Manitoba Civil Service Commission
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2.1.1. Selection Criteria
Policy
Selection criteria are the reasonable and bona fide requirements for the safe, efficient and effective performance of assigned work.
Questions And Answers
- What are selection criteria?
- What is the difference between essential criteria and preferred criteria?
- When are selection criteria required?
- Who determines selection criteria?
- How are selection criteria used in the staffing process?
- How do selection criteria differ from screening criteria?
- How is Employment Equity factored into staffing?
Questions And Answers
1. What are selection criteria?
Selection criteria are the organization's reasonable and bona fide occupational requirements to ensure that work is performed safely, efficiently and effectively. They are the needs of the organization articulated in terms of an individual's set of competencies, not limited to:
- qualifications
- knowledge
- skills
- experience
- abilities
- personal attributes
The staffing principles of merit, equity and fairness must guide the manager in developing selection criteria. Selection criteria are measurable and include both essential and preferred criteria.
2. What is the difference between essential criteria and preferred criteria?
An essential criterion is a requirement which must be met. It is established by the employer in good faith that it is critical to the safe and efficient performance of the position duties, and in the sincerely held belief that persons without this requirement would not be able to perform the functions of the position to the minimum standards required.
A preferred criterion refers to a qualification which is desirable but which is not critical.
The relative importance of the criteria is reflected in the weights assigned to each criterion.
3. When are selection criteria required?
Every staffing action, including direct appointments, must be based on selection criteria.
4. Who determines selection criteria?
Managers, in consultation with Human Resources, determine selection criteria.
5. How are selection criteria used in the staffing process?
Selection criteria are used for many purposes in the staffing process:
- to develop screening criteria
- to prepare the employment notice
- to design assessment methods
- for rating and ranking candidates
- to guide the selection board in making an objective selection decision
- to conduct reference checks
- to provide reasons for non-selection to candidates.
6. How do selection criteria differ from screening criteria?
Screening criteria are drawn from the selection criteria. Screening criteria include the minimum requirements relative to experience, education, training and technical skills that can be discerned from a review of the candidates' resumes and applications. See also Screening Policy, 2.3.1.
7. How is Employment Equity factored into staffing?
Achieving a representative workforce is an organizational need and therefore Employment Equity is a bona fide selection criterion where one or more of the designated groups are under-represented in the relevant level, class, series or occupation in the department and in government.
If the selection criterion states that preference or designated will be given to one or several designated groups, Employment Equity is used as a screening criterion.
The Employment Equity selection criterion id weighted to make a difference. The weight should reflect the organization's need for a diverse and representative workforce. Employment Equity is a bona fide organizational need and shall be weighted equal to the highest weighted essential criterion. See also Employment Equity in Staffing, 2.1.3.
Comment Boxes
| Bona Fide Occupational Requirements | A bona fide occupational requirement is a limitation that is imposed in good faith and in the genuine belief that such a limitation is necessary to ensure safe and efficient work performance. A requirement regulated by statute is considered bona fide. |
| Designated | Defined in Employment Equity in Staffing 2.1.3 |
| Designated groups | Defined in Employment Equity Policy 1.5.0 |
| Measurable | Each candidate is assessed against each criterion to assess the degree to which the candidate meets each criteria. The process of measuring the degree to which a candidate meets each criterion is called rating. See also Rating and Ranking Policy 2.4.1 |
| Merit, Equity & Fairness | Defined in Staffing Principles 2.0 |
| Needs of the organization | Defined in Staffing Principles 2.0 |
| Preference | Defined in Employment Equity in Staffing 2.1.3 |
| Reasonable | Defined in Overview 0.2 |
Authority
- Civil Service Act 13(1), (2)
- Civil Service Regulation 9(3)
- The Manitoba Human Rights Code 13(1), 14(1)(2)
- Civil Service Commission. Minute CSC 14-96/97-12
- Civil Service Commission Board. Minute CSC 29-03/04-1
Effective date: March 2, 2004
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