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2 <br />Attachment 1 <br />Time Limited and Grant Funded Positions <br />Questions and Answers <br />Time Limited <br />1. Why does the County have time limited positions? <br />The Board adopted the permanent time limited employment category effective March 5, 1990. <br />It has been used: <br />- For positions with an established and relatively short-term duration such as a one-year <br />grant funded position. <br />- For positions where the position's functions may have a longer term duration, but the <br />Board has an interest in being able to assess the outcomes of the new position and <br />determine whether the position has proved its usefulness and the need will continue before <br />a commitment is made that the position will continue beyond the initially approved <br />period. <br />2. What are the problems with time limited positions? <br />The problems with using the time limited status are the impacts that this has on employee <br />recruitment and retention. <br />- In terms of recruitment, the time limited status impacts significantly on the number and <br />quality of candidates applying for the position. In this employment market, almost all <br />candidates already have other jobs and it is difficult to attract a candidate from an ongoing <br />position to one for which there is uncertainty as to the future. These effects are magnified <br />if the position also is part time. <br />As turnover occurs in the time limited position and it comes closer to the established <br />ending date, the recruitment difficulty further increases such as in attempting to recruit a <br />candidate for the remaining six to nine months of a two year time limited position. <br />- In terms of retention, turnover in time limited positions increases as the employee seeks to <br />obtain the assurance of continuing employment. <br />The recruitment and retention impacts are not experienced to the same extent with grant <br />funded positions that are not time limited. Most applicants that apply for grant funded <br />positions are familiar with the concept of grant funds and understand that the source of grant <br />funds may end, but that there may be another funding source identified. <br />Depending on the recruitment and retention impact, the work and outcomes for which the <br />position was approved may not be accomplished or be accomplished at a reduced level. <br />