Accommodations

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Amherst College will provide reasonable accommodations to an otherwise qualified applicant or employee with a disability to enable such person to perform essential job functions and/or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment, so long as such accommodation does not impose an undue burden on the College.

Advertising

  • On-Campus Announcement
    • All vacancies are announced on-campus in the Office of Human Resources Newsletter for a minimum of two weeks.
  • Media Advertising
    • Print and online advertising will be identified by the Department Head and/or Search Committee in consultation with the Office of Human Resources (link to job posting sites)
  • Networking
    • Hiring Managers and Supervisors should share the job opening with their network of professional colleagues within their field. This would include professional organizations and listservs.

Assign Roles

Allows you to add people to a Search Team to allow them to see candidate information in Workday.

Assigning Roles in Workday QRG

Background Check

  • Some job offers are contingent upon the completion of an acceptable Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check.
  • Any new employee whose position will have unsupervised access to student dorms will be required to complete a CORI check in the recruitment process.
  • Pre-employment physical if required as outlined in the job description. Must demonstrate the ability to Lift, carry, push and/or pull over 25 lbs.

Bundle Resumes

Allows hiring managers to download all candidate materials at once.

Bundle Resumes in Workday QRG

Casual Employee

An employee hired for a specific period of time or occupies a temporary/casual position. They are not expected to be part of the regular staff of the department.

Casual employees are usually employed for less than 20 hours per week. Casual employment is at will and may be terminated, at any time, at the option of either the employee or the College.

Casual employees are not covered under the guidelines of the Handbook and are not entitled to employee benefits, with the exception of Workers Compensation Insurance,  Massachusetts Earned Sick Leave program, and FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act).

Demographic Information

  • We seek the representation of all forms of diversity including, but not limited to: Race, religion, ethnicity, ability, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, veteran status, age, and country of origin.
  • We measure the demographics of applicants in our applicant tracking System (Workday) in casual and non-casual staff positions in the following categories:
    • Race
    • Ethnicity
    • Gender
    • Disability
    • Veteran Status
  • The Office of Workforce Equity and Inclusive Leadership measures the persistence of demographic groups through the hiring process.

First-Round Interview

It is our practice to extend a first-round (phone and zoom are both appropriate) interview to candidates who meet the stated minimum qualifications for the position (this step is listed as phone screen in Workday).

Hiring Manager

Hiring Managers are the ultimate decision-makers in the hiring process and are frequently the supervisors of the position being hired.

Implicit Bias

The attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner.  These biases, which encompass both favorable and unfavorable assessments, are activated involuntarily and without an individual’s awareness or intentional control (The Kirwan Institute). It is a bias that happens automatically and is triggered by our brain making quick judgments and assessments of people and situations, influenced by our background, cultural environment and personal experiences. (Equality Challenge Unit: 2013 Unconscious bias in higher education)

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Inclusive Hiring Program

An intentional approach to hiring that was initially piloted at Amherst College in 2018 and attempts to increase the diversity of our staff through bias mitigation strategies and other best practices in the hiring process. Components include infusing DEI language into the job description language, intentional advertising and networking, and inclusive screening, interviewing, and onboarding practices.

Internal Candidate

A current casual or regular employee who is applying for another position within the College. This does not include contracted or temporary workers.
 

Job Description

Outlines the essential functions and minimum requirements for a position. It includes position title and reporting structure. Job Description Template

Job Group and Level

Pay grade slotting system based on JCCP (Job Classification and Compensation Program). 

Job Requisition (Job Posting)

The initial request to start the hiring process in Workday.

PCRC (Personnel Changes Review Committee)

The PCRC is for the request and approval of personnel changes (including new positions, increases in FTE/hours, refilling of vacant positions, promotions, transfers, and other adjustments in compensation).

The College has implemented a process for the request and approval of personnel changes (including new positions, increases in FTE/hours, refilling of vacant positions, promotions, transfers, and other adjustments in compensation).  This systematic approach to personnel change requests allows for consistent, fair, and equitable responses to how requests are identified, evaluated, and resolved.  It also creates a collaborative process for how to best meet the personnel needs of the department and College in a financially responsible manner.

Reference Checks

Reference checks are conducted by the Department Head/Supervisor, Search Committee.  Only professional and business references are acceptable. This would include the candidate's immediate supervisor, manager, owner of a business, etc.

Regular Staff Employee

They hold a position that is part of the regular staff of their department (sometimes referred to as holding a "regular budgeted position within the department") and (2) at the time of hire there is no ending date to their employment in the position.

Employees who occupy regular positions are entitled to benefits. Regular employment is at will and may be terminated, at any time, at the option of either the employee or the College.

Screening Rubric

To be used by the Department Head/Supervisor or Search Committee to assist in screening candidates' credentials in relation to the job requirements, used as a tool to bring consistency to the screening process and mitigate bias.

Search Committee/Team

  • Search Committees are members of the community that bring insights and understanding to the position being hired, and provide input and thought partnership throughout the hiring process. Search Committees assist in the search process by reviewing candidates and their qualifications, participating in the interview process (as needed, determined by the hiring manager), discussing concerns, and advising on a finalist.
  • The Search Committee should consist of the hiring manager and/or direct supervisor for the position, as well as any campus partners that will have regular interactions with the position. There is no set number of individuals on the Committee although it is recommended there be at least two to help mitigate bias. Larger committees may be necessary for higher-level searches and may have as many as six or seven participants.

Textio

A resource to provide suggestions for more inclusive language that will appeal to a more diverse audience.

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