Exceptions to Recruitment and Selection Procedures (Waiver Process)

Mississippi State University, in accordance with federal and state law and IHL policies, is committed to providing equal opportunity in employment through nondiscriminatory open recruitment and hiring practices. Occasionally, such factors as financial constraints, program continuity, the unavailability of a reasonable number of qualified applicants, or the existence of highly specialized qualifications and requirements for a particular position, require making an exception to the University's normal employee recruitment and selection procedures.


Waiver – Types of Exceptions

  • Business or Instructional Necessity - Conducting a full recruitment effort would have a seriously negative impact on the operational effectiveness of a department/unit or would violate a formal contractual obligation of the University. The waiver request must specify the business necessity reasons and the qualifications of the recommended candidate.
  • Internal Recruitment Only - Under certain circumstances, a department/unit may desire to limit a recruitment effort to qualified applicants within the University and/or hiring unit. Internal recruitment efforts will be open to all permanent MSU employees and layoff applicants exercising preferential re-hire rights. Positions restricted to internal recruitment shall follow the same recruitment, referral and selection process as an external recruitment effort.
  • Qualified, Diverse Applicant Pool (from a previous posting) – A department/unit has recently conducted a full search that yielded a diverse applicant pool. A second opening in the same job title within a 120-day period from when the job closes and/or is filled would allow the department to make a selection from the original applicant pool. The Department of Human Resources Management will review the demographic profile of the interview pool from the prior search and the qualifications of the recommended candidate.
  • Diversity Opportunities - A waiver to achieve diversity may be granted to a department /unit based upon its capacity to recruit qualified people of color and/or women candidates, where there is under-representation of people of color and/or women in the department/unit workforce profile.
  • Appointment to a Permanent Position Without a Search - Appointment of an employee in an Interim Position or other temporary role to a permanent position without a search.
  • Other - Other reason not listed (must include reason for the waiver in the justification).

Procedure

  • Requests must be made by submitting a PARF through the PageUp System and approved through the appropriate channels. This includes the highest administrative authority, the appropriate Human Resources Business Partner and Chief Human Resources Officer. The hiring coordinator must have the individual apply for the position prior to routing the PARF through the online approval process. The procedure for this is outlined in the Administrative Transfer/Waiver Flow Chart. If there are any questions, please contact your Human Resources Business Partner.
  • All required attachments will be submitted through the online process to include: justification for the request (title/rank/classification of the position, identity of the candidate, information detailing the length and terms of the appointment and how the candidate was identified), job description, application for employment, resume/curriculum vitae, and organization chart.