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HR-111 Direct Promotion

Summary

The University is committed to providing upward mobility for its employees. This policy is established to outline a means of providing a direct promotion to administrative/professional or office/technical positions within a department where a promotional opportunity exists.

HR Policy Provisions

  1. Requirements
    1. A direct promotion shall be available only to employees who are presently employed within the department, or unit, where a vacancy exists.
    2. Only benefit-eligible employees may be direct promoted.
    3. Department is defined as an organizational entity that has fiscal, programmatic and administrative responsibility for employees. (Specific units are determined as appropriate by the designated UM or campus administrator.)
    4. When a promotion vacancy occurs, the employee in the department who, in the determination of the University, has the greatest ability, skill, training and other relevant qualifications to fill the opening, shall be selected; provided that, in the event these factors are considered equivalent between employees, the employee with the longest seniority shall be selected.
    5. Any employee who is to receive a direct promotion will be subject to the same requirements as an outside candidate for the vacancy that exists.
    6. Where a department decides to utilize the direct promotion procedure, a written performance evaluation must be on file for each candidate considered for promotion.
    7. Any vacancy created by a direct promotion may be filled through a subsequent direct promotion until the vacated position fails to produce a promotable internal candidate or the entry-level position has been reached. Where either occurs the vacancy must be filled through regular recruitment procedures.
  2. EEO Utilization
    1. A direct promotion will not be approved when an underutilization exists within the AAP job family in which the vacancy is located unless it is also approved by the Affirmative Action Officer or designate.
      1. For the purpose of this policy, the utilization analysis from the most recent Annual Affirmative Action Plan will be the basis for determining whether underutilization exists within the job family.
    2. The determination of the Director of Human Resource Services or designate shall be final with regard to the appropriateness of a direct promotion when no underutilization exists.
      1. If an underutilization exists, the Director of Human Resource Services and Director of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity or their designates must agree on the appropriateness of direct promotion.
  3. Procedure Information
    1. The department shall initiate the request for a direct promotion by following the process outlined on their campus. The process should include documenting each person within the department, who meets the minimum qualifications for the vacancy and who wishes to be considered for the job.
  4. Utilization Analysis
    1. Upon receipt of the request, the Director of Human Resource Services, or designate, shall review the utilization analysis for the job family in which the vacancy occurs.
    2. If no underutilization exists within the EEO category in which the vacancy occurs, the Director of Human Resource Services will examine the qualifications of the candidate(s) for direct promotion and compare those to the minimum qualifications of the position for which the vacancy occurs.
      1. The Director of Human Resource Services will eliminate any person who does not meet the minimum qualifications.
      2. After reviewing the qualifications of the remaining candidate(s), and other relevant factors, the Director of Human Resource Services will determine whether a direct promotion for such a position will be approved. This process shall be completed within five (5) working days of receipt of the request from the department.
    3. If an underutilization exists for the EEO category in which the vacancy occurs, the Director of Human Resource Services will verify the candidate(s) as outlined above and determine if they are suggestive of a direct promotion.
      1. The Director of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity or designate will then determine, after reviewing all pertinent factors, whether they concur with the Director of Human Resource Services.
      2. This review shall also be completed within five (5) working days of receipt of the request from the department. The Director of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity or their designate shall notify the Director of Human Resource Services of their decision relative to support or non-support of the request.
  5. Approval
    1. If the position is approved for direct promotion, the Director of Human Resource Services will advise the department (and when an underutilization occurs the Director of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity) that the appointment of an internal candidate is appropriate as a direct promotion.
    2. The department may then appoint the candidate if only one candidate was listed and verified.
    3. If more than one candidate was listed and verified, the department may select among candidates and appoint the selected candidate.
    4. If the direct promotion is not approved, the Director of Human Resource Services will so advise the department, post the vacancy, and proceed to recruit as with any other vacancy.

Date Created: 09/26/1997

Updated: 09/01/2002; 04/01/2005; 07/15/2020

Reviewed 2021-05-14