Azusa Municipal Code Div. 7 Civil Service

Footnotes:

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State Law reference— Authority for establishment of a merit system for municipal employees, Government Code § 45001; authority for use of private firms to assist in civil service matters, Government Code § 45008; amendments to initiative ordinances, Elections Code § 4013.

Pursuant to the authority granted to the city council under the provisions of Government Code § 45001, entitled: "An act authorizing the creation of a personnel system, merit system or civil service system in cities; the creation of the office of personnel director; the appointment of a civil service commission; the delegation of certain authority to the personnel officer or commission in municipalities within this state; and prohibiting certain political activities and providing penalties for the violation of these provisions," and pursuant to the initiative provision of Elections Code § 4000 et seq., the personnel system set out in this division is adopted for the city.

(Code 1971, § 2.32.010)

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this division, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Employee trainee means a class within the classified service composed of persons who accept employment for a limited period of time, as established in the position's job specifications, during which they shall be in training for a higher class position.

Lateral transfer means that an applicant for employment would be eligible to take the oral examination without completing a written examination if such applicant met the minimum standards for the position sought and is currently employed in an equal position and has been so employed for a period of at least one year in another public agency.

(Code 1971, § 2.32.020)

Cross reference— Definitions and rules of construction generally, § 1-2.

(a) Appointments to vacant positions in the competitive service shall be made by the city council or by department heads, subject to the approval of the city council, in accordance with the rules established under this division and from employment lists resulting from open competitive examination, promotional examination, lateral transfer, interdepartmental transfer, demotion or reinstatement.

(b) Persons accepted into the employee trainee class shall meet all of the minimum requirements, except age, of the class for which they will be in training and shall be appointed to the employee trainee class subsequent to passing an open competitive examination comparable to one given for the position for which they will be in training.

(c) Employee trainees will be promoted into the class for which they are training without any further examination process as openings are available. Appointments to the higher class shall be made by the department head based on the rule of three which shall be any one of the three senior, qualified employee trainees. Should there be less than three qualified employee trainees, the department head may appoint any qualified employee trainee. Employee trainees shall be subject to termination upon reaching the maximum age, where permissible by law, or when the job duration period, as set forth in the job specifications, has expired.

(d) If appointment is to be made from employment or promotional lists, the names of persons willing to accept appointments shall be certified by the personnel officer in the order in which they appear on the lists. The number of names certified to the city council shall not exceed by two the number of vacancies to be filled.

(Code 1971, § 2.32.020)

(a) In the absence of appropriate employment lists, a temporary appointment may be made by the appointing power of a person meeting the minimum qualifications for the position; provided, however, that an employment list shall be established for such position within 90 days. No person shall be employed by the city under temporary appointment for a total of more than 960 working hours in any fiscal year. For an emergency, the appointing power may appoint such persons as are required to meet the situation, but such appointment shall not exceed 15 working days.

(b) No credit shall be allowed in the giving of any examination or the establishment of any employment or promotional lists for service rendered under temporary appointment, and time worked under temporary appointment shall not count toward completion of a probationary period.

(c) During the period of suspension of any employee or pending final action on proceedings to review the suspension, demotion or dismissal of any employee, the vacancy created may be filled by the appointing power only by temporary appointment.

(Code 1971, § 2.32.030; Ord. No. 2022-02, § 1, 5-16-22)

In the absence of appropriate employment lists and if a cooperative training program shall be established by a resolution of the city council, temporary appointments of qualified students of a junior college or other specified educational institution may be made pursuant to the rules established by the personnel board, this employment to be for not more than six consecutive months, and the cumulative total employment of any person under such cooperative training program shall not exceed 24 months. No civil service right shall accrue by virtue of such employment.

(Code 1971, § 2.32.040)

(a) The rules of the personnel board shall provide for a period of probation not to exceed one year before appointment or promotion is complete, during which the employee may be rejected at any time without right of appeal or hearing in any manner.

(b) An employee rejected during the probationary period from a position to which he has been promoted shall be reinstated to the position from which he was promoted, unless charges are filed and he is discharged as provided in division 8 of this article and the rules.

(Code 1971, § 2.32.050)

Any person holding a position or employment included in the competitive service who, on August 5, 1960, shall have served continuously in such position or in some other position included in the competitive service for a period of at least six months immediately prior to August 5, 1960, shall assume regular status in the competitive service in the position held on August 5, 1960, without preliminary examination or working tests and shall thereafter be subject in all respects to the provisions of this Code.

(Code 1971, § 2.32.060)

The city council shall retain such power as is vested in it by law subject to the provisions of this division and divisions 8 through 10 of this article and the retirement contract and the rules and regulations adopted by the personnel board and approved by the city council. It is the intent and spirit of this division and divisions 8 through 10 of this article and the retirement contract to provide a fair and just approach to municipal employment in order that city employees may be selected, appointed, transferred, promoted, demoted, reinstated or laid off on a merit basis and removed, dismissed, demoted, suspended, reprimanded or disciplined only upon signed written charges that are filed, heard or determined and a finding made as provided in this division and divisions 8 through 10 of this article and the retirement contract, but in no sense to impair the efficiency of the public service.

(Code 1971, § 2.32.070)

The council may contract with some competent agency for the performance by such agency for such technical service in connection with the establishment of the personnel system or with its operations, as may be necessary for:

(1) The public advertising of all examinations.

(2) To provide and maintain eligibility lists for the various positions in the competitive service.

(3) The holding or administering of other suitable tests to fairly test the relative capacity of the persons examined to discharge the duties of the position to which they seek to be appointed.

(Code 1971, § 2.32.080)

The provisions of this division and divisions 8 through 10 of this article, the retirement contract, division 2 of article IV of this chapter, and division 4 of article V of this chapter shall apply to all appointed officers and employees who are full-time employees of the city, except the city attorney or assistant and city manager.

(Code 1971, § 2.28.080; Ord. No. 98-09, § 2, 6-15-98)

In addition to such other matters as may be necessary and proper to carry out the intent and purposes of this division and divisions 8 through 10 of this article, and the retirement contract, rules shall be formulated by the personnel board, and shall be adopted by the council establishing specific procedures to govern the following phases of the personnel program:

(1) The preparation, installation, revision and maintenance of a position classification plan covering all positions in the competitive service.

(2) The formulation of minimum standards and qualifications for each class of position, together with the salary to be attached to each position; provided, however, that standards and qualifications shall require that any applicant for any of the classes of position shall be as follows:

a. The applicant shall be a qualified voter of the state in order to be eligible for examination for the competitive service, except that this requirement may be excluded when, in the opinion of the personnel board and the city council, it would operate to the detriment of the city in recruiting adequate personnel.

b. The minimum age for appointment as police officer or firefighter shall be 21 and the maximum age for such appointment shall be 35, provided that the maximum age shall not apply to promotional examinations or appointments within the respective departments.

c. The minimum standards and qualifications shall not require that all applicants for the competitive service be residents of the city. The board may from time to time, as circumstances in its opinion warrant, limit examinations and appointments to residents of the city, consideration being given that the most efficient employee is desired.

(3) The public announcement of vacancies and examinations and the acceptance of applications for employment.

(4) The preparation and conduct of examinations and the establishment and use of employment lists containing names of persons eligible for appointment.

(5) The certification and appointment of persons from employment lists to fill vacancies and the making of temporary and emergency appointments.

(6) The evaluation of employees during the probationary period.

(7) The transfer, promotion, demotion and reinstatement of employees in the competitive service.

(8) The separation from the service of employees through layoff, suspension, dismissal and for incapacity to perform required duties.

(9) The standardization of hours of work, attendance and leave regulations, working conditions and development of employee morale, welfare and training.

(10) The maintenance and use of necessary records and forms.

(Code 1971, § 2.28.090)

The city council may appropriate such funds as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this division and divisions 8 through 10 of this article, and the retirement contract upon written request of the personnel board.

(Code 1971, § 2.28.100)