Policies and Procedures Section 6: Filling of Vacancies

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6.1 Equal Opportunity Employer (07-26-2023)

The County seeks to hire the best-qualified applicants available for each position vacancy, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions (including lactation), age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or military status, status as an organ donor, or any other characteristic protected by law (except where such is a bona fide occupational qualification).

6.2 Hiring and Promotion Practices

The Department of Human Resources is responsible for centralized hiring of all employees for the County. The Director of Human Resources will review all requests to fill vacant positions to determine the necessity, the type of recruitment process, and the appropriate method of attracting qualified applicants for the vacant or soon to be vacant position.

All posted position vacancies can be viewed online 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. For external applicants, vacancies are available at www.henricojobs.com. For internal applicants, vacancies are available through HRMS.

No person will be hired or promoted into a position unless that position is a funded vacant position and is classified by the Department of Human Resources. Final commitments on offering a job or promotion, beginning salary, and starting date are made by the Director of Human Resources or his designee.

Agencies needing to fill a position on a seasonal or hourly basis must follow the same process utilized to fill permanent positions.

  1. Testing: All tests administered, screening processes utilized, and selection devices used as a condition of employment or to aid in making a selection shall be approved by the Director of Human Resources prior to their use.
  2. Types of Recruitment: The Director of Human Resources, in collaboration with an agency head, will make the final determination on the type of recruitment effort to be conducted. The County Manager will make the final determination when a vacancy is to be filled for agency head or Deputy County Manager positions. Appropriate testing, advertising, and selection procedures will be followed, as determined by the Director of Human Resources in collaboration with the stakeholders of the position.
    1. Internal Recruitment: This permits only current County employees (full‐time or part‐time) in authorized positions to apply for an internal vacancy. Job postings for internal recruitment positions may be limited to incumbents of selected classes or positions, to specific agencies, or to specific work settings (see Section 6.3) as determined by the Director of Human Resources.
    2. External Recruitment: This allows any interested individual (including County employees) to apply for posted position vacancies according to normal procedures. Position announcements will be posted electronically (at henricojobs.com for external applicants and through HRMS for internal applicants) and may appear in other media instruments.

6.3 Role of the Director of Human Resources in Recruitment, Selection, Advancement, and Placement Activities

The Director of Human Resources will:

  1. Review all requests to fill vacant positions to determine the necessity, the type of recruitment effort (internal or external) needed, and the appropriate method of attracting qualified applicants.
  2. Be responsible for receiving, processing, and maintaining all applications for County employment.
  3. Determine the methods by which recruitment, selection, advancement, and placement are conducted.
  4. Determine prior to their use the proper testing and selection methods in evaluating candidates—both internal and external applicants.
  5. Determine if an individual meets the qualification requirements for the position. This applies to new hires, promotions, demotions, transfers, career development advancements, or administrative placements and includes a criminal history record check, when appropriate.

In addition, the Director of Human Resources has final authority for approving the selected candidate and may abandon a recruitment effort if, in his judgment, such action is deemed appropriate.

6.4 Procedures for Filling Vacant Positions

A vacant position is defined as any position for which funding exists and which is not presently occupied (or soon to be vacated).

  1. By approving a request to fill a vacant position and submitting the request to the Director of Human Resources, an agency head is certifying that the job description is accurate and up-to-date and that funds are available in the proper budget code and personnel complement for the position requested.
  2. The Director of Human Resources will review all requests to fill vacant positions.
  3. The Director of Human Resources, in collaboration with the agency, will refer those applicants who are determined to be the best qualified. The Department of Human Resources and the agency will work together to determine the best candidate.  The Director of Human Resources will make the final determination on which candidate will receive an offer of employment.
  4. After collaborating with agencies regarding recommendations for employment, the Director of Human Resources will determine the terms and conditions of employment, including rate of pay and eligibility for benefits, and will make the appropriate offer of employment.
  5. No appointments to a position will be made without adherence to the procedures outlined above.
  6. This procedure is subject to change per the County Manager’s directive (for example, hiring freeze).

6.5 Employment of Family and Friends (01-29-2020)

The circumstances under which a spouse, relative, or dependent of a current County employee may be employed are governed by the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act, Title 2.2, Chapter 31, of the Code of Virginia. Questions concerning the interpretation or application of this or any other provision of the Act should be directed to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney or the County Attorney. 

The County seeks to employ the most qualified individuals for all positions. As such, hiring managers and employees who are part of the selection process must disclose to the Director of Human Resources or her designee any relationship they have or have had with an applicant before an offer is made. Examples of the types of relationships that must be disclosed include, but are not limited to: dating or romantic relationships, roommates, relatives, and personal friendships developed outside of the County’s workplace. Once disclosed, Human Resources will take steps to ensure that the applicant is not given any unfair advantage due to the personal relationship.

6.6 Employment Date

Employment shall become effective as of the date on which the employee officially begins the performance of the duties of the position. This shall include New Employee Orientation and training. Effective dates shall be established at the beginning of a regular payperiod. Exceptions to this may be made only by the Director of Human Resources.

6.7 Probationary Status

All County employees must satisfactorily complete a 12‐month probationary period immediately following their initial employment or their re-employment. The Director of Human Resources may extend the probationary period for certain job categories, primarily in the areas of public safety. In addition, when warranted by unusual circumstances, the agency head may extend the probationary period for certain employees with the approval of the Director of Human Resources.

The probationary period should be used to train new employees and to determine whether the employee is suited for the job. While in probationary status, an employee has no expectation of continued employment with the County and the employee’s employment may be terminated at any time, with or without cause and without any recourse through the County’s grievance procedure.

At the end of the probationary period, the employee will be given a probationary evaluation. (Interim evaluations during the probationary period are encouraged but not required.) If the employee’s performance during the probationary period is less than acceptable, the probationary period may be extended by the agency head (with the approval of the Director of Human Resources) and the employee will be re‐evaluated. After a successful probationary evaluation, employees are evaluated at least annually.

6.8 Re-employment (11-9-2015)

When an employee separates and is subsequently employed again with the County, this is termed “re-employment.” If the employee has been gone longer than six (6) months from the effective date of his separation before being employed again, the re-employed person is treated as a new employee. If the employee has been gone for less than six (6) months from the effective date of his separation, the employee’s leave balances for which payment has not been made may be returned to the same level that existed immediately prior to the separation, and the employee’s service date is not affected by the separation.

6.9 Job Sharing

An agency head may recognize the need to fill one full‐time authorized position with more than one part‐time employee, as long as the total hours worked do not exceed the hours authorized for the single position. Although this arrangement in work schedules is allowable, the County’s needs must be considered first before an employee’s desires. In such cases, agency heads must request in writing approval from the Director of Human Resources for any job sharing arrangements.

6.10 Emergency Hiring

There may be instances where circumstances and conditions necessitate the hiring of personnel outside of the normal procedure for filling vacancies. Authority to hire on an emergency basis shall be requested of the Director of Human Resources. No employment under this provision can be committed prior to the approval of the Director of Human Resources. Commitments on offering the job, beginning salary, eligibility for benefits, and starting date are made only by the Director of Human Resources or his designee.

6.11 Procedure for Handling Transfers from Henrico County Public Schools to Henrico County General Government

The chart below applies only to employees who transfer from Schools with no break in service or who meet the criteria for re-employment in the County’s Policies and Procedures.  If a person is hired more than six (6) months after they have been taken off the payroll, it will be considered a new hire and treated as such.

From Schools To County Annual Leave Sick Leave Dates Benefits
Service Leave Accrual
Permanent Full‐time Full‐time 10/11 month: paid
12 month: transfer (pro‐rated by Schools)
Biweekly: transfer unless paid
Transfer balance unless paid by Schools upon retirement Retain Retain Cannot switch benefit options or elect other benefits outside of open enrollment.
Permanent Full‐time Part‐time Schools to pay pro‐rated share of balance. Adjust balance based on number hours worked. Adjust balance based on number hours worked. Retain Retain Same as above.
Permanent Part‐time Part‐time Transfer balance if not paid Transfer balance if not paid Retain Retain Same as above.
Permanent Temporary, hourly, or seasonal Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable
Temporary Full‐time or Part‐time Not applicable Not applicable Assign new date Assign new date Not applicable

ƒ Secondary employment approval is required for all County employees.

ƒ Pay will be handled in accordance with these Policies and Procedures (for example, transfer, demotion, and promotion).

If an employee changes from one assignment category to another, treatment of leave will be handled in accordance with Section 8 of these Policies and Procedures.

6.12 Temporary Employment Agencies

There may be times when a County agency needs additional staff for a short duration. If the County agency determines that this need can best be filled by a temporary employment agency, the County agency may place an order with the appropriate temporary agency under contract with the County for either clerical or industrial temporary help.

The job title requested must be under the existing County contract. If a job title requested is not covered by the existing contract, the County agency shall contact the Department of Human Resources for direction and assistance. Each County agency is to work directly with the temporary employment agency regarding timekeeping and billing. It is the responsibility of the agency head to ensure that funds are available and are in the proper budget accounts (account code 50230) at the time the request is made.

6.13 Higher Education Requirements

Where a college degree, coursework, credits, semester hours, or the like is required for a position; including hires, promotions, demotions, transfers, career development advancements, and placements; such degree, coursework, credits, semester hours, or a transcript must be provided from a college, university, or other formal education institution accredited by one of the accrediting associations recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

The County does not accept and does not recognize for any purpose (1) documents purchased over the Internet or elsewhere which claim to be degrees or transcripts, or (2) documents which claim to be degrees, transcripts, or other evidence of coursework, credits, semester hours, classes taken, or grades earned, or the like, produced or conferred by entities which claim to award degrees or transcripts to persons for “what they already know,” for “personal/work/life experience,” or on a similar or comparable basis.

6.14 Relocation (08-20-2020)

If a position is classified as “crucial”, the county may offer relocation allowances that are reasonable and customary for new employees moving to the Richmond Metro region for a position with Henrico County.

All requests must:

  1. Illustrate how the position meets the criteria to be deemed as “crucial”
  2. Explain why the requested amount is needed and show how Moving & Relocation assistance is essential for the employee to accept the position.
  3. Provide details regarding the impact on the agency if approval is denied.

Taxes will be withheld from the relocating employee’s paycheck for relocation expenses reimbursed, if are determined to be taxable under the IRS code. (See IRS Publication 521)

Relocation allowances must be reviewed by the Director of Human Resources and approved by the County Manager.

In addition to the above policy, the following also applies:

  1. Human Resources will ask for justification as to why the position is deemed “crucial”.
  2. A maximum of $10,000 is the limit for relocation allowances.
  3. Relocation allowances may include, but are not limited to, expenses for flights, food, moving companies, moving trucks and temporary housing.
  4. When submitting new hire paperwork, including the HR Director review and approval by the County Manager of relocation expenses, departments must ask Human Resources to include the relocation tax statement in the offer letter.
  5. A copy of the signed offer letter will be submitted to payroll to track expenses (for tax purposes).
  6. The employee will be required to provide appropriate documentation and/or receipts to receive reimbursement.

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