible veterans must submit required documentation.

1069.2.5 Register - A list of qualified applicants, based on the Minimum Qualifications screening process, will be sent electronically to the hiring official and designee(s) listed on the Job Vacancy Request. Each register has an identification number, and is tied to a Job Vacancy Request, which is tied to a position number.

1069.3.0 Advertisement of Vacant Positions

1069.3.1 After release from court-ordered, DHS Reduction in Force -, and Americans with Disabilities Act reassignment considerations, positions will be advertised on www.arstatejobs.com. The website will contain two (2) types of advertisements: Continuously Advertised Positions and Specially Advertised Positions. Positions that are approved for an emergency hire by the Department of Finance and Administration /Office of Personnel Management Administrator need not be advertised (See DHS-APM 801 Hiring Procedures). All other positions must be advertised through Department of Human Services Recruiting and Placement Department; additionally, some positions maybe advertised in conjunction with the Department of WorkForce Services.

1069.3.2 Continuously Advertised Positions
A. Continuously Advertised Positions are those classifications that are advertised at all times with no closing date. These classifications do not appear with a position number, and applications for these jobs are always accepted. When a vacancy occurs in one of these classifications, the current pool of applicants is used to compile the disposition listing (register).

B. Determination of Continuously Advertised Position classifications will be based on such factors as frequency of job vacancies, availability of qualified applicants, special recruitment and departmental needs. This list will be updated and revised annually or more frequently if necessary to help reflect the job availability and opportunities. Division directors may request that classifications be continuously advertised by forwarding written justification to the Department of Human Services Recruiting and Placement Manager.

1069.3.3 Specially Advertised Positions

All positions not continuously advertised will be advertised when a vacancy occurs. In accordance with Governor's Policy Directive 8, managerial and professional positions will be advertised for a minimum of-twelve (12) calendar days. All other positions will be advertised for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days. The managerial and professional designations as determined by Office of Personnel

Management will be used in determining the minimum advertisement period. Hiring officials may request additional advertisement periods. When a holiday occurs within the advertisement period, the closing date will be adjusted accordingly for a like number of days. After advertising, if there are five (5) or fewer qualified applicants, the hiring official may request re-advertisement by contacting Department of Human Services Recruiting and Placement Department.

1069.4.0 Submission Procedures

1069.4.1 When a vacancy occurs, the hiring official completes and submits an electronic Hiring Freeze Exception Request, unless the position is freeze exempt. Once the electronic form is approved by the Department of Human Services Division Director (or designee) and Department of Human Services Director's Office, an electronic PDF is generated and sent to Office of Personnel Management - from the Department of Human Services Applicant Tracking System. Upon approval from Office of Personnel Management, the hiring official can submit an electronic Job Vacancy Request. Both the Hiring Freeze Request and Job Vacancy Request forms are submitted electronically using the DHS Applicant Tracking System.

1069.4.2 Supervisor's may submit:
A. Supervisor's may submit an electronic Hiring Freeze Request form upon receipt of a pending vacancy notice, including written resignation, termination or retirement notices.

1069.4.3 If the vacancy request is for a Continuously Advertised Position, an electronic register will be prepared from the current pool of applicants and an email link to the electronic register will be forwarded to the hiring official and designees with all relevant application information in less than twenty-four (24) hours from receipt. If there are five or fewer available applicants, the hiring official will be contacted and may either accept the list for interview or request that the position be advertised. If advertised, a new register will be available for the hiring official within three (3) working days after the closing date.

1069.4.4 All other vacancy requests will be advertised for the minimum advertisement period. The hiring official will be provided with a register within working three (3) days of the closing date. :*

1069.4.5 If an individual selected for a position resigns within sixty (60) days, the hiring official may select the second highest qualified person without submitting a new Online Job Vacancy Request. A new freeze submission/approval by Office of Personnel Management is required.

1069.5.0 Certification and Referral

1069.5.1 Minimum Qualifications
A. To be considered for a position, the state requires that the applicant meet the Minimum Qualifications that Department of Finance Administration/Office of Personnel Management has established. The Department of Human Services Recruiting and Placement Department will certify that these requirements are met (on the basis of the information provided on the current application and any supplemental documents). Certain positions also require that established special requirements be met for the applicant to be minimally qualified. Examples of special requirements are licenses, certifications, and official college transcripts. The Minimum Qualifications and Special Requirements are to be published for both Continuous and Advertised Positions.

B. Meeting Minimum Qualifications is determined by the education, experience, and other relevant information, e.g. licensure, certification, etc. listed on the application. Thus, it is very important that an applicant provide accurate information on the application form. Applicants may submit a resume to Department of Human Services Recruiting and Placement Department without a State of Arkansas Application, and it will be processed to the extent possible. However, a State of Arkansas application must be completed for the application to be complete.

C. A notice informing that the applicant does or does not meet the Minimum Qualifications will be sent electronically from the Department of Human Services Recruiting and Placement Department to the email address listed on the application. If an email address is not provided on the application, then a notice will be forwarded to the address provided on the application. To request an appeal of a determination that an applicant does not meet Minimum Qualifications, a written notice must be forwarded to the Department of Human Services Recruiting and Placement Department, with a determination of reconsideration to be made by the Human Resource Consulting Team. Final appeal is to the State Qualifications Review Committee. If an applicant desires to make an appeal to Qualifications Review Committee, a written request must be made to the Department of Human Services Recruiting and Placement Department, along with additional relevant information that is requested or which supports the applicant's case. A register or hiring decision will not be delayed pending an appeal to Qualifications Review Committee.

1069.5.2 Interviewing and Referral

All qualified applications will be forward to the hiring official on a register and the hiring official must attempt to contact all referred applicants for interview. Only those applicants contacted and desiring an interview must be scheduled for an interview. If a register of qualified applicants contains more than ten applicants, the hiring official may choose to benchmark the applications. Benchmarking is a process of sorting applications into groups according to job related .criteria developed in advance by the hiring supervisor. Only those candidates whose applications meet or exceed the benchmark criteria will be scheduled for an interview. If this method is not used, then all minimally qualified applicants on the list must be interviewed.

1069.6.0 Application Procedures

1069.6.1 All applicants will use the electronic state application located at www.arstatejobs.com. Both DHS employees and other applicants are required to sign and date the application form at the time of the interview. All new state job applications include the Disclosure requirements from (F8), located at the bottom of the application. The Disclosure requirements form (F8) must be filled out by the applicant. If the applicant checks any blocks under item numbers one or two then he/she must complete the Employee Disclosure/Certification & employment of

Family Members Form (F3-F4) and Employee Disclosure Requirements/Restrictions Notice Form (F5-F6, and F7) at the time of the interview.

1069.6.2 To Apply for a Continuously Advertised Position
A. Eligible applicants must submit a properly completed electronic application on www.arstateiobs.com. Only ONE classification title may be entered per application. Applicants must indicate on the online application, in the applicant profile, the specific counties and divisions within DHS in which they would accept employment. Failure to indicate such designations or failure to properly complete any portion of the application form may result in the application not being completely processed.

B. Applications for Continuously Advertised Positions will be accepted at any time. An application must be active at the time a Continuously Advertised Position register is requested. Applications for Continuously Advertised Positions will be active for sixty (60) days. Once the application becomes inactive, applicants desiring further consideration must submit a new online application at the end of the sixty (60) day period.

1069.6.3 To Apply for a Specially Advertised Position
A. Applications will be accepted only during an advertisement period, and a separate application must be submitted for each specific position number. If

? an application is submitted after the closing date, the applicant will receive a notice to that fact.

B. If the classification is on the Continuously Advertised list, DHS Recruitment will enter the application into the Continuously Advertised Pool.

1069.6.4 Submission of Applications - Completed applications must be submitted in the following manner:
A. Applications may be sent via the Internet to Arkansas Government Jobs website at http://www.arstateiobs.com (This is the preferred and most efficient method of submission).

B. Applications should not be submitted directly to a contact person, hiring official, work unit, or any other DHS office.

C. Americans With Disabilities Act Accommodations - Alternate formats (large print, audiotape, etc.) will be provided on request. It is the applicant's responsibility to advise the Department of Human Services Recruiting and Placement Department of the need for special accommodations.

D. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that applications are submitted no later than -11:59 pm of the closing date {See DHS-APM 801 Hiring

Procedures).

1069.7.0 Veterans Preference in Hiring

1069.7.1 Applicants desiring veterans preference in accordance with Ark. Code Ann. § 21-3-302, "The Veterans Preference Law," should submit the necessary documents with their application on-line or provide at interview when applicable. If a numerically scored examination, evaluation, questionnaire, or similar instrument is given for the purpose of establishing a register, and an eligible veteran obtains a passing grade, he or she shall have five or ten points of the maximum possible points added to his or her final score according to the criteria below:

1069.7.2 "Veteran" means:
A. Any person honorably discharged from a tour of active duty, other than active duty for training only, with the armed forces of the United States;

B. Any person who has served honorably in the "National Guard or reserve forces of the United States for a period of a least six (6) years, whether the person has retired or been discharged or not.

1069.7.3 The veteran's status shall be considered on questions of hiring, promotion and retention of employees.

1069.7.4 A veteran who voluntarily submits official proof of his or her status as a veteran, disabled veteran, or a surviving spouse of a deceased veteran who remains unmarried at the time when the preference is being sought shall be entitled to employment preference in a position over other applicants after meeting substantially equal qualifications.

1069.7.5 The person requesting the preference must be a citizen and resident of this state.

1069.7.6 The qualified veteran or surviving unmarried spouse shall have five (5) points added to his or her final rating score. Disabled veterans or veterans over the age of fifty-five (55) and their surviving unmarried spouses shall have ten (10) points added to his/her final rating score.

1069.7.7 If a hiring official passes over that name of any service-connected disabled veteran appearing on an interview or employment list, the hiring official must submit in writing the reason and attach it to the employment application. The written reason shall become a part of the employment application records of the department and be retained for the same period of time as all other employment applications.

1069.8.0 Application Status

1069.8.1 Applications for Continuously Advertised Positions will be active for that classification title for sixty (60) calendar days from the date of submission. At the end of that sixty-day period, a new state application form must be submitted. Applications for Specially Advertised Positions will be active for the period of time required to process a register for that position...

1069.8.2 An application will be removed from further consideration for the position when the applicant: ?
A. Fails to attend a scheduled interview

B. Cannot be contacted by the hiring official at the telephone numbers and email or physical addresses given

Note: The hiring official is required to attempt to contact applicants by phone at least three times over a two-day period. A hiring official may contact applicants in writing; therefore, it is extremely important that applicants notify the Department of Human Services Recruiting and Placement Department in writing of any changes to email and physical addresses or phone numbers.

1069.8.3 The acceptance of a position cancels all of an applicant's active applications, and places the new hire on a six (6) month probationary period. During this period, no new applications will be accepted for that applicant. A new application may not be submitted for a new position until the end of the six (6) month probationary period.

1069.8.4 The letter of acceptance for a position will contain the following conditions of employment:
A. The employee will not apply for other Department of Human Services positions until satisfactory completion of the Department of Human Services new-hire probationary period. However, within his or her division, a division director may make an exception (in writing) to the six (6) month probationary period, on an individual basis. For changes involving more than one (1) division, the Department of Human Services Director will make the final decision if there is a conflict between the potential losing and gaining of division directors.

B. Department of Human Services new-hire employees will be required to pass a drug-screening test. The cost of the drug test will be paid for by the Department of Human Services hiring division.

C. Department of Human Services employees who are selected for positions identified as requiring a formal state and/or federal criminal record check will be advised of this requirement as a condition of employment. (See DHS Policy 1080 - Employee Criminal Record Check). Additionally, formal background checks may be required such as: .
a. DHS 1114 State police

b. CFS 316 Child Maltreatment

c. APS 0001 Adult Maltreatment

d. Driving Records

D. The applicant must complete the Disclosure Requirements form (F8), located at the bottom of the application. If the applicant checks any blocks under item numbers one or two then he/she must complete the Employee Disclosure/Certification and Employment of Family Members form (F3-F4) and Employee Disclosure Requirements/Restrictions notice form (F5-F6, F7and F8) at the time of the interview.

1069.9.0 Guidelines For Employees Classified as Professional/Executive Pay Plan (N900 grade series) Positions

1069.9.1 Applicability

All division and office directors will follow these guidelines in hiring.

1069.9.2 Notification Concerning Professional/Executive Pay Plan Positions

Division and office directors' will advise the DHS Director of any Professional/Executive Pay Plan position vacancy prior to recruitment of applicants.

1069.9.3 Selection of Professional/Executive Pay Plan Positions

Directors at their discretion may or may not utilize the normal Department of Human Services procedures for recruitment and selection of applicants for Professional/Executive Pay Plan positions. Once a candidate has been selected, the Division or Office Directors will inform the Department of Human Services Director who must approve the hiring decision before any commitment to hire is made except in cases of board appointments. The Department of Human Services Director has the option of arranging an interview with the candidate. No appointment to the position shall be made prior to the Department of Human Service Director's concurrence, except in instances of board appointments. In such cases, the Department of Human Service Director shall be notified of any appointment immediately following selection.

1069.10.0 Drug and Alcohol Use

1069.10.1 It is the policy of Department of Human Services that all employees are prohibited from using or possessing controlled substances or alcohol while on duty or working with the presence of alcohol or illegal drugs in the employee's body, or abusing legal drugs. Employees who engage in drug and alcohol abuse face the risk of unemployment and the forfeiture of worker's compensation medical and indemnity benefits.

1069.10.2 Refer to Department of Human Services Policy 1087, Department of Human Services Employee Drug and Alcohol Prevention, for complete policy.

1069.11.0 Initiating Section/Department

Office of Finance and Administration Services

Human Resources/ Recruiting and Placement Department

Donaghey Plaza West

P.O. Box 1437 - Slot W403

Little Rock, AR 72203-1437

Telephone: (501) 682-6249

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Arkansas may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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