MRSC Insight Blog

Posts for Recruitment and Hiring

Hiring Staff: Roles of Mayor/Manager Versus the City/Town Council

January 16, 2024 by Jill Dvorkin
Category: Administrative and Elected Officials , Recruitment and Hiring

When hiring staff in cities or towns, what role does the council play? What role does the mayor (or manager) play? To make the best hiring decisions, the legislative and executive branches should work cooperatively and limit activities to their respective statutory roles.

An ethnically diverse group of young professionals in an office

Boosting Retention Among Gen Z and Millennials in the Local Government Workforce

November 14, 2023 by Alicia Bones
Category: Compensation , Recruitment and Hiring

Government agencies looking to boost retention among younger employees should consider improving their compensation packages, offering more flexibility, regularly highlighting employee contributions, and developing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

New Legal Requirements for Job Postings

January 17, 2023 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Compensation , Recruitment and Hiring

Beginning January 1, 2023, public and private employers in Washington State with 15 or more employees are now required to include compensation and benefits information in job postings.

Recruiting for Local Government Positions

May 23, 2022 by Flannary Collins
Category: Recruitment and Hiring

Many employers are finding employee recruitment challenging. This blog explores some out-of-the-box approaches to attracting new talent, from signing and referral bonuses, telecommute options and other incentives, as well as what to consider if you hire out-of-state staff.

You Can’t Ask That! Pop Quiz on Preemployment Inquiries

October 4, 2021 by Sarah Doar
Category: Recruitment and Hiring

Do you know what questions you can and cannot ask job applicants in Washington State? Let’s find out with this pop quiz!

Bringing the Family to Work

April 19, 2021 by Jill Dvorkin
Category: Recruitment and Hiring , Ethics and Conflicts of Interest

This blog looks at nepotism and how it applies to local governments.

New Legislation Expands Washington’s Anti-Discrimination Law

June 11, 2020 by Sarah Doar
Category: Recruitment and Hiring , New Legislation and Regulations

This blog post reviews new laws, passed during the 2020 legislative session, that expand the state's anti-discrimination law to prohibit racial discrimination on the basis of hair and discrimination on the basis of citizenship status.

New Workplace Protections for Washington Public Employees

July 22, 2019 by Sarah Doar
Category: Recruitment and Hiring , New Legislation and Regulations

With recent changes in statutes and caselaw, now is a good time for Washington State public employers to review their personnel policies and ensure that they are up to date.

Nothing but a Number: Age-Based Employment Discrimination After Mount Lemmon

January 3, 2019 by Sarah Doar
Category: Recruitment and Hiring , Termination and Retirement

The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Mount Lemmon held that all local governments, including those with less than 20 employees, are subject to the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). How does that impact local governments in Washington?

New Limits on Use of Criminal Background Checks During the Hiring Process

May 1, 2018 by Summit Law Group
Category: Guest Author , Recruitment and Hiring , New Legislation and Regulations

Under the new Washington Fair Chance Act, an employer may only ask about a person’s arrest or conviction history once the employer has made the initial determination that the applicant is qualified.

Interview Tips

August 30, 2017 by Marci Wright
Category: Guest Author , Recruitment and Hiring

Employee hiring involves some of the most important decisions a manager will make. HR Consultant Marci Wright looks at ways employers can develop and implement effective interview questions and techniques.

Hiring the Right Person: The Art of the Reference Check

September 3, 2015 by Marci Wright
Category: Guest Author , Recruitment and Hiring

Reference checks are essential in any hiring process and should almost always be done. 30-year HR veteran Marci Wright offers some tips and tricks for getting them most out of your reference checks.

Hiring the Right Person: The Interview

July 10, 2015 by Marci Wright
Category: Guest Author , Recruitment and Hiring

Tips and strategies for making your interview process a success.

Hiring the Right Person: Screening Your Applicant Pool

April 29, 2015 by Marci Wright
Category: Guest Author , Recruitment and Hiring

You are a busy manager trying to fill a vacant position. You've advertised the job and received applications. How should you screen the applicants?

Confirmation of Mayoral Appointments (and Terminations) by City or Town Council – Is that OK?

March 25, 2015 by Pat Mason
Category: Classification , Recruitment and Hiring

In mayor-council cities and towns, the mayor is generally in charge of the hiring and firing of all appointed officers and employees. But can the city or town council require that the council confirm mayoral appointments before they become effective?

Hiring the Right Person: Getting The Job “On the Street”

March 18, 2015 by Marci Wright
Category: Guest Author , Recruitment and Hiring

You are ready to actively begin your recruitment process. Here are a series of questions to help you focus the recruitment.

Hiring the Right Person: Getting Started

February 17, 2015 by Marci Wright
Category: Guest Author , Recruitment and Hiring

Vacancies often occur with little notice and at a bad time. As busy as you are, you lack time and energy to devote to an unexpected, time-consuming recruitment and selection process. You need to refill this job as soon as possible. But, as busy as you are, a wise manager will spend a little time thinking about the vacant position and the process requirements before rushing to hire a new employee.

Hiring the Right Person: An Overview

January 16, 2015 by Marci Wright
Category: Guest Author , Recruitment and Hiring

For most managers, the most important decisions you make are hiring decisions. Unfortunately many managers make a common mistake in their approach to hiring that results in making a poor choice.

Use of Social Networking in Employment Decisions

July 5, 2013 by Paul Sullivan
Category: Recruitment and Hiring

Legislation has been enacted that will prohibit an employer's ability to require that job applicants and current employees provide social media passwords or other account information as a condition of employment or continued employment. The legislation, chapter 330, Laws of 2013, goes into effect July 28, 2013.
Here is an excerpt from the Final Bill Report for the legislation:

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