​Guidelines for Evaluation of Work Experience for the CHRL

The CHRL is a professional designation for members pursuing a career in human resources management. The following guidelines are based on the Experience Assessment Committee’s (hereafter called the Committee) experience and past practices. These guidelines are not all inclusive. Other circumstances, similar experiences or work experiences may or may not qualify for consideration. The objective of the Committee is to maintain consistency.

  • The work experience must have been achieved in the previous 10 years prior to the application; a minimum of three months’ HR experience at a professional level must have been acquired in the previous two years.
  • Work experience at the professional/managerial level indicates that the applicant has considerable independent decision making, receives limited direct supervision and is accountable for their actions.
  • Work experience can be full-time or part-time at the professional level in HR. Those who are working part-time at the professional level in HR can apply to have their experience evaluated using the following criteria:
    • Part-time work must add up to a minimum of 36 months of professional level HR experience using the guide of a minimum of 30 hours per week = one week of work.
    • Regardless of how many hours are worked each week above 30 hours, one week = one week.  For example, if two part-time jobs add up to 50 hours per week, those 50 hours constitute one week and the applicant will be given credit for one week of experience.
    • Part-time work will be pro-rated accordingly based on how many hours/days of work/week and how much time is spent doing HR. For example, at 2.5 days per week it takes two weeks to get one week of work experience.
    • Whether full-time or part-time, the position must be at least fifty-one percent (51%) in HR to be submitted.  For example, two days per week in a position that is sixty percent (60%) HR could be used, but a full-time position that is only thirty percent (30%) HR does not meet the requirement.
  • Maternity/paternity leaves are not credited towards the experience requirement.
  • General management work is considered if the human resources work comprises at least fifty-one percent (51%) and there is no HR department or manager in the workplace where the general management work takes place. The general manager must be the person who has direct responsibility and accountability for the strategy, design, implementation and co-ordination of one or more HR functional areas for the organization.
  • Small business owners/operators may gain suitable work experience towards the CHRL provided that the business exists to provide HR services or advice. Time spent on promotion, advertising, supervising staff or conducting the financial aspects of the business are not applicable towards the experience criteria. The remainder of the HR work will be prorated accordingly.
  • Lawyers whose specialty is employment law may apply to have their experience evaluated. However time spent counseling clients or conducting litigation is not eligible. Work experience that is “hands on” HR work for the law firm or for a client, such as conducting labour negotiations or conducting downsizing activities, would be considered. This work must be a significant part of the applicant’s work experience and will be prorated accordingly.
  • Teaching experience alone can be used to accumulate all three years of required professional level HR experience. In order to meet the requirement of being at the professional level in HR, courses taught must be:
    • HPRA-approved courses – please refer to our School Search Tool​ for a list of current HRPA approved courses; or
    • HR courses taught at an accredited college or university.
      • If your course and corresponding academic institution are not currently pre-approved, you will need to complete an application​ through Comparative Education Services​ to determine if the college or university where you provided HR instruction was accredited at the time you were teaching. Once you have received the report from Comparative Education Services, you will need to send it in along with your application.
      • Teaching “full-time” means teaching a course load of at least three HR courses per semester. Faculty will need to send in a course outline so the committee can determine if the course is an HR course.HR instructors who are not teaching at least three HR courses per semester will have their time pro-rated as follows:
        • Teaching one HR course per semester – 1/3 of 100%
        • Teaching two HR courses per semester – 2/3 of 100%

Levels of work experience which are not considered include the following:

  • Junior levels within a human resources department performing administrative functions that are clerical in nature are not considered at the appropriate level. Time spent in these positions will not be credited towards the work experience requirement.
  • Transactional work is not considered to meet the professional level. Transactional means work that is of an administrative or support function, meaning, there is no judgment, analysis or interpretation done to the data or information in the scope of your work.
  • Work experience gained while a labour union representative such as a Grievance Officer is not counted. However, if employed by a union as an HR Manager and the work is at the appropriate level, consideration will be given towards the experience requirement.
  • Supervisory work experience refers to the supervision of the strategy, design, implementation and co-ordination of one or more human resources functions. Supervisory work does not mean the supervision of staff including assigning work, conducting performance appraisals, approving vacations etc. This type of activity is a line management function and does not qualify towards the experience requirement. Neither does line management experience of supervisors or managers working outside the human resources field such as in production, accounting, marketing, sales, customer service, etc.
  • HR management work is not considered if all policies and procedures are developed at a corporate level and not by the on-site HR management. The individual is in effect administering the managerial decisions made elsewhere. This may be applicable in such situations as a branch plant, mine or mill location.​