Hiring controls are staffing reduction strategies that involve holding vacancies open when incumbents leave.

When implementing hiring controls, consider:

Workforce planning is grounded in its contribution to organizational performance. It provides management with a way to align the workforce with the business plan, and address current and future workforce issues. Workforce planning helps employers better:

While employees experience many types of performance issues, most fall into one of three categories:

• Productivity (failure to meet timelines, quality standards, or production targets).
• Attendance (failure to come into work, coming in late, or leaving early).
• Conduct (failure to meet behavioral standards).

Performance usually becomes an issue when there is a pattern of unmet expectations. However, a single incident may be severe enough to merit disciplinary action.

• Begin with a strong performance plan. Include clear performance measures and update plans throughout the year as things change. 
• Provide ongoing feedback. Ongoing feedback eliminates surprises in the evaluation, helps supervisors focus on supporting employees, and gives employees time to improve performance.
• Identify key issues/themes that need to be discussed. Give employees a draft evaluation with enough time to review and come prepared to the evaluation conference.

Interim reviews give supervisors opportunities to:

Reports

• Statewide HR Management Reports
• State Salary Survey
• Washington State Employee Survey

Resource links - data/information

• CareerBridge

This information applies to nonrepresented employees. Employers should consult the Collective Bargaining Agreements or contact labor.relations@ofm.wa.gov for specific questions concerning represented employees.

The purpose of the review period is to ensure that the employee can successfully perform the position's duties. An employer may require a six-month transition review period for any Washington general service employee hired as a layoff option or off a layoff list or the General Government Transition Pool (GGTP). Employers may not require a review period when the employee is hired into a comparable position with the same job duties.

An employment retention rating is the basis for determining a nonrepresented employee's layoff options.

The rating is determined using seniority as calculated in WAC 357-46-055 for general government employees, and WAC 357-46-053 for higher education employees.

This information primarily applies to nonrepresented employees. Employers should consult the Collective Bargaining Agreements and Labor Relations for specific questions concerning represented employees.