Belmont Municipal Code Art. IV Personnel

In order to establish an equitable and uniform procedure for dealing with personnel matters; to attract to municipal service the best and most competent persons available; to assure that appointments and promotions of employees will be based on merit and fitness as determined by competitive test; and, to provide a reasonable degree of security for qualified employees, the following personnel system is hereby adopted.

(Ord. No. 978, § 1, 3-26-02)

The provisions of the personnel rules shall apply to all offices, positions and employments in the service of the city except:

(1) Elective offices.

(2) Positions on appointive boards, commissions and committees.

(3) Persons employed under contract to supply expert, professional or technical services for a definite period of time.

(4) Volunteer personnel who receive no regular compensation from the city.

(5) Council appointed employees.

(6) Seasonal part-time employees and employees in temporary positions.

(7) Department heads.

(Ord. No. 978, § 1, 3-26-02)

Personnel rules shall be adopted and amended by resolution of the council, establishing specific procedures and regulations governing all phases of the personnel system, including but not limited to:

(1) Preparation, installation, revision and maintenance of a position classification plan covering all positions in the city service, including employment standards and qualifications for each class.

(2) Appropriate announcement of the selection process and acceptance of employment applications.

(3) Preparation and conducting of tests and the establishment and use of resulting employment lists containing names of persons eligible for appointment.

(4) Certification and appointment of persons from employment lists, and the making of temporary appointments as required.

(5) Establishment of probationary periods.

(6) Evaluation of employees during the probationary test period.

(7) Transfer, promotion, demotion, reinstatement, disciplinary action and layoff of employees in the city service.

(8) Separation of employees from the city service.

(9) The establishment of adequate personnel records.

(10) The establishment of any necessary appeal procedures.

(11) The establishment and administration of a merit system and pay plan.

(Ord. No. 978, § 1, 3-26-02)

Appointments to vacant positions in the competitive service shall be made in accordance with the personnel rules and regulations. Appointments and promotions shall be based on merit and fitness to be ascertained so far as practicable by competitive test. Appointments shall be made by the city manager, or by the officer in whom the power to make appointments is vested by law.

(Ord. No. 978, § 1, 3-26-02)

All permanent appointments, including promotional appointments, shall be for a probationary period of not less than twelve (12) months or longer as determined by the personnel rules. The probationary period shall be considered an extension of the examination process. During the probationary period, the employee may be rejected at any time without the right of appeal or hearing. An employee in the classified service promoted or transferred to a position not included in the classified service shall be reinstated to a position in the class from which he was promoted or transferred if action is taken to reject him unless he is discharged.

(Ord. No. 978, § 1, 3-26-02)

The provisions of the personnel rules relating to attendance and leaves shall apply to the incumbents of full-time exempt positions, unless otherwise specified.

(Ord. No. 978, § 1, 3-26-02)

The personnel rules shall make provision for discipline of employees including but not limited to demotion, discharge, reduction in pay, and suspension without pay or otherwise discipline any employee.

(Ord. No. 978, § 1, 3-26-02)

Any permanent employee in the city service shall have the right to appeal a disciplinary action, except in those instances where the right of appeal is specifically prohibited by the personnel rules.

All appeals shall be processed in accordance with the requirements and procedures as set forth in the personnel rules.

(Ord. No. 978, § 1, 3-26-02)

Whenever in the judgment of the city council it becomes necessary in the interest of economy or because the necessity for a position no longer exists, the city council may abolish any position of employment in the city service, and the employee holding such position of employment may be laid off without taking disciplinary action. Layoff and reemployment actions shall follow the process outlined in the personnel rules.

(Ord. No. 978, § 1, 3-26-02)

The city manager shall consider and make recommendations to the city council regarding the extent to which the city should contract for the performance of technical services. The city council may contract with any qualified person or public or private agency for the performance of all or any of the responsibilities and duties imposed by this chapter.

(Ord. No. 978, § 1, 3-26-02)