Fundamental Principles
Members uphold and advance the integrity, honor and dignity of the personnel placement profession by:
| 1. | Using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of our image to business and industry, and to share solutions to common problems with both clients and candidates. |
| 2. | Being honest and impartial, serving the public, their clients and candidates with fidelity. |
| 3. | Striving to increase the competence and prestige of the placement profession. |
Fundamental Responsibilities
| 1. | Members shall uphold paramount the welfare of the public, their clients and candidates in the performance of their professional duties. |
| 2. | Members shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner. |
| 3. | Members shall act in a professional manner for each client or candidate and avoid conflicts of interest. |
| 4. | Members shall build their professional reputation on the merit of their services, and they shall not compete unfairly with others. |
| 5. | Members shall not recruit current employees from their individual active client base. |
| 6. | Members shall strive to continue their professional development throughout their careers, and they shall provide opportunities for the development of those under their supervision. |
| 7. | Members shall under no circumstances recruit or entice other members to leave their current employers at organization-sponsored activities, directly or indirectly. |
| 8. | Members shall not discriminate with regard to race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, national origin, or physical handicap, nor should they enter into any agreement with any client who asks them to do so. |
| 9. | Members shall abide by the OAPC Standard Policy for Cooperative Placement Relationships. |
Procedures for Resolving Alleged Violations and Rules for Final and Binding Arbitration
Members have the right and responsibility to report any and all alleged violations of these ethical principles, as well as any other complaints against a member, to the Chairperson of the Ethics Committee in writing within ten (10) working days of becoming aware of the alleged violation. The Ethics Committee Chairperson or their duly authorized representative will notify the parties involved in the alleged violation and provide them with the opportunity to respond in writing within ten (10) working days from the receipt of the notification. The Ethics Committee Chairperson will then call a meeting of the Ethics Committee to review the complaint. The Ethics Committee will, within a reasonable time, report its findings and recommendations to the Executive Committee for disposition.
Violations of the OAPC Code of Ethics or the OAPC Standard Policy for Cooperative Placement Relationship can result in revocation of OAPC membership.
OAPC Standard Policy for
Cooperative Placement Relationship
OAPC members willing to do cooperative placements (split-fee business) with other members are encouraged to fully discuss and agree on the conditions that govern that relationship before any information is exchanged. This document should be amended to suit the two parties. If no written changes are made, these guidelines will be the foundation for any arbitration procedures. Throughout these guidelines, the company with the job order is designated the “receiving firm.” The company supplying the candidate is the “referring firm.”
These guidelines address commonly negotiated aspects of cooperative placements. However, it is imperative that both parties enter into the agreement in good faith, committed to full and open communication and a willingness to negotiate exceptions and idiosyncrasies. An element of trust is imperative.
| 1. | Exact fees and guarantee agreements with a client/employer shall be fully disclosed and agreed to by the referring firm prior to any candidate referrals. |
| 2. | Service charges received from a client/employer should be shared on a 50/50 basis. |
| 3. | The referring companys portion of the fee, accompanied by a copy of the clients/employers check, shall be disbursed by the receiving firm immediately upon access to funds following deposit or payment from the client/employer. |
| 4. | All shared candidates and job orders shall have been originated by each firm through its own recruiting or business development methods, and not from any third party to whom a financial obligation is or may be due unless all three parties agree to a three-way split before any candidates/job orders are sent. All shared candidates and job orders must have full and complete information. |
| 5. | All candidates and job orders verbally shared and agreed upon must be confirmed in written format in 24 hours by FAX or 72 hours by mail. |
| 6. | Confidentiality shall be observed at all times. Information received from one firm shall not be disclosed to any other firm without the consent of the originating firm. |
| 7. | Guarantees shall be honored fully; each firm shall remit their proportionate share of a refund within five (5) calendar days after notification of liability. |
| 8. | If the receiving firm has a replacement rather than a refund guarantee, and a falloff occurs on a cooperative placement, the portion of the fee given to the referring firm must be returned to the receiving firm to be placed in escrow until the position is filled again. If the position is not refilled with another candidate from the referring firm, the split fee amount is then paid to the new referral agency and interest earned in escrow is paid to the original referring agency. If the position is filled by a source other than the receiving firm, the terms of the guarantee will be honored, i.e., refund to the client. |
| 9. | No unsolicited resumes shall be sent from one recruiting firm to the other. If assistance is requested and the referring firm sends a candidate already on file with the receiving firm, the split-fee still applies, if the receiving firm had not matched the candidate to the opening. |
| 10. | Candidate referrals are valid for one year unless the candidate has changed employers since the original referral by the referring firm and was not placed by the referring firm, which could affect the referring firms fee payment. Within this one year period of the original referral, the receiving firm shall contact the referral firm prior to any candidate contact as a placement may be in process, and could be adversely affected. |
| 11. | The receiving firm shall not contact a candidate for networking purposes or to obtain referrals for a current search without the explicit consent of the referring firm. If referrals are subsequently generated from the referring firms candidate, these must also be considered split-fee candidates and the referring firm shall be furnished the new candidates resume information. |
| 12. | The referring firm can deny contact with the candidate by the receiving firm if the candidate is in negotiation with one of the referring firms clients or has accepted a job for which the referring firm has been paid. |
| 13. | Any significant step involving a candidates perspective employment (i.e., initial interview, second interview, offer, turndown) shall be reported to the referring firm immediately. |
| 14. | If a candidate from the referring firm is interviewed by the employer and is subsequently hired for a position other than the original opening, a split-fee will still apply. |
| 15. | During the course of the cooperative placement, the client/employer shall be contacted only by authorized representatives of the receiving firm. |
| 16. | If the referral firm agrees to assist on a job order and is then contacted separately and directly by the employer to fill the same job order, the referral firm will inform the employer that they are already aware of the opening through the receiving firm and will be working in conjunction with the receiving firm to fill the position. A split-fee still applies. |
| 17. | During negotiations between a candidate and a client/employer company, the receiving firm shall be considered to have complete authority and responsibility for all related communications. The referring firm shall not interfere and shall cooperate fully with whatever assistance may be requested. |
| 18. | Referring firms shall respect the client/employer company relationships of receiving firms and shall not use shared information for any business development purposes. |
| 19. | Job order referrals are eligible for a split-fee until filled, regardless of time taken to fill. |
| 20. | All referrals, job orders, or other related information exchanged between the cooperative firms must be non-discriminatory and shall be in strict accordance with the prevailing Equal Employment Opportunity Statutes and Presidential Directives. |
| 21. | Any dispute under this agreement shall be resolved by final and binding arbitration before the Oklahoma Association of Personnel Consultants (OAPC) in accordance with OAPC’s rules for final and binding arbitration then in effect. |
Certification
Certification in the personnel services industry is an individuals declaration of professional competence. The designation, “CPC” (Certified Personnel Consultant) and “CTS” (Certified Temporary-Staffing Specialist), that follows an individuals name, are proudly displayed as a measure of professionalism. They have come to be recognized as the industrys highest standard, the publics assurance of quality service, and a recognizable criterion for selection by corporate customers.
In the personnel services industry, certification assures that the individuals using the designation have been measured against meaningful standards of knowledge and conduct applicable to our business. They have mastered a body of knowledge, been tested, and earned the right to be recognized as a professional in their field. To the individual CPC and CTS, it means a personal declaration of his or her competence, commitment to the personnel services industry, and its profession.
The CPC and CTS designation may be used by the individual only after successfully passing a comprehensive written examination. The Certification Examinations are administered by and under the direction of the National Association of Personnel Services.
Qualifications:
Be an owner, partner, manager, or employee.
Employed in the industry on a full-time basis for a minimum of two years.
Written verification of experience.
Agree to uphold the Standard of Ethical Practices, Code of Ethics, and Certification Program Rules.
Agree to participate in continuing education.
Certification can mean a great deal to the user of personnel services. Clients want to know about an individuals mastery of a body of knowledge and must trust their hiring expertise. What better way to determine the commitment, conduct, dedication, credibility, and knowledge of the individuals with whom they choose to work?
