EPP 61: Candidate Selection

I. Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance on the selection of candidates for open regular status positions within the County’s classified service. This policy applies to all departments and offices hiring for positions served by Human Resources unless otherwise specified or in conflict with an applicable bargaining agreement.

II. Authority

County Code 2.09.060 authorizes the County Administrator to draft administrative rules and implement operational policies.

III. General Policy

Clackamas County is committed to a fair candidate selection process to result in the retention of a well-qualified workforce. In accordance with state and federal law, the County is an equal opportunity employer.

The purposes and goals of the selection process are:

To provide a competitive system for filling vacant positions in the classified service with the best-qualified persons, based on job-related factors,
To provide equal employment opportunity to all job seekers,
To ensure that all selection procedures are valid, impartial, and free from personal and political considerations; and
To comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as applicable collective bargaining agreements.

IV. Definitions

Applicant: An individual who has submitted an application for a posted vacant position with the County via the approved application process.

Candidate: An individual who has applied for a vacant position and has been deemed to have met the minimum qualifications of the position for which they have applied.

Eligibility Register: A list of qualified candidates who have successfully completed the selection process for a position.

Applicant Tracking System (ATS): Online computer-based system used to track and manage applicants and candidates moving through the recruitment, selection, and hiring processes. This system is also used for applicants to view and apply for available vacant positions.

Hiring Authority: The individual in a position of management with the authority to make a hiring decision.

Reapplication and Retesting: The minimum amount of time an applicant must wait to reapply or retest for the same position.

V. Policy Guidelines

All vacant regular status positions in the County will be filled by persons who have demonstrated they are qualified through a recruitment and selection process in compliance with County policies, except as otherwise specified in this policy. See EPP 64 Recruitment Policy for more information on the County recruitment and selection process.

A. Selection Methods

Recruitment and Selection will determine appropriate selection methods for a vacant position in consultation with the hiring authority. In determining selection methods, Recruitment and Selection will consider required minimum qualifications and, if applicable, preferred qualifications.

Selection methods will consist of the evaluation of candidates’ experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the defined duties of the position. Any relevant skills or competencies, including technical, interpersonal, communication, and/or behavioral may be included in the evaluation.

All selection methods are subject to review by Human Resources for fairness and job-relatedness, in accordance with appropriate federal and state regulations and professional standards. A hiring authority may request that the Director of Human Resources or their designee review, a selection method for fairness, job relatedness, or another deficiency. The Director of Human Resources or their designee has ultimate authority to determine appropriate selection methods and/or materials and may cancel or modify any part of the selection process or materials which they determine are not job-related, unfair, unclear, or otherwise inappropriate.

Qualified veterans will be granted Veterans’ Preference in compliance with Oregon Revised Statutes 408.230. See EPP 43 Veterans’ Preference Points for details.

B. Application Screening

Hiring authorities are responsible for reviewing applications for vacant positions through the online Applicant Tracking System (ATS).

All applicants must apply through the ATS during the time period the position is posted to have their application considered for employment with the County.

Applicants who do not demonstrate possession of all required minimum qualifications for the position are not eligible to move further in the selection process. Their application will be inactivated, and their application will not receive further consideration.

Applicants who demonstrate all required minimum qualifications and any additional criteria used in the selection process for the position may be placed on an eligibility register for that position. See EPP 62 Eligibility Register for more information on use of the Eligibility Registers during the recruitment and selection process.

Recruiters will work with the hiring authority to determine which candidates will be selected for interviews and/or further skills testing, based on the posted job-related qualifications and their standing on the eligibility register, if applicable.

C. Interviewing

All candidates referred to the hiring authority for a department interview will be invited to interview. Refer to EPP 23 Candidate Interviewing for additional information.

D. Applicant Assessments

The County may use a variety of knowledge and skill assessments to evaluate applicants’ skills relevant to the minimum or preferred qualifications for positions. Assessment methods will assist departments with determining the most qualified candidate for the position. These may include, but are not limited to any of the following:

Typing skills test.
Proficiency testing for relevant computer software applications, data entry, proofreading, etc.
Scenario-based video and written tests.
Industry standard, position-specific testing, that may include multiple test modules and language proficiency testing (i.e., bilingual).

The same assessments and scoring methods must be used for all candidates at the same stage in the selection process. Candidates who fail an assessment will not be permitted to retake the assessment during the same recruitment process, but will be permitted to complete it again if the position is opened in the future for a new selection process.

The Recruiter may assist departments and offices with establishing procedures and practices for assessment. Recruitment and Selection will review, validate and approve all skills assessments to ensure they are relevant to the position. Skills assessments are typically administered by Recruitment and Selection.

A candidate may request previous test results be applied to a new position requiring testing so long as the tests are exactly the same. Testing results are good for up to twelve (12) months. This does not apply to pre-employment checks or bilingual testing.

Pre-employment checks, as applicable, would occur post-offer such as physical capacity test, driving record check, drug testing, and/or criminal background checks.

1. Applicant Objections to Written Tests

Applicants may submit to the Recruitment and Selection Manager an objection to any question or answer which they believe to be unfair or incorrect within three (3) working days of the applicant completing a written test. Such objections shall be made to the Director of Human Resources or their designee. Items may be deleted on the basis of administrative or clerical errors and valid objections of applicants, prior to computing scores on the test for the candidate. Any deletions shall be recorded along with the reason for the deletion. If the Director of Human Resources or their designee decides to remove a question or make an alteration to the answer key, such shall be applied to the scoring of all applicable tests.

E. Waiver of Selection Process

The selection process for a position may be suspended and an appointment made if a transition to probationary/regular employment from a specially funded program (for example, grant funded) is warranted, and the Director of Human Resources or their designee finds that a competitive recruitment is impractical. Such exception will be requested in writing by the hiring authority stating the reasons for the suspension of the selection procedures.

F. Candidate Communication

The hiring authority is responsible for ensuring communication is occurring with candidates throughout the selection process. Upon completion of the recruitment and selection process, all candidates must be notified of their status and that the recruitment process has been closed. Recruiters can assist with external candidate communication upon request.

G. Extending the Conditional Offer of Employment

Upon determining the final candidate for the position, the hiring authority is responsible for communicating that decision to their recruiter. The recruiter will work with the hiring authority to conduct a salary placement assessment in preparation for extending an offer of employment.

The hiring authority or their designee will verbally extend the conditional offer of employment. Recruiters can provide support and scripting resources for the verbal offer.

Upon acceptance of the verbal offer, it will be followed up with a written offer in accordance with EPP 29 Appointment Letter for New Employees.

H. Review of Selection Results or Procedures

Applicants may request to review their results within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date on

which the notice of results was sent. The selection materials of applicants are not open to inspection by the public or by other applicants except as provided by law. Results would be limited to that candidate and some information may be redacted to maintain the integrity of the recruitment process.

Requests for review may be made by any applicant to the Director of Human Resources or their designee, on any part or process of the selection procedure. The Director of Human Resources or their designee will review the circumstances surrounding the request and take appropriate administrative action to resolve any complaints.

I. Selection Process Appeals

Written appeals of a decision made by a hiring authority resulting from a claim of fraud or discrimination in a selection process may be made to the Director of Human Resources. Appeals to the Director of Human Resources must be submitted thirty (30) calendar days from the date the candidate was first informed of the determination.

J. Record Keeping

Recruitment and Selection will retain all records related to recruitments conducted through the ATS, as well as all County employment applications that are processed through Recruitment and Selection.

Applicant information will be retained and tracked in the ATS. Recruitment and Selection and hiring authority must accurately record and update the status of all candidates throughout the recruitment process utilizing this system.

K. Reapplication and Retesting

Applicants may be required to wait six (6) months before reapplying or retesting for the same position, or for a position with the same required minimum qualifications. Other restrictions may apply for failing pre-employment requirements and/or department-specific requirements.

V. Process and Procedures

A. Applicant Screening

Upon submission of an online application in the ATS, the hiring authority will review applications for employment passing the initial screening for required minimum qualifications and any additional screening criteria. The designated Recruiter may assist with this process with initial attention focused on screening for minimum qualifications for the position.
Applicants who do not meet all minimum qualifications for a position will be notified of the status of their application through the ATS by the assigned Recruiter.
Recruitment and Selection may establish eligibility lists for classified positions and will place applicants on the lists, as appropriate.
If there is a sufficient pool of applicants that meet all minimum qualifications for the position, the Recruiter and hiring authority will work together to prioritize the candidates based on how well they meet the qualifications. See EPP 62 Eligibility Register for details.
Veterans’ Preference points are applied and tracked by Human Resources.

B. Determining Job Offers

Upon receiving notification from a hiring authority of a candidate selected for a position, the assigned Recruiter will confirm relevant experience of the candidate for the position.
The Recruiter will then submit the information on the candidate’s experience to the Classification and Compensation Team for use in determining a salary offer, Classification and Compensation will provide an approved salary offer to the Recruiter and the hiring authority for use in extending the conditional job offer.

VII. Access to Policy

Access to this administrative policy shall be as follows:

Filed in the County’s policy management system.
Posted to the County’s internet.

VIII. Addenda

N/A

Actions on this Policy:
Original Policy effective date: 9/29/2026
Amended Policy effective dates:

Name of Policy: Candidate Selection
Policy Owner: Name Evelyn Minor-Lawrence
Policy Owner Position: Human Resources Director
Approved By: Gary Schmidt, County Administrator
Policy # EPP 61
Effective Date: 9/29/2026
Approved Date: 9/29/2026
Next Review Date: 9/27/2029