Favor for Frank

Associate Director of Facilities Teresa retired last year and Director of Facilities Dave needed the position filled quickly. Rather than publicly posting the position, Dave contracted with Frank, his former co-worker from a previous job. Dave knew that Frank had the basic qualifications for the position and wanted to work for the UC system. Meanwhile, several employees in the department were hoping to be considered for the position and planned to apply when it was posted. The position was not posted until twelve months later and by that time Frank had acquired the experience to fulfill the job requirements. Frank was hired from a limited pool of applicants that included two long term staff members.

Which of the following are true statements? (You may select more than one option.)

A. It is unfair for Director Dave to bypass the appropriate channels to fill an open position by contracting with a former colleague. 
B. Hiring for University jobs must follow relevant laws and University policies regarding open recruitment.
C. It was appropriate for Dave to contract with Frank because Dave wanted the position filled quickly and did not want to go through the normal recruitment process.
D. University values encourage fair dealing and honest interaction between management and staff in the recruitment and promotion process.

Answer:

The best answers are A, B, and D.

Discussion:

The following Standards of Ethical Conduct apply:

1. Fair Dealing

2. Individual Responsibility and Accountability

4. Compliance with Applicable Laws and Regulations

5. Compliance with Applicable University Policies, Procedures and Other Forms of Guidance

10. Use of University Resources

Bypassing the normal recruitment procedures is unfair to both internal staff seeking promotional opportunities and to external candidates interested in working for the University. Failing to go through the formal application process violates University policies that require open recruitment in most cases, and may also violate federal regulations. Furthermore, a University position is a resource and should be allocated to the best qualified candidate in a pool of qualified candidates.

If you have questions about whether or not human resources policies are being violated, you should ask your supervisor or the Human Resources department at your location.