Preferential and limited hiring
UVic is committed to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion, and to creating the conditions in which everyone feels a sense of belonging: as connected and respected parts of the university community. See UVic’s Equity Action Plan for more details on our goals and actions.
As part of this commitment, policy HR6110, “Preferential or Limited Hiring,” provides for the use of the British Columbia’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner's (BCOHRC) preferential or limited hiring special program. The UVic policy and the special programs aim to improve conditions for disadvantaged or under-represented groups.
Groups for preferential and limited hiring
BCOHRC has approved the use of preferential or limited hiring for members of the following groups:
- Indigenous Peoples
- Black people
- People with disabilities/disabled persons
- Racialized people or people of colour
- Women and gender diverse people
Note: In coordination with UVic’s Better Data Project, we continue to work with BCOHRC to expand these categories and add other groups to this list.
Why should we consider preferential or limited hiring?
Despite efforts to hire fairly, some groups continue to be under-represented among UVic’s workforce. Preferential and limited hiring enables us to actively close these gaps in representation and bring in the qualified people we need to grow.
Preferential or limited hiring can help address our biases and adjust our approach to equitable hiring by bringing qualified people to contribute to UVic’s commitment to ensuring excellence in teaching, creative works and an outstanding student experience.
A successful preferential or limited hiring process should contribute to one or more of the following positive outcomes within the unit/discipline/field of work:
- Increase the number of employees from under-represented group(s)
- Increase equity in recruitment cycles
- Value and leverage special expertise or knowledge of a designated group
- Achieve equity or diversity targets or commitments required by some external funding programs
- Increase a diverse critical mass of perspectives
- Increase diverse role models or mentors
- Address under-representation in recruitment and hiring
Preferential hiring
The aim to hire a candidate who self-identifies as belonging to one or more of the groups from the list above.
Applications are sorted before they reach the hiring committee into those who self-identify as belonging to the preferred group(s) (Set A) and those who don’t (Set B).
The search committee reviews all applications from Set A with the goal to hire. If they are unable to successfully hire from Set A, the committee will be given Set B with the goal to hire. If the search committee cannot make a successful hire, they may revise and repost the job ad.
Limited hiring
Hiring is limited to a candidate who self-identifies as belonging to one or more of the groups from the list above.
The search committee will only review applicants who self-identify as a member of the listed group(s) for the position. If the search committee cannot make a successful hire, they may revise and repost the job ad.
To get started, review the following:
Steps to preferential and limited hiring and the UVic Careers requisition quick guide