109-1-05 Human resources audit committee.

(A) The attorney general shall appoint a standing human resources audit committee (HRAC). The HRAC shall advise the attorney general in identifying and implementing improvements to hiring and personnel management processes and activities. Areas of focus for the HRAC shall include without limitation:

(1) Consistent, objective and justifiable hiring and promotion decisions and processes;

(2) Congruity between the qualifications of new hires and their positions, duties and responsibilities;

(3) Congruity between the qualifications of new hires and the qualifications of other individuals hired for similar or greater duties and responsibilities;

(4) Thorough vetting of potential employment candidates’ background and criminal records, ethical issues and tax or civil liabilities;

(5) Ensuring that hiring and personnel discipline decisions comply with applicable laws, rules, regulations as well as the attorney general’s own internal policies, procedures and standards;

(6) Efforts to recruit and retain a diverse workforce; and

(7) Unusual trends or percentages of employee turnover in a section or division.

(B) The attorney general shall appoint a director of human resources or other person responsible for managing internal personnel matters to serve as chairperson to preside over the HRAC. The attorney general shall appoint no fewer than four and no more than eight other persons to serve on the committee. The appointees serve at the pleasure for the attorney general who has sole discretion to remove, replace or add HRAC appointees, including the chairperson. At least two such HRAC appointees shall be external appointees. To qualify as an external HRAC appointee, the appointee shall certify that she/he:

(1) Is not a current attorney general employee or a current candidate for employment by the attorney general;

(2) Has no current contract with the attorney general, the Ohio department of administrative services or the auditor of state to provide goods or services in exchange for payment;

(3) Is not currently seeking a contract with the attorney general to provide goods or services in exchange for payment;

(4) She/he has not contributed more than one thousand dollars to the attorney general’s campaign committee within the twenty-four calendar months prior to her/his appointment;

(5) Is not currently appointed by the attorney general to serve as outside counsel and is not currently seeking an appointment from the attorney general to serve as outside counsel; and

(6) Is not employed by a firm that also employs an attorney who is:

(a) Currently appointed by the attorney general to serve as outside counsel; or

(b) Currently a candidate for an appointment from the attorney general to serve as outside counsel.

(C) The HRAC chairperson shall convene the HRAC at least two times per calendar year. The HRAC chairperson shall allow no more than seven calendar months to lapse between consecutive meetings. Notice of HRAC meetings shall be provided in a manner directed by the attorney general and in accordance with applicable law. The HRAC chairperson may designate a representative to preside over an HRAC meeting when the chairperson is unavailable for such a meeting.

(D) The attorney general shall cause a report to be prepared and provided to the HRAC prior to each meeting of that committee. That report shall describe the status and progress of the attorney general’s hiring decisions, hiring practices and the other areas of focus described in paragraphs (A)(1) to (A)(7) of this rule.

Effective: 01/22/2009

R.C. 119.032 review dates: 01/22/2014

Promulgated Under: 111.15

Statutory Authority: 111.15

Rule Amplifies: 111.15 and 109