Client FAQs

Our most frequently asked questions for clients for Altis Recruitment including candidate screening, timesheets, payroll and more.

Timesheets

How do I access the timesheet portal to review and approve hours?

In the emails you receive to review and approve hours, there will be a link provided that leads you to the timesheet portal. Alternatively, you can click here. Your username is either your email address or your full name. If you forgot your password, click “forgot password” to reset it.

When will I receive reminders to approve timesheets?

Timesheet reminder emails are released in batches at the following times: 

  • Friday at 3:30 PM ET
  • Monday at 11:00 AM and 2 PM ET
  • Tuesday at 11 AM ET

Please note, you will not receive all of these emails. The number of emails you receive will vary depending on when the candidate submits their hours and when you approve them.

What is the deadline to approve timesheets?

To help ensure candidates are paid on time, please approve timesheets by 3 p.m. ET on the first Monday following the applicable pay period:

  • Monthly: First Monday of the following month
  • Bi-weekly: First Monday after the billing cycle ends
  • Weekly: First Monday of the following week

If you’ll be out of office, please ensure a back-up approver is available to review timesheets on your behalf.

Why do I only see one week’s worth of hours to approve?

You now have weekly, biweekly and monthly timesheet views available. The system defaults to a weekly view. However, you can use the dropdown menu on the right side of the timesheet to change this to a biweekly or monthly view. See below:

Holiday Hours

Holiday Hours

Wednesday, December 24: 8:00am to 4:00pm 

Thursday, December 25:  CLOSED (Christmas Day)

Friday, December 26: ON:CLOSED (Boxing Day) All other provinces: 8:00am to 4:00pm 

Monday, December 29 to Wednesday, December 31: 8:30am to 4:00pm

Thursday, January 1: CLOSED (New Year’s Day) 

Friday, January 2: 8:00am to 5:30pm 

Candidate Screening

Are all candidates interviewed?

Yes. As part of our commitment to quality, we guarantee that every candidate placed has been interviewed by a member of our team.

Typically, we invite candidates to a virtual interview over videoconference (Zoom, MS Teams, Skype, FaceTime, etc.). 

Candidates are interviewed by our dedicated, expert recruiters who are well-versed in their industry or skill set. Our firm has strict service standards in place to evaluate our own performance metrics and ensure we are operating at the highest level. Our talented recruiters keep current with the marketplace and are fluent in best practices for conducting interviews and assessing hard and soft skill requirements.

Ultimately, we treat interviews as an invitation for our candidates to be assessed, coached, and walked through the requirements of the position, so they can learn how to best position themselves for future success.

Do you train candidates?

Yes, we advocate for our candidates’ training and development. We always aim to select candidates who are ready for the role based on the client’s requirements. 

First, we work with clients to establish the training requirements. Then, as part of our onboarding process, we provide candidates with additional training and tutorials as necessary, while also ensuring that candidates are trained in AODA and health and safety legislations.

Post-placement, we offer cutting-edge, flexible pathways for ongoing professional development through various skills platforms (IBM Kenexa Prove It!, IKM TeckChek, Pluralsight, etc.). This allows candidates to continue their self-guided professional development so they can meet our clients’ fluctuating demands while remaining current with the latest technology and maintaining relevant skill sets within their industry.

Training programs for temporary administrative personnel include:

  • MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Access (various versions)
  • QuickBooks Pro 

Training programs for IT candidates offered through Pluralsight, an online skills development platform, include:

  • Business Analysis
  • Project Management
  • Agile Transformation
  • Scrum Master Skills
  • Data Transformation
  • C# Design Patterns
How quickly can you find me someone?

The timing of placements depends on what is required. In every case, we aim to place the right person the first time, rather than placing the first person who comes to mind. That said, we have built our reputation on being extremely responsive, fast, and effective.

Average turnaround time per specialty:

Temporary & contract positions

  • Administrative & customer support positions: Resumes within 1–2 days 
  • IT & professional services positions: Resumes within 3–5 days 

Permanent positions

  • Administrative & customer support positions: Resumes within 2–3 days
  • IT & professional services positions: Resumes within 3–5 days

Note: For temporary positions, we are able to accommodate urgent same-day requests and have a candidate selected, deployed and starting the assignment that day.

Do you test candidates?

Yes, we do test candidates based on the requirements of the role. If applicable, we will conduct a series of examinations to determine a candidate’s skill level in areas relevant to the role. We have standardized testing tools with over 800 tests available. We also offer customized testing through additional tools/systems upon request. 

Sample language tests:

  • French/English bilingual interview held with a bilingual staff member
  • French oral and written comprehension assessments
  • Business letter writing and formatting
  • Proofreading/grammar skills (in English and/or French)
  • Written comprehension (English)

Sample basic technical tests:

  • MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Access (multiple versions available)
  • Windows Operating System (multiple versions available)

Sample administrative/clerical tests:

  • Keyboarding speed and error rate (in English and/or French)
  • Numeric and alphanumeric data entry speed and accuracy (in English and/or French)
  • Attention to detail
  • Business etiquette, writing samples, customer service skills

Sample professional services tests:

  • Project management
  • Advanced accounting, payroll, bookkeeping, and financial analysis
  • PeopleSoft, QuickBooks, ADP
  • Human resources, interviewing and hiring, benefits
  • Purchasing, shipping and receiving, WHMIS
  • Legal vocabulary, employment laws and acts, paralegal skills

Sample technical tests:

  • All major software development languages
  • Agile software development, MS Visio, MS Project, project management for IT professionals, MS SharePoint
  • Database administration, network virtualization, Active Directory, SQL Server
  • Service-oriented architecture, Amazon AWS
  • Software quality assurance, software testing
Do you do background checks?

Yes. An important part of our screening process is to validate the information provided by candidates. Based on the requirements of the role, we will conduct any of the following checks:

  • Reference checks
  • Background checks (education, employment, criminal, credit)
  • Digital footprint verification
  • Vulnerable sector screening
  • Public sector security clearance validation

Payroll

How does billing work with your firm?

We can customize billing to meet client needs on request. Clients can pay in a variety of ways, including by credit card using our general billing framework:

Temporary: Our client is billed weekly for the hours our temporary employee has worked, as approved by the client on the timesheet. 

Permanent: An invoice for services rendered is sent on the employee’s second working day.

Contract: In this case, client billing depends on our contract with the client and subcontracted firm. Generally, IT and professional billing is monthly. Please contact us for more information.

Privacy & Accessibility

What is your Accessible Customer Service Plan?

You can learn about our Accessible Customer Service Plan here.

What is your Privacy Policy?

You can learn about our Privacy Policy here.

Health & Safety

How are temporary employees trained in health and safety in the workplace?

The Occupational Health and Safety Act requires that all workers, including temporary employees, receive adequate training and instructions to protect their health and safety while on the job. Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure that all workers, including temporary employees, are informed about the hazards associated with their job duties and how to control and prevent those hazards. Employers are also required to provide information on workplace-specific hazards and procedures, which may include emergency response protocols and instructions for reporting workplace injuries or illnesses.  

Training for temporary employees can take many forms such as on the job training, classroom-style training, e-learning modules or a combination of these methods. Employers may also assign a supervisor or mentor to provide additional guidance and support to temporary employees during their first few days or weeks on the job.

It is essential that temporary employees receive adequate health and safety training to ensure that they are prepared to work safely and effectively.

Who is responsible for creating a safe workplace?

Creating a safe and healthy workplace is a shared responsibility that involves the employer and the worker. Outlined below are the roles and responsibilities of each.

The employer is responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace for their employees. They must identify and assess potential hazards in the workplace and take steps to eliminate or control them. Employers should also provide training and education to their employees on safety measures, provide PPE when necessary and develop policies and procedures to ensure a safe work environment. 

The worker has a responsibility to follow safety procedures and use any provided PPE correctly. They should also report any unsafe conditions or incidents to their employer and cooperate with the employer to ensure a safe and healthy workplace. 

By working together, employers and workers can ensure that the workplace is free of risks and that everyone is protected.

Your next role starts here.