GENERAL INFORMATION BULLETIN No. 19-04
TO: Department and Agency Directors of Human Resources
FROM: Jim Galvin, Director of Staffing Services
SUBJECT: Email Canvassing Through ELMS
DATE: May 2, 2019
The Department of Civil Service (Department) is pleased to announce that agencies now have the ability to email canvass eligibles through the Eligible List Management System (ELMS). This process will allow eligibles to respond to the canvass in ELMS Online, thus coding the certification electronically. It is expected that this will result in considerable savings in time and resources for agencies.
The procedures for email canvassing through ELMS can be found in the Email Canvassing Instructions Manual available in the HR Professionals secure area.
Rules for Email Canvassing
Canvass Period - In accordance with Classified Service Rule 4.1 (b), eligibles must be given at least 10 business days from the date the email is sent to record a response to the canvass in ELMS Online. If the eligible does not record a response during the canvass period, the eligible may be coded NR (No Response).
Requested Changes - Once the eligible has submitted a response, the eligible no longer has access to change the submitted response. If contacted during the canvass period by an eligible who wishes to change a submitted response, the agency must document the request and make the requested change.
Late Responses - Once the canvass period has closed, eligibles will not be able to record a response in ELMS Online. Should an eligible contact the agency with a late response other than a declination, the eligible must be coded as LR (Late Response), as this code permits the eligible to stay active for future canvasses.
Non-ELMS Responses – Although the intention of email canvassing is for eligibles to respond electronically in ELMS, eligibles may respond to the canvass in a variety of ways (e.g., by letter or fax). Agencies must consider other timely responses and code them appropriately in ELMS, regardless of the method the eligible used to respond.
Reachable Eligibles – Only eligibles who are immediately reachable when the certification is requested can be appointed before the canvass period ends.
Declinations – Eligibles will record declinations in ELMS Online and have the ability to remove declinations from ELMS Online. Therefore, there is no requirement for agencies to confirm declinations in writing.
Undelivered Emails – Beginning with examination announcements issued on September 18, 2015, wording on the announcements have notified candidates that the Department and other state agencies would communicate with candidates through email, including the canvassing for interest in appointment. Candidates were informed of the importance of keeping email addresses current. Therefore, there is no requirement for agencies to follow-up on undelivered emails for the following categories of eligible lists and the eligibles may be coded as UE (Undelivered Email), which has the same effect as CL (Canvass Letter Returned Unclaimed):
- Eligible lists established on or after January 22, 2016.
- Continuous recruitment eligible lists (list numbers begin with 00, 10, 20, or 30).
- Office Assistant 2 eligible lists (list numbers 37-454 through 37-463).
For all other eligible lists, when notified of an undeliverable email, the agency must canvass the eligible by letter or phone if the eligible must be coded to affect an appointment.