Standards Candidate Release - 4.5RCI

HR Open Standards Consortium (HROpen), the leading organization dedicated to developing and maintaining open, consensus-based standards for human resource (HR) data exchange, today announced the release of its latest standard, version 4.5. Building on the foundation of interoperability and efficiency established by earlier versions, the 4.5 standards place a significant emphasis on the importance of shared data and introduces key advancements to the Learning Employment Record - Resume Standard (LER-RS), further enabling the adoption of skills-based practices.

HR Open Standards recognizes that a truly efficient and effective HR ecosystem relies on the seamless exchange and understanding of data across diverse HR, talent, and learning systems. The 4.5 standards continue to champion this vision by providing a common language that reduces duplicate data, streamlines processes, and ultimately empowers organizations to leverage their HR data for greater insight and efficiency.

A central focus of the 4.5 release is the significant progress made in the Learning and Employment Record-Resume Standard or LER-RS, building upon the principles introduced in version 4.4. The LER-RS aims to provide a structured format for resume data, emphasizing demonstrable skills and competencies and enabling the inclusion of digitally verifiable credentials. The 4.5 standard incorporates advancements aligned with the ongoing development of LER-RS v2, which incorporates open API to support plug-in solutions for HRIS vendors and empower individuals to share their Learning and Employment Records directly with employers. The LER-RS is the key HR standard that enables the consumption of verifiable credentials from educational institutions, professional and, workforce development organizations, and other credential issuing organizations by HR technologies.

Key improvements to the LER-RS within the 4.5 standards include:

• Enhanced Support for Verifiable Credentials: Further streamlining the ability to include and validate digital badges and learning records, enhancing the credibility of candidate information. 

• Progress Towards Open API Integration: Laying the groundwork for the open API that will allow for seamless exchange of LER data between credential wallets, resume builders, and employer systems, moving closer to a plug-in ecosystem. This aligns with the project goals for LER-RS v2. 

• Improved Data Portability: Facilitating the ability for individuals to control and transfer their career credentials between different platforms, enhancing the portability and usability of their career information. This supports use cases such as exchanging LER-RS between a credential wallet and a resume builder. 

• Strengthened Focus on Skills Data: Continuing to prioritize the exchange of skills and competency data, aligning with the industry shift towards skills-based hiring. This supports the ability for employers to find candidates based on the skills they possess, rather than just past job titles. 

“For skills-based hiring to succeed, job seekers need clear, verifiable information about the education, training, and skills they’ve developed. Learning and Employment Records, including digital credentials, provide that evidence—backed by the institutions that helped them acquire those skills. But until now, we haven’t had a scalable data standard to deliver this information directly to employers.  – Ian Davidson, Chief Growth Officer, iDatafy

HR Open Standards strongly encourages HR technology providers, employers, and individuals to adopt the 4.5 standards to unlock the power of shared and verifiable data. By embracing this common framework, the industry can move towards a more connected and efficient HR ecosystem that truly recognizes and leverages individual skills and competencies.

The 4.5 standards will be available for free download on the HR Open Standards website: https://www.hropenstandards.org/standards

About HR Open Standards

HR Open Standards Consortium is a global, non-profit community dedicated to developing and maintaining free, consensus-based standards for HR data exchange, fostering a more efficient and connected HR ecosystem.

Contact:

Jim Ireland

Executive Director, HR Open Standards Consortium, Inc.

jim@hropenstandards.org