2000-01-24                     Senate Journal                      Page 2055
SB 221                                                                       
SENATE BILL NO. 221 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                              
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                          
                                                                               
An Act relating to recruitment, selection,                                    
appointment, and promotion of state employees and                              
the duties of the Department of Administration                                 
concerning those and other related functions; and                              
providing for an effective date.                                               
                                                                               
was read the first time and referred to the Labor and Commerce and             
Finance Committees.                                                            
                                                                               
Zero fiscal note published today from Department of Administration.            
                                                                               
Governors transmittal letter dated January 21:                                 
                                                                               
Dear President Pearce:                                                         
                                                                               
Workplace Alaska, the state's new, highly successful system for                
hiring, has won national awards for outstanding innovation. It is time         
to put this pilot program into state law.                                      
                                                                               
This bill I transmit today amends various sections of the State                
Personnel Act to integrate Workplace Alaska as an on-line                      
recruitment, application, and hiring process for positions in the              
classified service.                                                            
                                                                               
Workplace Alaska replaces the time-consuming old system of                     
eligibility lists and examinations, which could cause a single hire to         
take as much as several months to complete. Under this new                     
program, an applicant maintains a single resume on-line that can be            
used for any vacancy advertised.                                               
                                                                               
The new hiring process follows these steps:                                    
	Hiring manager completes an on-line vacancy announcement;                    
	Agency reviews and approves the job announcement;                            
	Division of Personnel posts the announcement on the                          
Internet;                                                                      
	Job seekers complete a one-time applicant profile (resume);                  

2000-01-24                     Senate Journal                      Page 2056
SB 221                                                                       
	Job seekers access job postings over the Internet and view                   
individual vacancies;                                                          
	Job seekers file a job qualification summary form for each                   
vacancy of interest, attaching the applicant profile;                          
	Hiring manager reviews all submitted job qualification                       
summaries and profiles, conducts interviews, reference                         
checks, and selects an individual for the position;                            
	Agency approves the appointment.                                             
                                                                               
Workplace Alaska is an advantage to hiring managers as well as to              
applicants. It results in faster hires, a better-qualified pool of             
candidates who are interested in specific vacancies, and up-to-date            
applicant and vacancy information.                                             
                                                                               
The bill establishes a system to continue honoring preference for              
veterans, prisoners of war and members of the Alaska National                  
Guard. It also provides authority for the personnel board to adopt             
necessary implementing regulation changes.                                     
                                                                               
Workplace Alaska has proven to be a vast improvement in the state's            
hiring process. I urge your prompt and favorable action on this                
measure.                                                                       
                                                                               
					Sincerely,                                                                
					/s/	                                                                      
					Tony Knowles                                                              
					Governor