PBSci Personnel/Payroll
5th Floor Physical Sciences Building
Mail Stop: PB Sci. Pers/Pay Res. Acctg.
Fax: 831-459-5599

Mandated Training for Hiring Supervisors

Workshop Dates (see schedule at Training & Development under Professional Development-Schedule of Classes: Compliance Training-Fair Hiring)

As part of a conciliation agreement with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) to resolve problems identified during their audit of UCSC's employment practices, our campus has been mandated to provide managers and supervisors with training in the area of fair hiring practices. In preparation for this Fair Hiring Practices Workshop that would fulfill our obligations under the conciliation agreement, Staff Human Resources and EEO/AA presenters conducted a review of the relevant literature, both research on employee selection and on recent case law, to update the guidance provided to hiring units. Attendees have found this workshop to be genuinely helpful in choosing the best candidate for the job including information on screening applications, developing interview questions, and conducting interviews and reference checks.

Failure to comply with the conciliation agreement or to conduct recruitments within the established guidelines creates a potentially serious liability for you as a UCSC manager and UCSC as the hiring institution. As a result of the OFCCP audit, UCSC paid approximately $8,000 in back wages and awards on other campuses exceeded $500,000, with the average employee-related claim in the UC system costing $168,000. In addition to the financial liability, our campus receives frequent complaints from applicants for staff positions which requires a great deal of time on the part of Human Resources staff, Business Office staff, and the search committee chair and hiring supervisor to respond to these complaints, averaging approximately 40 hours per complaint.

To prevent delays in your recruitment or potential legal and financial consequences resulting from noncompliance with legislated hiring practices, please make arrangements to attend a workshop by calling Staff Training and Development, Extension 5565 or e-mail to workshop@cats.ucsc.edu. These workshops are scheduled monthly. Please contact your Personnel/Payroll Representative in the Physical and Biological Sciences Business Office if you have any questions concerning the requirement to attend a Fair Hiring Practices Workshop prior to the interview phase of your current recruitment.

David S. Kliger
Dean, Physical and Biological Sciences