[Amended 3-21-2023 by Res. No. 33-2023, approved 4-7-2023]
New employees may normally be hired at Step 1 of the pay grade established for their position as provided in the Classification and Compensation Plan and at the starting accrual for any PTO benefit.
For the purposes of this section of the County Code, "compensation package" shall include wage and paid time off (PTO) benefits. The following procedures shall be utilized when considering compensation offers. Department heads may recommend a starting compensation package to the Human Resources Director. The Human Resources Director may approve any salary for newly hired employees up to Step 6 as a starting rate. The Human Resources Director may authorize up to 18 PTO days beyond the base PTO plan as part of a compensation package. Should the request for salary and/or PTO days exceed Step 6 and/or 18 days, the request must go to the Labor Relations Employee Services Committee for consideration.
The Labor Relations Employee Services Committee may authorize any combination of salary and PTO placement available to the position being filled.
Any PTO granted on the date of hire, outside of the base PTO plan, is not eligible for a PTO cash-out upon termination if the employee is not employed for one year.
(1) 
Notification of Position Vacancy. All County departments shall notify their committee of jurisdiction's Chairman and the Labor Relations and Employee Services Department of a position vacancy. (The term "vacancy" used herein includes current or future vacancies.) This notification shall occur within three working days of the department becoming aware of the vacancy or future vacancy. This notification shall also include whether or not the department head wishes to fill the vacancy or future vacancy.
(2) 
Vacancies shall be filled as follows:
(a) 
The Human Resources Director shall discuss with the department head whether an adequate pool of individuals exists for an internal County-wide job posting. If the Human Resources Director and department head determine there is not an adequate internal pool, the vacancy shall be advertised to the public. Other forms or sources of public notice may be used at the discretion of the Human Resources Director. Public announcements of vacancies shall include at least the following information:
1. 
Classification/position title.
2. 
Department where the position vacancy exists.
3. 
Salary range.
4. 
Benefit summary.
5. 
Minimum qualifications and requirements of the position.
6. 
Address and phone number to request and submit application.
7. 
Application deadline.
8. 
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) statement; drug-free, alcohol-free and smoke-free workplace statement.
(b) 
In some positions, including new hires for regular and permanent part-time positions, a medical examination may be required. For those employees required to have a commercial driver's license (CDL), a drug and alcohol test is required prior to employment, and each applicant will provide any drug and alcohol testing information as required by the Department-of-Transportation-mandated regulations. Each applicant will sign a waiver for release of information from their previous employers for the purpose of reference checks. Each applicant must also file a County application form with the office identified in the job ad.
(c) 
Applicant evaluation prior to oral evaluation may consist of one or more of the following as deemed appropriate by the Human Resources Director and department head.
1. 
Written examinations.
2. 
Evaluation of education, qualifications and experience.
3. 
Performance of tasks required.
4. 
Other requirements allowed by law.
(d) 
A Selection Committee shall be appointed consisting of the Human Resources Director/designee and any one or more members selected from the following:
1. 
Oversight committee members for department head positions only.
2. 
Department head or designee.
3. 
Department supervisor.
4. 
Additional members may be appointed as appropriate by the Human Resources Director.
The participation of the Human Resources Director/designee may be waived by the Human Resources Director.
(e) 
Initial screening of applicants will be done by the Labor Relations and Employee Services Office. The Selection Committee shall participate in the formal interview process of all nonelected non-department-head positions and make a recommendation for hiring to the department head, who has the final hiring decision, unless otherwise required by statute. The Selection Committee shall participate in the formal interview process of all nonelected department head positions and shall be responsible for the hiring decision, unless otherwise required by statute. The LRES Office shall screen the applications after the deadline for accepting applications has passed, using experience and qualifications criteria. In screening applications, the LRES Office shall refer to the departments those applicants who are eligible for final selection. The department head may reduce the number of applicants interviewed to a number not less than two, provided two or more qualified individuals have applied or approved by the Human Resources Director based on market conditions. When possible, the LRES Office shall refer only the top five ranked applicants. If the selection process does not provide for the ranking of applicants, the LRES Office shall, if possible and under specific criteria, establish categories of "most qualified," "second most qualified," "third most qualified," and so on. The department shall first make employee selections based upon selections from the first category, then the second category, and so on. If neither of the above two methods is available, the LRES Office may certify all applicants or implement random selection methods to reduce the applicant pool to a more manageable number.
(f) 
Applicants will be notified at least five working days prior to the date of the scheduled interview when possible. Applicants not selected for interview shall, if possible, be notified by mail or e-mail on the same date as those who are selected for interview.
(g) 
The Selection Committee shall conduct oral evaluation interviews and shall certify the top three applicants, provided three qualified individuals have applied to fill possible vacancies in the ensuing year. Where a certified eligibility list exists, the department head shall fill the vacancy from the list.
1. 
The application forms, ratings and certified eligibility list shall be utilized for future vacancies in the same classification for a period not to exceed 12 months or as approved by the Human Resources Director based on market conditions. If fewer than three qualified applicants remain available to fill a vacancy in the same classification during said period, the department head may request that the formal selection process be reinitiated.
2. 
At the request of the department head, the Selection Committee may certify more than three applicants, provided that all certified applicants meet the minimum qualifications. The Human Resources Director shall verify that all of the certified applicants meet the minimum qualifications.
(h) 
No applicant shall be considered for a vacancy where appointment to such vacancy would result in members of an immediate family being employed in a direct supervisor-employee relationship.
(i) 
No person shall serve as a member of the Selection Committee for a vacancy in which an applicant is a member of his/her immediate family. In the event an interviewer is uncomfortable with evaluating an applicant, the interviewer should identify the concern to the other interviewers, and a decision should be made collectively whether the interviewer should or should not participate.
(j) 
Applicants selected to receive a formal job offer shall be notified verbally or in writing by the LRES Office. This job offer shall include the pay rate, percentage of full-time employment, position title, appropriate department, shift if appropriate, and Americans With Disabilities Act statement and shall request a written or verbal acceptance of the offer, which includes the individual's proposed start date.
(k) 
Upon request by the department head, as required by statute and authorized by the Human Resources Director, Oneida County will conduct background investigations and reference checks on applicants.
(l) 
The department head/designee will conduct reference checks using a standard or Human-Resources-Director-approved form. Reference checks for department heads will be done by the Human Resources Director/designee.
[Amended 2-20-2024 by Res. No. 32-2024, effective 4-16-2024]
The County will make every effort to hire the most qualified individual for any vacant position. If fully qualified persons cannot be recruited, the Executive Committee may authorize the appointment of persons having less than the minimum qualifications.