Every application downloaded from TREMS is read and reviewed for protected information the applicant may have included in their cover letter and/or resume. Following federal anti-discrimination laws and the Wisconsin Fair Employment Law, ASU redacts (blackout) any information disclosing details about these protected classes from all initial recruitment screenings:

Federally protected information

• Race
• Sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity)
• Religion or creed (specific references to the applicant’s denomination or beliefs)
• Color
• National origin
• Age (40 or older)
• Familial status (i.e., children under 18 in the household)
• Veteran status
• Citizenship
• Disability
• Genetic information (including family medical history)

Anonymized application screening can be a method to increase diversity in hiring by reducing the effect that unconscious biases have on assessing applicants. Hiring Managers have the option of working with their search and screen committee to anonymize applicant materials, by selecting the 'Full Redaction' process on the Request To Fill form.

Recruitment's that participate in a full redaction process will identify a staff member to complete additional redaction's in addition to the Federally protected information that ASU will redact in an initial screening.

Additional information anonymized in a full redaction include:

• Details that disclose highly personal information about an applicant’s family (for example, the mental or physical disability of a father’s young child or a spouse’s cancer diagnosis)
• Any self-portrait or illustration of the applicant
• References listed and references’ contact information
• Letters of recommendation (can be completely deleted if on their own full page)
• Personal names of supervisors and/or academic advisors
• Referencing a name of an individual that may have encouraged the applicant to apply
• Graduation dates (for degrees earned only, degrees in progress and certificate dates can be left unredacted)
• Student employment job titles (for example: Student Assistant – “Student” can be redacted; Graduate Teaching Assistant – “Graduate” can be redacted)
• Dates of high school or collegiate awards/scholarships received
• Dates of involvement in high school or collegiate clubs/groups
• Professional license numbers
• Salary/hourly wages
• Affiliations with political parties and political candidates
• “Jack/Jill” of all trades

Note: The only exception to this process is when the applicant’s personal information directly links to the position description. For example, if your position is hiring a Veteran Outreach Specialist and an applicant states that they served in the Army, we do not redact those details. Or, you are hiring a Native American Coordinator, and an applicant shares that he is an Indigenous person and active in their Native community. Instead, we keep these details (although personal and protected) because there is a direct tie to the position and may benefit the applicant by leaving this information in their materials.

Hiring Manager

1. The Hiring Manager will determine who will redact applicant materials. 
2. The Hiring Manager will request to redact applicant materials by identifying a request for the 'Full Redaction' process on the Request to Fill form. 
3. The Hiring Manager will provide the name and email of the redactor on the Request to Fill form.
4. The Hiring Manager will coordinate with the redactor to ensure that applicant materials are redacted before the initial screening. 
5. The Hiring Manager and Search & Screen Committee will notify the Administrative Services Unit (ASU) which applicants will be moving forward.

Administrative Services Unit

1. After the position posts, ASU (typically an HR Assistant) will contact the hiring manager requesting search committee, administrative support, and redactor information. 
2. ASU will notify the redactor about the box folder that is set up for redaction.
3. ASU will include the redactor on the kick-off email for the recruitment once the job is posted.
4. ASU can meet with the redactor to walk them through the redaction process and will answer any questions along the way. 
5. ASU will take the redacted candidate crosswalk and will provide the unredacted materials for any candidates moving forward to the committee. 

Redactor

1. The redactor will record the applicant names and applicant numbers in the applicant crossover spreadsheet that is uploaded to box and send to asu.exthr@ohr.wisc.edu. 
2. The redactor will redact all applicants for the assigned recruitment in the folder of application materials ready for redaction.
   1. Guide to Anonymizing Applicant Materials
   2. Guide to Anonymizing Applicant Materials - Bulk DownloadsRedact all applicant materials for federally protected information and anything that discloses details about protected classes (see guide to blinding applicant materials).

Notes for Redactor:

• If the protected class of a candidate is relevant to the job qualifications or job duties, it should not be redacted (if you have any questions related to this, please contact asu.exthr@ohr.wisc.edu).
• If there are any questions related to redacting information, please contact asu.exthr@ohr.wisc.edu. 

Should you need support in the redaction process, contact hr@extension.wisc.edu.