Public accountability

Standards & Governance

The rules behind a JobRatings result should be understandable, reviewable and open to challenge. This area records the current standard, how it is applied and how it can change.

Current published standard

JobRatings Standard v1.0.0

Effective 20 September 2026

Download the standard PDF

Geographic scope

Designed for job advertisements in any location. Local law and mandatory disclosure rules always take precedence.

Evidence required

The job advertisement must contain an explicit, candidate-readable statement that satisfies the published requirement.

Accepted alternatives

Equivalent plain-language wording is accepted when it communicates the same information. A clear “none”, “not offered” or equivalent statement may satisfy a requirement where the standard expressly permits absence.

Complete requirements

Company and Job Title

Company and role title are labelled.

Evidence: Clear wording in the submitted advertisement that addresses this requirement.
Accepted alternatives: Equivalent wording is accepted when it has the same candidate-facing meaning. Add Company and Job Title labelled fields.

About the Position

All five position fields are labelled.

Evidence: Clear wording in the submitted advertisement that addresses this requirement.
Accepted alternatives: Equivalent wording is accepted when it has the same candidate-facing meaning. Add Department, Employment, Workplace and Job Type.

Job Brief

A descriptive role summary is supplied.

Evidence: Clear wording in the submitted advertisement that addresses this requirement.
Accepted alternatives: Equivalent wording is accepted when it has the same candidate-facing meaning. Add a Job Brief with a substantive summary.

Responsibilities

Concrete duties are supplied.

Evidence: Clear wording in the submitted advertisement that addresses this requirement.
Accepted alternatives: Equivalent wording is accepted when it has the same candidate-facing meaning. Add a Responsibilities section with concrete duties.

Ideal Experience

Education, level, years, essential and preferred requirements are distinguished.

Evidence: Clear wording in the submitted advertisement that addresses this requirement.
Accepted alternatives: Equivalent wording is accepted when it has the same candidate-facing meaning. Complete all five Ideal Experience fields.

Sponsorship

Three distinct sponsorship disclosures are answered.

Evidence: Clear wording in the submitted advertisement that addresses this requirement.
Accepted alternatives: Equivalent wording is accepted when it has the same candidate-facing meaning. Complete Sponsorship Offered, Candidates Requiring Sponsorship May Apply and Work Authorization.

Job Location

Actual or permitted workplace geography is stated.

Evidence: Clear wording in the submitted advertisement that addresses this requirement.
Accepted alternatives: Equivalent wording is accepted when it has the same candidate-facing meaning. Add a Job Location section with actual or permitted geography.

Skills

Soft, hard and technology skills identify required/preferred status.

Evidence: Clear wording in the submitted advertisement that addresses this requirement.
Accepted alternatives: Equivalent wording is accepted when it has the same candidate-facing meaning. Complete all three Skills fields and mark each essential or preferred.

Certifications

Essential and preferred certification status is explicit.

Evidence: Clear wording in the submitted advertisement that addresses this requirement.
Accepted alternatives: Equivalent wording is accepted when it has the same candidate-facing meaning. Complete Essential Certifications and Preferred Certifications, including explicit none responses.

Perks

Benefits or explicit absence are stated.

Evidence: Clear wording in the submitted advertisement that addresses this requirement.
Accepted alternatives: Equivalent wording is accepted when it has the same candidate-facing meaning. Add a Perks section or state No additional perks offered.

Salary

Amount/range, currency, period, base and variable compensation are explicit.

Evidence: Clear wording in the submitted advertisement that addresses this requirement.
Accepted alternatives: Equivalent wording is accepted when it has the same candidate-facing meaning. Complete Salary with amount/range, currency, pay period or base salary.

Hours and Schedule

Hours, days and scheduling expectations are stated.

Evidence: Clear wording in the submitted advertisement that addresses this requirement.
Accepted alternatives: Equivalent wording is accepted when it has the same candidate-facing meaning. Add a substantive Hours and Schedule section.

Hiring Process and Timeline

Stages and decision timeframe are separately labelled.

Evidence: Clear wording in the submitted advertisement that addresses this requirement.
Accepted alternatives: Equivalent wording is accepted when it has the same candidate-facing meaning. Complete Hiring Stages and Decision Timeline.

Expiry Date

Closing date and review period are labelled.

Evidence: Clear wording in the submitted advertisement that addresses this requirement.
Accepted alternatives: Equivalent wording is accepted when it has the same candidate-facing meaning. Complete Application Closing Date and Application Review Period.

Assessment Methodology

How a result is reached

Scoring

Each requirement contributes to the overall score according to the versioned scoring rules active at the time of assessment. The combined result determines the final percentage and grade.

Partial results

Some requirements contain several parts. When only some are present, partial credit may be awarded under the same versioned scoring rules.
Detailed scoring schedules will be published once validation is complete. All changes are tested, versioned and recorded before taking effect.

Uncertain results

Information that cannot be confidently recognised is not treated as present. The public record identifies missing or uncertain requirements so the result can be reviewed.

AI’s exact role

AI may assist with wording recognition and employer drafting tools. It does not set weights, thresholds or independently decide the published grade.

Human review

A reviewer can examine challenged evidence, confirm the original result or record a justified correction. Published history is retained.

Quality testing

Deterministic rules, validation cases and regression tests are reviewed before configuration changes are promoted. Production changes follow a versioned migration process.

Standard Development

How the standard changes

ProposalChanges may arise from assessment evidence, appeals, candidate feedback, employer pilots, research or regulatory developments.
EvaluationJobRatings evaluates clarity, candidate value, evidence quality, feasibility, bias risk and compatibility with the standard’s purpose.
ConsultationMaterial changes should receive a published consultation period. The duration and response route will be stated with each proposal.
DecisionDecisions consider candidate usefulness, consistency, proportionality, geographic applicability and the risk of unintended outcomes.
PublicationApproved changes receive a version, effective date, change note and transition period where existing users need time to adapt.

Governance

Who is accountable

Current decision-maker

Until an independent advisory council is constituted, JobRatings is the accountable decision-maker and publisher of the standard.

Future advisory council

The intended council will include candidate, employer, recruitment, research and public-interest perspectives. Its membership and terms will be published before it exercises authority.

Conflicts policy

Anyone evaluating a change or appeal should disclose a material personal, commercial or organisational interest and step back where impartiality could reasonably be questioned.

Funding independence

Employers cannot purchase a higher grade or pay to alter a result. Funding relationships must not determine criteria, thresholds, appeals or publication decisions.

Appeals and Complaints

Challenge a result or report misuse

Rating appeals

The submitting employer can identify disputed wording and request human review from its account.

Badge misuse

Anyone may report an altered, expired, revoked or incorrectly displayed badge through the contact route.

Misrepresentation

Reports may cover claims that overstate what JobRatings assessed, verified or endorsed.

Response targets

Receipt should be acknowledged within five working days. A substantive response is targeted within twenty working days, with complex cases updated if more time is needed.

Possible outcomes

The result may be confirmed, corrected, withdrawn or referred for further evidence. Badge status and the audit record are updated where appropriate.

Submit a complaint or misuse report

Version History and Addenda

A traceable standard

v1.0.0Effective 20 September 2026

Initial published standard

Established the weighted assessment structure, partial-credit model, public verification records and JR-A to JR-D thresholds.

Future entries will identify substantive changes, interpretations, corrections and any transition period. Published rating snapshots remain tied to the configuration used when they were issued.

Evidence and Pilots

Evidence will be published, not implied.

JobRatings will publish aggregate evidence only when the sample is sufficient and privacy can be protected. No outcome is presented as established before supporting data exists.