Application in practice of recruitment procedures for civil service positions

Interviews are conducted with the central co-ordination unit, and the following data is analysed: • The ten most recent examples of recruitment files (including all documents related to the recruitment process, from announcement to appointment) in the latest full calendar year (two files from five selected institutions); • A central annual staffing plan for the latest full calendar year or, if not available, five staffing plans provided by five selected public institutions; • Supporting materials for selection committee members. The situation is analysed for five central government bodies, which include two ministries (the same in all assessed countries) and the three other central government bodies with the highest number of civil servants reporting to the government, CoM or the prime minister. Quantitative data: • The number of civil service positions filled without competition in the latest full calendar year. Data relates to central government administration only. No points are allocated based on this calculation, but a high value would indicate that the principle of competitive access to civil service is not ensured; • Assessors also examine statistical data (the number of appeals and results of appeals). If there are separate provisions regulating the senior civil service, they are not assessed under this sub-indicator. Acceptable evidence that uniform and professional recruitment practices were proactively supported is defined as official documentation that e.g. training courses, workshops and/or networking events were organised for the members of selection committees and recruiters in civil service organisations, and supporting materials were made available. The only exceptions allowed to the for appointment of the first-ranked candidates are if the second-ranked candidate was appointed because the first-ranked candidates resigned or when discriminated groups are privileged in line with EU Directive 2000/78/EC). Points are awarded for each of the following 12 criteria (total of 18 points).

Criteria fulfilled: 12/12

Yes
No
No data available / not assessed
An annual staffing plan exists for the civil service (or it exists in all analysed institutions), and there is evidence that it is centrally co-ordinated (2 points)
Job announcements contain requirements based on legislation and job descriptions (the general requirements are in line with requirements set by the legislation and the specific requirements are in line with the job description) (2 points, if the requirements are well aligned in all files analysed)
Additional requirements contained in job descriptions are aligned with tasks performed in the position in question (2 points, if the additional requirements are aligned with tasks performed in all files analysed)
The deadline to submit applications is defined as at least ten working days from the date an opening is announced (1 point, if this is the case in all files analysed)
All civil service announcements are accessible on the single web portal (1 point)
The single web portal that announces all civil service vacancies is user-friendly: it offers the possibility to filter vacancies or subscribe to new announcements (1 point)
No members of selection committees are political appointees, and political appointees do not choose the members of selection committees (1 point if this is the case in all files analysed)
There is evidence that uniform and professional recruitment practices were proactively supported (2 points)
Selection included both written and oral examinations (in the form of structured interviews) (2 points if this is the case in all cases analysed)
Written testing was anonymised (1 point if this was the case in at least half of the cases analysed)
First-ranked candidates were appointed (2 points if the first-ranked candidate was appointed in all cases analysed). In pool recruitments, it is ensured that the best-ranked candidates are appointed
There is statistical data available for the assessment year (number of appeals and results of appeals) on appeals of recruitment decisions (1 point)