§ 2-1. Recruitment Policy

Policy.

It is the policy of the City to recruit and select the most qualified persons for positions in the City's service. Recruitment and selection shall be conducted in a manner that will ensure the City's best interest, open competition, provide equal employment opportunity, prohibit discrimination or favoritism as per federal and state laws and local ordinances.

Recruitment.

The Human Resources Department policy is to conduct an active recruitment program designed to meet current and projected manpower needs. Recruitment will be tailored to the various classes of positions to be filled and will be directed to available sources likely to yield qualified applicants, including, but not limited to: internal posting, public notification through the New Mexico Department of Labor, media, web advertising, and posting at institutes of higher learning.

Posting of Vacancies.

The Human Resources Department policy is to post and advertise job announcements in order to attract an adequate number of applicants and to promote an environment of competition that in turn will assure the selection of the most qualified candidates for any given position. These announcements shall include information sufficient to inform applicants of the pertinent features of the job.

The Human Resources Office will in its best efforts create a pool of qualified applicants to encourage diversity and ensure Equal Employment Opportunity in hiring. The following practices for listing positions will be followed under the Human Resources Department's direction with regard to Equal Employment Opportunity in the City of Alamogordo:

A.

Regular full-time positions must be open for a minimum of five (5) work days; and

B.

Must be advertised in the City's paper of record and/or on the City's official web site, except when the City determines that a given position is to be filled from within the City organization or through an employment agency such as the New Mexico Department of Labor, it will not be required to advertise in said paper of record.

Application Forms

All applications for employment shall be submitted to the Human Resources Department on the standard City application form either electronically or in hard copy. Such application forms shall require background information to include training, experience, and other pertinent information that is not prohibited by law. All applications must be signed, either electronically or in writing, and proof of qualification may be required. An application for employment will not be accepted beyond the closing date of a job vacancy announcement. Resumes without an application, and incomplete or late applications will not be accepted. Electronic and faxed applications will be accepted under the same procedure. All applications and resumes shall become the property of the City and shall become a permanent part of the personnel file upon being hired.

Applicant Qualifications

Qualifications are the primary consideration in filling any position. Experience, education, training, skills, and other abilities, as well as specific position requirements and the prior employment history of the applicant, are considered in appraising individual qualifications. Qualifications are subject to change within job fields and according to job descriptions prior to posting.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no person shall be eligible to have his or her name certified for original appointment to the position of Police Officer if such person has not reached his or her twenty-first birthday on the date of the application for the position, or the position of Firefighter if such person has not reached his or her eighteenth birthday on the date of application for the position.

Rejection of Applications

The Human Resources Department may reject any application, which indicates that the applicant does not meet the minimum qualifications as established. Applications may also be rejected for, but not limited to the following, and consistent with the American with Disabilities Act, when the applicant:

A.

has falsified an application or resume;

B.

is unable to perform the duties of the position, for whatever reason(s);

C.

does not pass the pre-employment tests as outlined in this manual;

D.

refuses to submit, or does not submit in a timely manner, documents required by the established position or by law to determine the applicant's suitability for employment in the United States of America under the Immigration Reform Act, Social Security Act, or documents required to determine established education for the position;

E.

has an unsatisfactory employment record or personal record as evidenced by information contained on the application form or by results of a background check;

F.

is not within the legal age prescribed by law or City Ordinance;

G.

fails to meet any standards applicable to the physical or mental demands of the position;

H.

fails a pre-employment drug test;

I.

cannot be licensed or insured for the operation of City vehicles and equipment as required by the job description;

J.

cannot be licensed for or maintain professional certification as required by the job description;

K.

was dismissed from City service as a result of the corrective action process, or did not give a two week notice before termination. Two week notice may be waived, with documented approval, from the Department Director and Human Resource Director to accommodate extenuating circumstances; or

L.

where an employee resigns to avoid dismissal or other corrective action.

Selection Hiring Process

The Human Resources Department shall be responsible for determining selection methods to obtain the best-qualified applicants for each class of positions. Such selection methods may include the interview process, job relevant testing, and examinations. In the development of selection methods, Human Resource Department shall confer with department heads, consultants, or others skilled in/or familiar with minimum job requirements. The minimum passing score is 70% or greater for interviews, testing, and examinations.

Human Resources will be responsible for developing and maintaining a background check program that is appropriate depending on the nature of each position. Applicants must provide a written authorization to the City which notifies the applicant that the City will conduct a background check and that the applicant agrees.

Interview Process

The Human Resources Department shall coordinate the interview process. As a supplement to the selection process, applicants who have passed the application process may be interviewed by a panel of three (3) or more panelists. In processes where only three (3) or fewer applicants pass the application process, the Department Director may choose to interview the applicants in lieu of using a panel. The City Manager has the authority to approve, by request of the Director, elimination of the panel interview.

All interviews will strictly adhere to Equal Opportunity Laws and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Interview Panels

The Human Resources Department and Department Directors will coordinate the selection of panel members, scheduling of applicants, development of questions, and rating process.

Rating and Recommendation Process

All applicants will be rated individually on the information provided by the applicant during the interview. The Human Resources Department will tabulate all scores and provide a listing to the Department Director of the three (3) top scoring applicants in alphabetical order or will provide the top scoring applicant. Filling the position from the top three (3) scoring applicants or from the top scoring applicant will be determined by the Department Director at the time a request is submitted to fill a vacancy. Where there is a tie score among the third of the top three (3) applicants, all four (4) top ranking applicants will be listed in alphabetical order. The Department Director will advise the Human Resources Department of his or her recommended selection. If the Department Director finds that none of the applicants are suitable, the remaining applicants will then be reconsidered or, if necessary the position will be re-advertised.

Eligibility for Hire Roster

Applicants who pass the initial interview phase will be placed on an eligibility roster for a period of six (6) months from the date of the initial interviews. Police, Fire and Dispatcher rosters will be for a period of twelve (12) months, from the date of the initial interviews. Placement on the eligibility roster will be in order beginning with the highest scoring applicant to lowest scoring applicant. Should the position become vacant within the relevant time period, the top applicants on the roster who passed the initial interview phase may be considered by the Department Director before re-advertising the position.

Notice of Non-Selection

The Human Resource Department and/or in some cases, the Department Director or designee, will notify applicants of their status during the process when it is determined the applicant is no longer being considered.

(Ord. No. 1547 , 1-19-18)