GCD - Hiring Practices
1. PURPOSE AND PHILOSOPHY
Personnel employed by Nebo School District constitute the most important resource for effectively conducting a quality learning program. The Board of Education recognizes that every employee can make important contributions to student learning. The Board therefore strives to employ the most qualified personnel to fill each position. This policy is adopted to ensure that the recruitment and selection of employees meets that end and is orderly and consistent across the District. The procedures outlined herein apply only to the hiring of new employees and not to transfers within the District.
2. BOARD DELEGATION
2.1The Board of Education assigns to the Superintendent and his/her staff the process of employee recruitment. This includes the development and implementation of strategies and procedures for recruiting, screening, and selecting personnel. The Superintendent and his/her staff are charged with employing the best available candidates (i.e., those with the highest capabilities, the strongest commitment to quality education, and the greatest probability of effectively implementing the District’s instructional programs).
2.2The Board of Education retains the legal responsibility to approve the employment of all employees. All personnel selected for employment must be recommended by the Superintendent and approved by the Board of Education. In recommending candidates for employment, the Superintendent shall communicate any deficiencies to the Board so that the Board may make an informed decision. Should the Board not approve the employment of a candidate being recommended by the Superintendent, the Superintendent shall submit other recommendations.
3. ANTIDISCRIMINATION STATEMENT
In the recruitment and selection of employees, Nebo School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy (including childbirth, breastfeeding, or any condition related to pregnancy or breastfeeding), age, religion, national origin, disability, or any other legally protected class(es) as defined by applicable state and federal law.
4. HIRING PROCEDURES FOR CERTIFIED AND CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES
4.1Identification of Vacancy
4.1.1Staffing allocations are established by the Superintendent or his/her designee.
4.1.2Vacancies are identified by the school/department administrator or his/her designee.
4.1.3When a vacancy is identified in a school/department, the administrator or his/her designee takes the following steps:
4.1.3.1Submits the termination of the former employee if the vacancy is created by retirement, resignation, transfer, or dismissal; and
4.1.3.2Submits a request to the Department of Human Resources (HR) to open the position.
4.1.4All openings must be authorized by HR.
4.2Recruitment and Application
4.2.1Following authorization, HR advertises the opening and invites qualified individuals to submit applications.
4.2.2Vacancies will be advertised for a reasonable period of time, at least five (5) days. Exceptions may be made by the Superintendent or his/her designee.
4.2.3Applicants shall apply electronically. All applications and supporting documentation for employment shall be received and maintained by HR. Applicants shall submit references and a discipline record from prior employment if applying to work as an educator or if the applicant would have significant unsupervised access to students.
4.2.4Utah law defines a “prohibited submission” as a submission, statement, or document that articulates an individual's position, view, contribution, effort, or experience regarding a policy, program, or initiative that promotes differential treatment based on an individual's race, color, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, or gender identity. Utah Code Ann. § 67-27-107. A prohibited submission includes a submission, statement, or document that relates to a policy, program, or initiative regarding anti-racism, bias, critical race theory, implicit bias, intersectionality, racial privilege, or other discriminatory practices as defined in Utah Code Ann. § 53B-1-118. The District may not encourage, solicit, or compel the use of prohibited submissions in recruitment and applications.
4.2.5HR will maintain a roster of qualified applicants. All properly submitted and updated applications will automatically be eligible for consideration for any openings in the specific field applied for. Applicants must update their applications at least annually. Applicant files are placed on inactive status one (1) year after the most recent login. Applicant files are deleted two (2) years after the most recent login.
4.3Selection of Candidate
4.3.1Once the application deadline has passed, HR may pre-screen the applications. HR will then approve a list of candidates and provide it, along with the application and supporting documentation of each candidate, to the requesting principal/supervisor.
4.3.2The principal/supervisor reviews all the application materials from those candidates approved by HR and selects candidates to be interviewed.
4.3.3Interviews for certified or classified positions are to be conducted by the principal or supervisor. Unless otherwise approved by HR, only members of the Nebo Management Team should be present during interviews. Others present during an interview must first complete a training module approved by HR and sign an affidavit verifying completion of the training and agreement to abide by it. Under special circumstances, interviews may also be conducted by HR personnel and/or the appropriate director.
4.3.4No employment offer will be made until: (a) the vacancy has been advertised for a reasonable period of time, at least five (5) days; (b) the job has been closed; and (c) files of qualified applicants have been considered. Exceptions to these conditions may only be made by the Superintendent or his/her designee.
4.3.5Until a hiring decision has been made and approved by HR and all other applicable District personnel, the principal/supervisor must not indicate to prospective employees whether they will be hired or recommended for employment. Prior to the hiring decision, the principal/supervisor shall indicate no more than that the prospective employee will be informed when the decision has been made and approved through HR.
4.3.6Following the interviews, the principal/supervisor completes a reference check, which includes, among other things, checking the references and the discipline record from the applicant’s prior employment. The principal or supervisor shall then select the most qualified candidate and submit to HR the recommendation and authorization to employ. The recommendation will be reviewed for approval by applicable District personnel.
4.3.7Prohibited submissions, as defined in paragraph 4.2.4, may not be used to grant preferential treatment to any candidate.
4.3.8Once approval is given, the principal/supervisor will be notified by HR that the prospective employee has been approved for hire pending completion of the hiring process. The principal/supervisor will then contact the prospective employee and offer him/her the position, indicating that the offer is contingent on approval by the Board of Education. If the prospective employee accepts the offer, the principal/supervisor will notify the other applicants in a timely manner.
4.3.9HR will coordinate completion of the hiring process, including criminal background checks, TB tests, preparation of contracts and other forms, and any other requirements. Schools/departments may not allow new employees to begin work until they have completed the HR requirements and received a Cleared to Work form.
4.3.10If a new employee is issued a Cleared to Work form before the District has received verification of all licenses, degrees, certificates, and qualifications necessary for the position, the new employee will be hired in an at-will position until the Director of Human Resources verifies all qualifications have been met. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Cleared to Work form may be issued, and an employee may not begin working, before completion of a required criminal background check and reference check.
4.3.11Final approval of all hiring decisions always rests with the Board of Education.
4.4Special Appointment
4.4.1The Superintendent or Director of Human Resources may make direct appointments from within or without the certified and/or classified employees, upon Board approval, of qualified candidates to any position vacancy when such action will best serve District needs.
5. HIRING PROCEDURES FOR ADMINISTRATORS
5.1Identification of Vacancy
5.1.1Staffing allocations are established by the Superintendent or his/her designee.
5.1.2Vacancies are identified by the Superintendent or his/her designee.
5.1.3When the Superintendent/designee identifies a vacancy, he/she submits a request to HR to open the position.
5.2Recruitment and Application
5.2.1HR advertises the opening in a manner that describes the job and other appropriate details.
5.2.2Vacancies will be advertised for a reasonable period of time, at least five (5) days. Exceptions may be made by the Superintendent or his/her designee.
5.2.3Applicants shall apply electronically. All applications and supporting documentation for employment shall be received and maintained by HR.
5.2.4HR will maintain a roster of qualified applicants. All properly submitted and updated applications will automatically be eligible for consideration for any openings in the specific field applied for. Applicants must update their applications at least annually. Applicant files are placed on inactive status one (1) year after the most recent login. Applicant files are deleted two (2) years after the most recent login.
5.3Selection of Candidate
5.3.1Once the application deadline has passed, HR may pre-screen the applications. HR will then provide a list of candidates, along with the application and supporting documentation of each, to the Superintendent or his/her designee.
5.3.2The Superintendent/designee appoints a selection committee that will include, but not be limited to, a Board member, the appropriate District director, and at least one other District staff member.
5.3.3The committee shall screen the applications and select a number of applicants to be interviewed. The committee will then interview those applicants.
5.3.4After the interview process, the committee will determine which of the candidates shall be designated as finalists and inform the Superintendent of the committee’s conclusions. If the committee decides there are no applicants who are adequately qualified to be declared finalists, the position will be advertised again and the process repeated.
5.3.5The Superintendent may choose to interview any of the finalists recommended by the committee, make any legal inquiry necessary, consult with the committee, or use other appropriate methods to help arrive at a decision. The Superintendent will nominate a candidate or candidates for the position to the Board of Education for final consideration. The Board will make the final appointment.
5.3.6HR will coordinate completion of the hiring process, including criminal background checks (consistent with Nebo School District Policy GBN, Employment Background Checks), TB tests, preparation of contracts and other forms, and any other requirements. New employees may not begin work until they have completed the HR requirements and received a Cleared to Work form.
5.4Special Appointment
5.4.1The Superintendent may make direct appointments from within or without the Management Team, upon Board approval, of qualified candidates to any administrative vacancy when such action will best serve District needs.
6. REFERENCE CHECK REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS AND VOLUNTEERS
6.1Reference checks as described in this section may be required for applicants and volunteers as provided in Utah Code Ann. § 53G-11-410.
6.2As used in this Section 6, the following terms are defined as follows:
6.2.1“Child” means an individual who is younger than 18 years old.
6.2.2“Applicant” means an applicant for employment by the District.
6.2.3“Physical abuse” means the same as that term is defined in Utah Code Ann., § 80-1-102.
6.2.4“Potential volunteer” means an individual who: (a) has volunteered for but not yet fulfilled an unsupervised volunteer assignment; and (b) during the last three (3) years has worked in a qualifying position.
6.2.5“Qualifying position” means paid employment that requires the employee to directly care for, supervise, control, or have custody of a child.
6.2.6“Sexual abuse” means the same as that term is defined in Utah Code Ann., § 80-1-102.
6.2.7“Student” means an individual who: (a) is enrolled in a school district or charter school in any grade from preschool through grade 12; or (b) receives special education services from a school district or charter school under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. Section 1400, et seq.
6.2.8“Unsupervised volunteer assignment” means a volunteer assignment at the District that allows the volunteer significant access to a student.
6.3Before hiring an employee applicant or giving an unsupervised volunteer assignment to a potential volunteer the District shall:
6.3.1Require the applicant or potential volunteer to sign a release authorizing the applicant’s or potential volunteer's previous qualifying position employers to disclose information regarding any employment action taken or discipline imposed for the physical abuse or sexual abuse of a child or student;
6.3.2Request that the applicant's or potential volunteer’s most recent qualifying position employer disclose information regarding any employment action taken or discipline imposed for the physical abuse or sexual abuse of a child or student by the applicant; AND
6.3.3Document the efforts taken to make a request described in Section 6.2.2.
6.4The District may not hire an applicant who does not sign a release described in Section 6.2.1.
6.5The District may not give an unsupervised volunteer assignment to a potential volunteer who does not sign a release described in Section 6.2.1.
6.6The District shall use its best efforts to request information before hiring an applicant; or giving an unsupervised volunteer assignment to a potential volunteer.
6.7In accordance with federal and state law, the District may request from the applicant or potential volunteer other information the District determines is relevant.
6.8In the event the District receives a request described in Section 6.2.2 from another school district or charter school, the District shall use its best efforts to respond to the request within twenty (20) business days after the day on which the District received the request. A school district, charter school, or other employer who in good faith discloses information within the scope of the request described in Section 6.2.2 is immune from civil and criminal liability for the disclosure as per Utah Code Ann. § 53G-11-410.
7. PLACEMENT ON SALARY SCHEDULE
7.1Employees will be compensated according to their assigned step and lane on the applicable Salary Schedule as provided in the applicable employee handbook.
8. PROVISIONAL AND CAREER STATUS
8.1Except for temporary and at-will employees, new employees, whether formerly employed by the District or newly hired for the first time, and regardless of step assignment on the Salary Schedule, are provisional employees as defined in Utah Code Ann. § 53G-11-501.
8.2Provisional employees with no immediate prior experience at another school district must work for Nebo School District on at least a half-time basis for three (3) consecutive years to obtain career employee status as defined in Utah Code Ann. § 53G-11-501.
8.3Provisional employees with one or more years of previous employment with a school district immediately prior to being hired at Nebo School District may, at the discretion of the Director of Human Resources, be awarded career status after three (3) consecutive years of District employment.
8.4Additional provisions related to career status are found in Nebo School District Policy GCPD, Employee Discipline, Administrative Leave, and Orderly Termination.