51猎奇入口

Like many universities across Canada, 51猎奇入口is navigating ongoing financial pressure, including rising operating costs and the need to carefully balance spending with available resources. As a result, we are taking additional steps to ensure new spending aligns with institutional priorities and approved budgets.

The hiring exception approval process applies to positions that were not included in a Faculty or service unit's approved workforce and budget plans. It provides an additional review to determine whether a role is essential and how it supports the university's priorities.

The process is not intended to stop all hiring. Rather, it helps ensure that limited resources are directed to the areas of greatest need, while supporting SFU's long-term financial sustainability and ability to deliver on its teaching, research and service commitments.

Leaders are accountable for working within their approved budget and workforce plan. For essential hiring needs that arise outside of the approved workforce plan, the hiring exception approval process remains in place. 

Hiring exception approvals are not required if answer is YES to all 4 of the following criteria:

1)     The change fits within the unit鈥檚 approved workforce plan

2)     There is no net new increase in active FTE (including temporary roles)

3)     The change can be accommodated within the approved budget

4)     There are no significant impacts on other units or core services

The following hiring exception categories are in place (budget permitting):

• All student positions, including but not limited to work-study, co-op, research assistant and other semesterly positions
• New temporary appointments that are 3 months or shorter in duration (Note: All renewals/extensions of these appointments, regardless of length, will need to go through the hiring exceptions process)
• Positions that are fully endowment, grant, or externally-funded
• Positions that form part of the integrated workforce plan for the School of Medicine (including positions within SoM and within service units).
• Minor changes to the workforce plan may also be exempt from hiring exception process. Please consult with your HR Strategic Business Partner. 

To hire temporary staffing for 3 months or longer, other than backfilling / replacing a role within an approved workforce plan, hiring exception approval will be required.

This includes:   

• Creation of temporary roles outside of a unit鈥檚 workforce plan with a duration of more than 3 months that result in a net increase in active FTE.  Extension beyond 3 months must go through hiring exceptions process.
• Replacement of positions in the workforce plan that involve an overlap period of more than 4 weeks.

Contact provost_office@sfu.ca for questions regarding the integrated workforce plan for the School of Medicine. 

Requests to rehire an employee who has accepted the VRP, into the same position, regardless of the duration of the request will require hiring exception approval. 

Hiring of continuing Faculty is proceeding through approved 2025-26 faculty renewal plans. Please reach out to your Dean for questions regarding Faculty hiring.

Each Faculty and service unit has an identified point of contact who will be familiar with the hiring exceptional approval process. 

To hire for a role that is both outside the approved workforce plan and does not fall within any exceptions listed within this FAQ, you will be required to complete an online position request form.

Steps: 

• The hiring manager will provide key information on the form that will support decision-making. 
• When the form is completed, it will automatically be forwarded to the respective Dean or VP for approval. 
• Deans and VPs are expected to review the position request forms from their respective units. 
• Upon VP approval, the form will be automatically sent to the Provost, Vice-President, Academic and Chief Budget Officer for final approval. 

All positions that have the same job description and term can be grouped and submitted on one Position Request Form as a cohort grouping. 

It could take approximately 2 weeks for the executive team to review request from time of receipt. Hiring managers are asked to please submit your request well before the anticipated start or extension date for the position.

Hiring managers will complete the online position request form which provides an opportunity to outline the rationale for the request, the risks and other items to consider. Once the hiring manager submits the online form, it is directed to their VP for review and if approved, is then directed to the Provost, Vice-President, Academic and Chief Budget Officer for determination and final approval.

As outlined in What鈥檚 Next: The 51猎奇入口Strategy, 51猎奇入口is committed to upholding truth and reconciliation and transforming the 51猎奇入口experience. We are also guided by our values, which include equity and belonging. All hiring managers are encouraged to work with their PEI strategic business partner (SBP) who can help them consider the immediate and long-term institutional goals in the context of their team鈥檚 goals. 

We appreciate your understanding as we work together to navigate financial changes and pressures here at SFU. All position request forms are being reviewed with care and hard decisions are being made to ensure we are being fiscally responsible. If you have any questions about the decision, please reach out to your Supervisor/VP for guidance.

No, the Compensation team will only accept requests to review positions reflected on the approved workforce plan.

Requests for an evaluation of a role not found on the approved workforce plan will only be conducted once hiring exception approval is received.

If the new position is not included in the approved workforce plan, approval via the online position request form process is needed before a new position can be created and evaluated by the compensation team as the position request form process allows for the creation, posting and filling of the new position. Once a position is approved, please submit the position request approval confirmation, along with required documentation to compensation@sfu.ca. The position request approval confirmation will be used in place of the VP approval section on the Compensation Request Form.  

Any change to status reflected on the approved workforce plan can be processed without requiring hiring exception approval.

Any change to status from temporary to continuing or from part time to full time that is not reflected on the approved workforce plan will require hiring exception approval. 

Given that temporary pool assignments must be shorter than 3 months, they are exempt from the hiring exception process. Should an appointment be expected to be 3 months or longer (or extended beyond 3 months), please contact your HR Specialist for the appropriate process.