WAC
251-17-010 Examination--Requirement--Responsibilities.
251-17-020 Promotional organizational units--Establishment.
251-17-030 Eligible list--Related list.
251-17-040 Noncompetitive service.
251-17-050 Recruitment notice--Publicity--Duration.
251-17-060 Recruitment notices--Required content.
251-17-070 Application materials--Distribution to applicants.
251-17-080 Examinations--Employee release time.
251-17-090 Examination--Eligibility.
251-17-100 Application forms--Acceptance.
251-17-110 Examination administration.
251-17-120 Examinations--Evaluation of.
251-17-130 Application--Disqualification--Rejection.
251-17-150 Veterans scoring in examinations.
251-17-160 Examination results--Notification.
251-17-165 Institutional review--Notification.
251-17-170 Examination--Eligibility--Right of appeal.
251-17-180 Examination--Medical.
251-17-190 Examinations--Records requirements.
251-17-200 Modification of minimum qualifications.
DISPOSITION OF SECTIONS FORMERLY
CODIFIED IN THIS CHAPTER
251-17-140 Applicants--Anonymity. [Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-140, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]Repealed by 88-13-018 (Order 169), filed 6/6/88, effective 8/1/88. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100.
WAC 251-17-010 Examination--Requirement--Responsibilities. (1) Appointment to positions in the classified service shall be made according to merit and suitability ascertained for each class by an appropriate examination.
(2) All job elements included in examinations developed or modified subsequent to January 1, 1986, shall be justified by documented job analysis.
(3) Personnel officers shall assist in conducting and/or conduct job analyses at their institutions.
(4) Job analysis methods shall meet professional standards and be approved by the director before they are used to develop examinations.
(5) System examinations shall be developed by the director with the assistance of the personnel officers and made available for the use of all institutions. The director shall periodically distribute an approved system job element examination list showing all current system examinations.
(6) Personnel officers shall use only the current versions of the examinations shown on the approved system job element examination list. However, personnel officers may develop modifications to system examinations and/or institutional examinations to meet requirements which are unique to their institutions. Before they are used, institutional examinations and modifications to system examinations shall be approved by the director unless approval has been delegated to the personnel officer under WAC 251-04-060(4).
(7) The personnel officer is responsible for determining when to open eligible lists and conduct examinations.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.06.150. 96-02-072, § 251-17-010, filed 1/3/96, effective 2/3/96; 95-19-099, § 251-17-010, filed 9/20/95, effective 11/1/95. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-010, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-020 Promotional organizational units--Establishment. The personnel officer shall establish promotional organizational units based upon administrative unit and/or geographical location. Such units must be approved by the director unless approval has been delegated to the personnel officer under WAC 251-04-060(4).
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.06.150. 95-19-099, § 251-17-020, filed 9/20/95, effective 11/1/95. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-020, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-030 Eligible list--Related list. (1) Should a vacancy occur in a class for which there is no existing eligible list, it shall be the responsibility of the personnel officer to recruit and develop an eligible list.
(2) If it is impractical to recruit in order to establish an eligible list for a class, the personnel officer may:
(a) Substitute an eligible list for a related class if he/she deems the classes to be sufficiently similar.
(b) Request the use of an eligible list established for the class at another institution.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-030, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-040 Noncompetitive service. All classes at an institution shall be considered to be in the competitive service unless a class has been specifically approved by the director to be in the noncompetitive service at that institution.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 93-01-158, § 251-17-040, filed 12/23/92, effective 2/1/93; 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-040, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-050 Recruitment notice--Publicity--Duration. (1) Notice of examinations to establish eligible lists shall be made via public display, including institutional posting, of recruitment notices and such other publicity as the personnel officer deems to be warranted.
(2) Recruitment notices may be opened with or without specified closing dates:
(a) A recruitment notice with a specified closing date must allow for an application period of at least seven calendar days from the date of opening the notice, unless the personnel officer authorizes a shorter application period for an open competitive or noncompetitive recruitment notice.
(b) A recruitment notice without a specified closing date must state that the application period may be closed upon three calendar days prior notice. Public notice of at least three calendar days must be given prior to closing such a recruitment notice.
(3) The personnel officer shall develop and utilize a procedure by which employees who have formally indicated an interest in promotion are made aware of promotional opportunities.
(4) The personnel officer may extend the application period for a recruitment notice as required by giving public notice in the same manner as the original notice.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-050, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-060 Recruitment notices--Required content. Official institutional recruitment notices (not to include advertisements or other supplemental publicity) shall contain the following information:
(1) For promotional examinations, a statement that the examination is open only to organizational unit and/or institution-wide promotional applicants.
(2) The title of the HEP classification for which the list is open.
(3) The salary range for the class.
(4) Any conditions of employment for the class or position(s).
(5) The closing date of the recruitment notice, i.e., the specific date and time by which applications must be received by the personnel officer.
(6) A statement of the specific locations at which corrected or extended recruitment notices will be displayed.
(7) A brief description of the duties of the class and, if applicable, the duties of the specific position(s).
(8) The minimum qualifications of the classification, if any; and a statement that applicants must meet the minimum qualifications to apply for the position, and that meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee a passing or competitive score on the examination.
(9) When applicable, a statement regarding the use of a combined list per WAC 251-18-180(10).
(10) When applicable, a statement that supplemental certification may be utilized in accordance with an approved affirmative action program, as provided in WAC 251-23-060.
(11) When applicable, a statement that certification for specific position requirements per WAC 251-18-255 may be utilized.
(12) When applicable per WAC 251-17-090(3), the minimum number of most qualified applicants who will be admitted to each phase of the examination after the initial screening phase, provided that at least this number of applicants pass the initial phase of the examination.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 93-01-158, § 251-17-060, filed 12/23/92, effective 2/1/93; 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-060, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-070 Application materials--Distribution to applicants. The following materials shall be provided to applicants when they apply for a recruitment:
(1) The institution's application form as prescribed in WAC 251-17-100(1).
(2) A document which explains the examination process used at the institution.
(3) Identification of the examination elements used in the initial screening phase.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 93-01-158, § 251-17-070, filed 12/23/92, effective 2/1/93; 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-070, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-080 Examinations--Employee release time. Current employee applicants shall suffer no loss in regular salary as a result of participating in examinations which are conducted for their employing institution during their regularly scheduled working hours.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-080, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-090 Examination--Eligibility. (1) Open-competitive examinations shall be open to all persons who apply according to the provisions of these rules and meet the minimum qualifications for the class.
(2) Promotional examinations shall be limited to those current permanent employees of the classified service at the institution, and those former permanent employees of the institution seeking to return from separation pursuant to WAC 251-10-080, who apply according to the provisions of these rules and meet the minimum qualifications for the class. The personnel officer may open promotional examinations on either an organizational unit or institution-wide basis, whichever the personnel officer determines to be in the interest of the service.
(3) When the number of qualified applicants for a class in the competitive service is expected to result in an eligible list in excess of the institution's current needs, the personnel officer may limit the applications to be admitted to the intermediate and/or final phase(s) of the examination to those most qualified, based on an assessment of qualifications in the initial and/or intermediate phase(s) of the examination. Such limitation must be specified in the recruitment notice. If no such limitation is specified, all applicants who pass the entire examination shall be placed on the eligible list for the class.
(4) The personnel officer may add persons with disabilities, Vietnam Era veterans and disabled veterans, and persons age 40 and over to all eligible lists, except layoff lists, at anytime when underutilized in accordance with the institution's affirmative action program as provided in WAC 251-23-040 (7)(b), provided such persons pass the examination for the class. The personnel officer shall also add the names of those former permanent employees of the institution seeking to return from separation pursuant to WAC 251-10-080 to all eligible lists at any time, provided such persons pass the examination for the class.
(5) The personnel officer may add employees who complete institution-approved training programs to the appropriate eligible list at any time, provided such employees meet the minimum qualifications and pass the examination for the class.
(6) The personnel officer may add to the institution-wide promotional list at any time:
(a) Current employees on layoff status or scheduled for layoff;
(b) Former employees laid off from the institution per WAC 251-10-030 who are on an institution-wide layoff list.
However, persons covered in (a) and (b) of this subsection meet the minimum qualifications and pass the examination for the class.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.06.150. 99-05-042, § 251-17-090, filed 2/12/99, effective 4/1/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.06.040 and 41.06.150. 93-19-078, § 251-17-090, filed 9/14/93, effective 10/1/93. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 89-08-003 (Order 176), § 251-17-090, filed 3/23/89, effective 5/1/89; 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-090, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-100 Application forms--Acceptance. (1) Application forms shall be prescribed by the personnel officer in compliance with applicable state and/or federal law.
(2) Applications shall be filed in accordance with the times specified in the recruitment notice.
(3) All required application materials, including supplemental applications, must be submitted by the specified time in order for an application to be considered.
(4) When an application is rejected for failure to meet the requirements of subsection (3) of this section, the provisions of WAC 251-17-130(2) shall apply.
(5) The personnel officer may require proof of age, education, experience, veterans preference, and/or other claims relevant to the qualifications of an applicant.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-100, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-110 Examination administration. (1) Personnel officers shall administer examinations in accordance with the administration instructions developed for each system or institutional examination.
(2) The personnel officer is responsible for maintaining the security of all confidential examination materials, including test booklets, answer sheets, scoring keys, and rating guides. The personnel officer shall notify the director immediately if there is a suspected breach of examination security.
(3) The personnel officer shall develop an institutional procedure for the reexamination of applicants at the institution. Before it is used, such procedure shall be approved by the director unless approval has been delegated to the personnel officer under WAC 251-04-060(4).
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.06.150. 95-19-099, § 251-17-110, filed 9/20/95, effective 11/1/95. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-110, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-120 Examinations--Evaluation of. (1) The director shall specify the rating and/or scoring systems to be used to evaluate examinations, including the ratings, scores and/or percentiles required to pass an examination.
(2) Personnel officers shall evaluate examinations in accordance with the rating guides and rating/scoring instructions developed for each system and institutional examination.
(3) Rating guides shall be used to evaluate all job elements included in system and institutional examinations.
(4) Personnel officers shall develop rating guides for all examinations for which system rating guides are not available.
(5) Personnel officers shall assure that raters of examinations, including supplemental applications, performance tests and oral panels, shall have an adequate knowledge of the work required by the specific class or position.
(6) The personnel officer is responsible for the accuracy of the total examination ratings given by the raters of examinations and may disqualify a rater for good and sufficient reason(s). The personnel officer shall disqualify any rater who was biased, did not follow either the content or the intent of the rating guide, or did not possess the required technical knowledge to evaluate the examination.
(7) Applicants must obtain ratings of "satisfactory ability" or higher on all of the essential job elements in an examination in order to pass that examination.
(8) Applicants must pass the final phase of an examination in order to be placed on an eligible list.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.06.150. 98-19-035, § 251-17-120, filed 9/10/98, effective 10/12/98. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-120, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-130 Application--Disqualification--Rejection. (1) The personnel officer may reject an application at any time during the examination process for good and sufficient reason(s).
(2) Whenever the personnel officer rejects an application, the applicant shall be given a written statement including:
(a) The specific reason(s) for the rejection; and
(b) Notification of the right of review per WAC 251-17-160 (1)(b); and
(c) His/her right of appeal per WAC 251-17-170 (1)(a).
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-130, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-150 Veterans scoring in examinations. (1) "Veteran" includes every person, who at the time he or she seeks the benefits of this section has received an honorable discharge or received a discharge for medical reasons with an honorable record, where applicable, and who has served in at least one of the following capacities:
(a) As a member in any branch of the armed forces of the United States, including the national guard and armed forces reserves, and has fulfilled his or her initial military service obligation;
(b) As a member of the women’s air forces service pilots;
(c) As a member of the armed forces reserves, national guard, or coast guard, and has been called into federal service by a presidential select reserve call up for at least one hundred eighty cumulative days;
(d) As a civil service crew member with service aboard a U.S. army transport service or U.S. naval transportation service vessel in oceangoing service from December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946; or
(e) As a member of the Philippine armed forces/scouts during the period of armed conflict from December 7, 1941, through August 15, 1945.
(2) Veterans who claim eligibility, submit the qualifying DD214 form, and meet the criteria specified in this section shall have added to their final passing scores:
(a) Ten percent of the final passing score for a veteran who served during a period of war or in an armed conflict as defined in RCW 41.04.005 and does not receive military retirement. The percentage shall be added until the veteran’s first appointment and shall not be utilized in promotional examinations.
(b) Five percent to a veteran who did not serve during a period of war or in an armed conflict as defined in RCW 41.04.005 or is receiving military retirement. The percentage shall be added to the final passing score. The percentage shall be added until the veteran’s first appointment and shall not be utilized in promotional examinations.
(c) Five percent of the final passing score for a veteran who was called from state employment to active military service for one or more years. The percentage shall be added to the first promotional examination only.
(3) The provisions in subsection (2) of this section may be claimed upon or anytime after release from active military service.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.06.150. 03-20-010, § 251-17-150, filed 9/19/03, effective 9/19/03; 02-15-052, § 251-17-150, filed 7/11/02, effective 9/1/02; 96-11-061, § 251-17-150, filed 5/10/96, effective 6/6/96. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-150, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-160 Examination results--Notification. The personnel officer shall:
(1) Give each applicant written notice of his/her examination results, normally within fifteen calendar days after the eligible list is established; and
(2) Inform each applicant that within fifteen calendar days of service of his/her notice, he/she may submit a request, in writing, of a review of the action by the personnel officer and of his/her subsequent appeal rights.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 93-01-158, § 251-17-160, filed 12/23/92, effective 2/1/93; 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-160, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-165 Institutional review--Notification. Within thirty calendar days after receiving a written request for review as provided in WAC 251-17-160(2), the personnel officer will give the applicant written notice of the results of the institutional review and of appeal rights as provided in WAC 251-17-170.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 93-01-158, § 251-17-165, filed 12/23/92, effective 2/1/93.]
WAC 251-17-170 Examination--Eligibility--Right of appeal. (1) A person shall have the right to appeal the following to the director:
(a) Rejection of his/her application; or
(b) The results of the institutional review; or
(c) The conduct of the examination process and/or his/her examination results; or
(d) Failure to restore his/her name to an eligible list following the institutional review process per WAC 251-18-200(4); or
(e) Removal of his/her name from an eligible list for reasons other than those specified in WAC 251-18-200(2).
(2) A person shall not have the right to appeal the decisions of employing officials regarding consideration and/or hiring of correctly certified candidates.
(3) Such appeal must be in writing and filed in the office of the director within thirty calendar days after either service of the results of the institutional review or the effective date of the action appealed. The director shall investigate the case and issue a determination.
(4) When the appellant is a classified employee, within thirty calendar days of the date of service of the determination to the appellant and the institution, either party may file written exceptions with the board detailing the specific items of the determination to which exception is taken. A hearing on the exceptions will be scheduled before the board which may limit argument to the exceptions or may rehear the case in its entirety.
(5) When the appellant is not a classified employee, the director's determination shall be final and binding.
(6) Any employee or employee representative may appeal an alleged failure to follow the provisions of WAC 251-17-010 (1) through (6) in accordance with WAC 251-12-075.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.06.150. 96-02-072, § 251-17-170, filed 1/3/96, effective 2/3/96. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 93-01-158, § 251-17-170, filed 12/23/92, effective 2/1/93; 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-170, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-180 Examination--Medical. Eligibles for employment or promotion shall take a medical examination if prescribed for the position to which appointment is sought. All eligibles must conform with medical regulations for state employment established by the Washington state board of health.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-180, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-190 Examinations--Records requirements. (1) The personnel officer shall maintain selection records as required by applicable federal, state, and local laws and institutional policies.
(2) The director shall maintain records of all current approvals given with regard to the selection process at each institution.
(3) Personnel officers shall maintain written records of all current approvals given with regard to the selection process at their institutions.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-190, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]
WAC 251-17-200 Modification of minimum qualifications. When a vacancy exists and reasonable recruiting efforts fail to establish an eligible list for the class, the personnel officer may request that the director modify the minimum qualifications for that recruiting cycle unless approval has been delegated to the personnel officer under WAC 251-04-060(3). On approval, the personnel officer shall initiate recruiting at the reduced minimum qualifications.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.06.150. 02-07-050, § 251-17-200, filed 3/14/02, effective 5/1/02; 95-19-099, § 251-17-200, filed 9/20/95, effective 11/1/95. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.16.100. 93-01-158, § 251-17-200, filed 12/23/92, effective 2/1/93; 88-02-018 (Order 165), § 251-17-200, filed 12/30/87, effective 2/1/88.]