Each office of the Nebraska Judicial Branch shall take steps to ensure employees within the system are recruited and selected based on an open and competitive basis. The necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities for the specific position shall be the principal factors considered in the selection process. Selection procedures shall be uniformly administered in making a final hiring decision. Each office is responsible for documenting all required selection activities involved in the hiring process, including the interview questions and any other screening tool. A copy of the hiring procedure shall be sent to the AOCP. Applications and all other material used in the hiring process may be disposed of 3 years after the date of application.

  When a vacancy occurs, permission to fill the vacancy must be obtained from the AOCP. Job notices are normally advertised both internally and externally. Exceptions may be granted by the AOCP in the event that the nature of work and the business needs of a local office support a shift in the office’s job classifications from one type of job to another type of job, and the need for rebalancing has extended beyond a 6-month period. In those circumstances only, the local office shall submit a request to the AOCP, citing the business need and classifications affected. If approved, existing vacant positions will be reclassified, after which the Office may “post” any remaining reclassification opportunities internally amongst eligible employees within the District/County and, through a competitive selection process, assign the new job classification(s) to the most qualified candidate(s). Where the need for rebalancing will result in downward reclassification, candidates for reclassification will be identified based on performance. (See Job Reclassification.) Other exceptions will be considered based on the operational needs of the local office.

Amended July 9, 2015; amended May 10, 2017; amended October 23, 2024, effective January 1, 2025.