RPA Process

(Revised: 01/2021)

Definition

A Request for Personnel Action (RPA) is a package of documents submitted to the Department of General Services (DGS) Office of Human Resources (OHR) Classification and Pay (C&P) Unit to initiate a personnel-related transaction. RPAs fall into two categories - recruitment and non-recruitment. Recruitment RPAs require advertisement and are used to fill a vacancy. Non-recruitment RPAs are used to make changes to existing positions or make organizational changes. Non-recruitment RPAs can be, but are not limited to, any of the following:

  • Existing employee miscellaneous changes.
  • Limited-Term (LT) or Training & Development (T&D) assignments to permanent full-time tenure changes.
  • Limited Examination and Appointment Program (LEAP) transitions.
  • Existing employee moves from blanket to coded positions.
  • Promotions-in-Place (PIP).
  • Staff re-assignments or re-organizations.
  • Mandatory employee placement or reinstatements.

Policy

It is the policy of DGS that an RPA package is required for all personnel-related actions except modification to work schedules (unless the classification is subject to Post and Bid [P&B]) or separations.

It is also the policy of DGS to retain RPA documentation pursuant to the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 2, Section 26, which states retention of all RPA documents is required for a minimum of five (5) years.

Process

Depending on the needs of the program, the Employee Resource Liaison (ERL) submits a complete RPA package to their assigned C&P Analyst. For details on what a complete RPA package includes, please reference the Hiring Toolkit. For recruitment RPAs, the C&P Analyst has seven (7) calendar days from date of submission in the RPA Tracker or in the Activity Based Management System (ABMS) to review the RPA package.

RPA Tracker - or Tracker - is the tracking and communication system utilized by OHR to coincide with ABMS on all recruitment RPAs. Tracker was developed as part of a 2016 Lean Six Sigma project to reduce the time it takes DGS to make a hire. It records the timestamps for each step of the hiring process to ensure DGS programs and OHR are adhering to, and completing each task, within the appropriate timeframes.

Tracker is mandatory for all recruitment RPAs. If an RPA is submitted in Tracker, the RPA will also need to be submitted in ABMS. For non-recruitment RPAs, only ABMS is used for the submission of the RPA. The C&P Analyst reviews the RPA package for completeness, allocation specifications, business need, and ensures the request adheres to applicable laws, rules, regulations, and policies.

Upon completion of the RPA package review, the C&P Analyst submits the completed RPA package for C&P management approval or for advertisement. If the RPA is approved and does not require advertisement, the RPA will be routed to the appropriate OHR unit to complete the RPA. If an RPA is advertised, the RPA is routed in Tracker to Program for Hiring Phase until a candidate is selected. Once a candidate is selected, program, C&P, and the Certification (Cert) Unit will work to complete the RPA and route the transaction to the Personnel Transactions Unit (PTU) for completion.

Note: If the RPA package is missing any required information, documents, or if there are questions regarding the submission, the C&P Analyst may release the RPA back to the program. The C&P Analyst will provide an explanation for the return and request the program resubmit the RPA with the missing information and or documents attached. It is suggested that the RPA be returned as soon as possible to prevent any further delays in fulfilling the request.

Duration

The hiring process for a recruitment RPA requiring advertisement is forty-five (45) calendar days. The hiring process timeline is designed based on initial submission of a complete RPA package. The duration of an RPA will be impacted if the RPA is submitted to C&P incomplete (i.e. missing pertinent details, documents, and any other special requirements).

Non-recruitment RPA timelines vary depending on the nature of the request. Upon submission of the non-recruitment RPA, please contact your C&P Analyst for an estimated timeline.

The Hiring Toolkit was developed to provide DGS Hiring Managers and ERLs the resources to successfully collect and prepare required RPA documents for submittal to OHR in order to minimize potential delays of RPAs.

Procedure

The following chart outlines the procedure to initiate the RPA process:

 

Step  Action
1

Program

  • The ERL submits a complete RPA package in the RPA Tracker and in ABMS to C&P for approval. The ERL would select the RPA Tracker status to reflect “Submit to C&P Analyst (OHR).”

If the RPA does not require recruitment, the RPA will only be submitted in ABMS. For details on the requirements for each RPA package, please reference the ERL Checklist.
2

C&P Analyst

  • Reviews the RPA and submits it for C&P Manager approval or returns it to program within seven (7) calendar days.
    • The RPA Tracker status should reflect “C&P Working (OHR)” as soon as the C&P Analyst begins reviewing the RPA.
  • If the package is missing any required information, documents, or there are discrepancies regarding the submission, the C&P Analyst will return the RPA back to the Program to respond and resolve the analysts concerns.
  • When the RPA needs to be returned to program, the Tracker status will reflect “RPA Returned (Program).”
3

C&P Manager

  • Reviews the RPA Package and approves and submits the RPA for advertisement or returns the package back to the C&P Analyst for further review within two (2) calendar days.
    • RPA Tracker status should reflect “C&P Manager Initial Review(OHR).”
  • For non-recruitment RPAs, the C&P Manager will communicate approval to the C&P Analyst. For non-recruitment RPAs, please skip to step 10.
  • If the RPA is a request for a blanket position or the maximum salary amount for the proposed class is over the salary maximum threshold outlined by Department of Finance (DOF), DOF approval is required in order to proceed.
    • RPA Tracker status should reflect “PTU Package for OFS(OHR).”
4

Certification Unit

  • Advertises the position within one (1) calendar day.
    • RPA Tracker status should reflect “Approved - Submit for Advertising (OHR).”
  • Sends an email with the names of SROA/Surplus/Reemployment candidates on the certification list to the ERL (if applicable).
5

Program

  • Begins the Hiring Phase, which is thirty (30) calendar days.
    • The RPA Tracker status should reflect “Hiring Phase(Program).”
  • Clears SROA by reviewing all applications and looking for candidates who indicated that they are SROA.
    • Checking for Super SROA /SROA candidates is mandatory. For Bargaining Unit (BU) 15, SROA and SROA surplus must be cleared prior to selecting a P&B candidate (if applicable). Before a hiring manager can proceed with considering candidates with other forms of eligibility, they must document the clearance of SROA/Surplus/Reemployment and Super SROA candidates.
  • Consider P&B.
    • All P&B classifications identified in BU 12, 13, and 15, that are vacant, for specified reasons, shall be filled subject to P&B. Please refer to the P&B POM for more information.
  • ERL communicates that SROA has been cleared by checking the SROA box in the RPA Tracker.
  • Hiring Manager conducts interviews and is responsible for retaining all required interview notes and questions. Please reference the Hiring Handbook for a complete list of required document to be retained.
  • Performs reference checks, including a review of the candidate's Official Personnel File (OPF) if candidates are current or former State employees.
  • The ERL submits final eligibility verification (eSheet) via the RPA Tracker to the Exam’s Unit that includes candidates identified for hire, an eRPA checklist and all additional hiring process documents.
    • The RPA Tracker status should reflect “Submit Candidates for Final Eligibility Review (OHR).”
6

Exams Analyst

  • Completes their minimum qualification (MQ) determination within two (2) calendar days and uploads the eSheet to the RPA Tracker.
  • Routes the RPA in Tracker to the Exams Manager for final review.
    • The RPA Tracker status should reflect “Exams Manager Final Review (OHR).”
7

Exams Manager

  • Reviews the determination and approves or returns to Exams Analyst within one (1) calendar day.
  • Routes the RPA in Tracker to the C&P Analyst for final review.
    • The RPA Tracker status should reflect “C&P Analyst Final Review (OHR).”
8

C&P Analyst

  • Conducts a final review of the RPA within one (1) calendar day.
  • Evaluates and indicates if candidates that were submitted by program on the eSheet are transfer eligible.
  • Routes the RPA to the C&P Manager final review.
    • The RPA Tracker status should be updated to reflect “C&P Manager Final Review (OHR).”
9

C&P Manager

  • Reviews the RPA and routes it back to C&P Analyst if incomplete or routes the RPA to program for candidate selection within one (1)calendar day.
    • If approved, the RPA Tracker status is updated to reflect "Final Eligibility Determined (Program).”
10

Program

  • Makes an offer to the selected candidate, who is listed as eligible on the eSheet, and provides an offer letter.
    • A conditional offer must be made if the position requires medical and/or background clearance.
  • If the offer is accepted, the ERL provides the C&P Analyst with an effective date for the hire and routes the RPA back to the C&P Analyst in the RPA Tracker.
    • The RPA Tracker status is updated to reflect “RPA Finalization(OHR).”
11

C&P Analyst

  • Enters required and applicable RPA information in ABMS then routes the RPA in ABMS to the Cert Unit to clear the employee off the CERT list (if list-appointed).
  • Routes the RPA to PTU to complete the RPA transaction.
    • The RPA Tracker status is updated to reflect “RPA Complete "once the transaction has been keyed.
  • Non-recruitment RPAs will be routed to Certs and/or PTU units depending on the RPA to complete the RPA process in ABMS.

Resources

California Code of Regulations Section

Other Reference Materials

Responsible Control Agency