HR 1.50 - Verification of Credentials
Responsible Office(s): Human Resources                                                                          Effective: April 1, 1987

A.    Purpose.

Establishes procedures to be followed in verifying the credentials for employment applicants and existing UNCW employees.

B.   Scope.

Applies to:

1.    Applicants filing an Application for Employment (Form PD-107) with the university
       for SPA positions regardless of whether the positions applied for require specific
      education, registration, or licensing.
2.    Existing SPA employees, regardless of date hired.

C.    Policy.

1. General. Employment in state government is viewed as a position of trust and carries with it a responsibility to the citizenry, who bear the cost. State employees must be of high integrity and be, in fact, all that they represent themselves to be. Many positions in state government have specific professional or educational requirements that all job applicants must meet to receive employment or appointment consideration.

Pre-employment screening and verification of credentials of applicants is a normal employment function and is vital to the university's credibility. The state's personnel policy places this responsibility on the university.

Human Resources is responsible for investigating the accuracy of statements contained in the individual's application that relate to the applicant's suitability or eligibility for the job to be performed and is accountable for gathering all such documentation.

2.    Application for Employment.
Form PD-107 is the official application for employment and can be obtained from Human Resources. Applicants must certify the accuracy of data recorded by signing the application. Further, applicants authorize the verification of credentials and acknowledge their understanding that false information may be grounds for rejection of their application or dismissal if employed. Unsigned applications will not be processed.

3. Credentials to be Verified and Method of Verification.

     a.    The highest educational degree claimed and professional credentials related to the position will be verified.

     b.    To assure the integrity of the data provided, verification of education and professional credentials must be obtained directly from the issuing source (generally in written form). Diplomas and other documents will not be accepted from the applicant in lieu of direct confirmation. In positions where registration or specific licenses are required, this information will be verified for authenticity.

4.    Rejection of Applicants.

     a.    Falsification of data by an applicant on Form PD-107 will result on the automatic rejection of the applicant for the position for which applied.

     b.    Such rejection will not bar an individual from applying for other positions which may subsequently become available, provided a new application with accurate data is filed.

5. Discipline of Employees.

     a. Falsification of data which is later discovered on the application from which the hiring decision was made will result on one of the following formal disciplinary actions. (See Procedure HR 6.10 for additional disciplinary information.)

(1)   Formal written reprimand
(2)   Reduction in salary
(3)   Demotion
(4)   Dismissal

     b.    University management shall assess the severity of the case to determine the type of action to follow. Some issues considered in determining the level of discipline include:

(1)   Sensitivity of the employee's position to the university's mission.
(2)   Effect of the false information on the hiring decision or the advantage gained by
        the employee over other applicants.
(3)   Effect of the false information on the starting salary.
(4)   Advantage gained by the employee in subsequent promotion and salary
        increases.
(5)   Effect of the false information on the management or operations of the hiring
       department.

This decision may not be based on an employee's race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, handicapped condition, or political affiliation.

     c.    An employee who is dismissed under the above criteria must be given a pre-dismissal hearing as established under the university's disciplinary procedure (See HR 6.10). If the employee has sufficient service for entitlement to an appeal, the employee shall be advised in writing of these rights, along with the specific reasons for dismissal.

D.    Procedures.

1.    Verification of Credentials.
University management may choose one of the following three options for verification of credentials, when making a hiring commitment.

     - Option 1.    When a vacant position is to be filled which requires specific education, registration, or licensing requirements, university management may decide to proceed with a hiring commitment prior to verifying the necessary credentials. However, such information must be authenticated before the end of the probationary period. While this option will prevent slowing of the hiring process, employees may not be granted permanent status until credentials have been verified.

     - Option 2.    Hiring authorities may wish to have the credentials of individuals selected for an interview verified prior to making a final decision. This option may be viewed as part of the screening process used to select the most qualified candidate.

     - Option 3.    Hiring authorities may wish to delay filling a position until verification of the top candidate's credentials have been received by Human Resources.

2.    Falsification of Credentials.
If Human Resources ascertains that credentials have been falsified, the hiring authority will be notified and appropriate action as outlined in this policy and the University's Disciplinary Policy (HR 6.10) should be initiated.