Nondiscrimination in Hiring Practices
Ensign College is an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate in its hiring practices on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, disability, genetic information, economic status, or veteran's status. As an educational institution owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ensign College gives lawful hiring preference to qualified, faithful members of the Church who are in good standing.
At Will Employment
The employment relationship between Ensign College and its employees exists at the will of either party, employer or employee, and may be terminated at any time and for any cause whatsoever or no cause, other than for reasons prohibited by law. In addition, no employee or officer of the college, other than one authorized in writing by the president, may make a commitment to a person for employment in an employment position for a specified period of time or contrary to the college’s policy of at-will employment. Those who act in a manner inconsistent with the college’s at-will policy are not authorized to do so. Employees may not rely on an oral or implied-in-fact contract.
Recruitment and Selection of Full-Time Employees
Generally, when a full-time position becomes vacant at the college, a job announcement will be advertised for a minimum of two weeks in an effort to recruit highly qualified job candidates. Exceptions to this practice may include (1) hiring for executive and director-level positions, (2) a promotion or lateral transfer when a current Ensign College employee is deemed suitable to fill a vacancy, (3) hiring for positions lasting two weeks or less, and (4) as otherwise determined by the college president.
When screening job applicants for full-time positions, hiring managers are encouraged to form a selection committee that is comprised of three to five people all of whom must be permanent, full-time employees with relevant background, experience, and judgment. A representative of Human Resources should be included in the selection committee. Any exception to this selection committee description must be approved by the college president. Only applicants who have been cleared pursuant to a pre-hire ecclesiastical clearance or college standards compliance verification, as applicable, may be interviewed by the selection committee or otherwise considered for employment. See Ecclesiastical Conditions of Employment and College Standards Policy.
The selection committee makes a recommendation to the hiring manager of candidates it determines to be suitable for the relevant job vacancy. The hiring manager will then select a finalist and submit to the college president for final approval. In doing so, the hiring manager takes the committee’s recommendation into consideration but is not bound by its recommendation. The college president may, at the president’s discretion, conduct a final interview with the finalist job candidate(s) before an offer of employment is extended. The college president retains absolute discretion in hiring decisions. The selection committee may be disbanded at any time if a suitable candidate is identified through other means. The vice president of academic affairs may implement additional procedures and practices related to the screening and selection of full-time faculty.
Relocation Assistance for Full-Time Employees
If an offer of full-time employment is extended to a candidate who resides more than 75 miles away from the college campus, relocation assistance up to $10,000 may be provided. An employee who receives this benefit and leaves employment voluntarily at Ensign College within one year of starting employment at the college will be required to repay the total financial benefit, subject to review by Human Resources.
In all cases, the relocation assistance will be disbursed in the form of a reimbursement for qualified expenses, and will be taxed as a fringe benefit. Employees must provide receipts or invoices for expenses to be reimbursed. After all eligible reimbursement expenses have been incurred, any remaining balance to the allotted benefit amount will not be paid out to the employee, but will be retained by the college. Qualified relocation assistance expenses are limited to:
- moving truck and/or trailer rental
- temporary lodging (hotel)
- airfare
- down payment on home
- moving boxes/containers
- movers (labor costs)
- meals
- escrow account deposit
- realtor fees
- shipping fees
- deposit on apartment or other rental property
- fuel for vehicles
- home loan closing costs
Background Check Requirements
All offers of employment for full-time positions and adjunct faculty are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check and must be preceded by a determination that the candidate satisfactorily meets job requirements, including fit with the college mission, and an ecclesiastical clearance. Other positions may require a background check at the discretion of the college.