Clearlake Municipal Code § 4-1 Personnel System

A personnel system for the City of Clearlake is hereby established in order to provide for an equitable and uniform procedure for dealing with personnel matters and to place City employment on a merit basis so that the best qualified persons available shall be brought into the service of the City. (Ord. #10, S1)

The personnel policy of the City is hereby declared to be as follows: a. Employment in the City government shall be based on merit and fitness; b. Just and equitable incentives and conditions of employment shall be established and maintained to promote efficiency and economy in the operation of the City government;

c. Positions having similar duties and responsibilities shall be classified and compensated on a uniform basis; d. Appointments, promotions and other actions requiring the application of the merit principle should be based on systematic tests or other appropriate evaluations; e. High morale shall be maintained by fair administration of this section and by every consideration of the rights and interests of employees consistent with the best interests of the public and the City; and f. Employment shall be subject to the good behavior and satisfactory performance of work by the employee, and to the necessity for the performance of work and the availability of funds by the City. (Ord. #10, S2)

The City Manager shall be the personnel officer. He may delegate certain responsibilities of the personnel director to a designated assistant. The Personnel Director shall administer all provisions of this section and of the rules pertaining to City employment not specifically reserved to the Council. (Ord. #10, S3; Ord. #2012-153)

The officers and employees of the City, as well as other rendering services thereto, are divided into either the exempt service or the classified service. (Ord. #10, S4)

The exempt service shall include the following: a. Management employees: 1. Officers of the City, the City Manager and his immediate staff. 2. Each department head. 3. Such assistants to department heads as the City Council may designate. b. Volunteers and persons appointed to serve without pay. c. Consultants, counsel rendering professional services and independent contractors. d. Any position which is not specifically included within the classification plan and pay plan for the classified service as adopted from time to time by Council resolution. (Ord. #10, S5; Ord. #2012-153)

The classified service shall include all positions of the City as are specifically set forth in the classification plan established by the City Manager and in the pay plan adopted by Council resolution. (Ord. #10, S6; Ord. #2012-153)

Personnel rules, as well as any revision or amendment thereof, shall be adopted by the Council, covering but not necessarily limited to the following subjects: a. Preparation, installation, maintenance, amendment, and revision of a classification plan covering all positions in the classified service, including job descriptions, minimum standards and qualifications; b. Preparation, installation maintenance, amendment, and revision of a pay plan directly correlated with the classification plan; c. Manner of giving notice of all job openings and acceptance of applications therefor; d. Employment procedures and employment lists resulting therefrom; e. Certification and appointment of persons from employment lists and the making of temporary and emergency appointments; f. Evaluation of employees; g. Transfer, promotion, demotion and reinstatement of employees in the classified service; h. Separation of employees from the classified service through layoff, suspension, or dismissal; i. Determination of hours of work, overtime, sick leave, vacation, holidays, leave of absence, training, and other working conditions; j. Provision for orderly and equitable presentation by an employee to his appointing authority relating to grievances; k. Procedures governing employer-employee relations; l. Procedures regarding affirmative action; m. Establishment, maintenance, and use of a personnel records system. (Ord. #10, S7)

Appointments to vacant positions shall be made in accordance with Chapter II, Administration, this section and the personnel rules. (Ord. #10, S8)

Whenever in the judgment of the Council it becomes necessary for reasons of economy or because the need for a position no longer exists, the City Manager may lay off, demote or transfer an employee holding such position or employment without the right of appeal. (Ord. #10, S9; Ord. #2012-153)

Except as otherwise provided by the general laws of the State, no person shall be employed, promoted, demoted or discharged, or in any way favored or discriminated against because of political or religious affiliation, race, sex, age or ethnic derivation. (Ord. #10, S10)

a. The City Manager and Director of Finance agree to review the financial position of the City and determine its ability to provide Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA). b. The City Manager and Director of Finance agree to perform this review on an annual basis in January of each calendar year. c. For this review the City Manager and Director of Finance agree to use the “Consumer Price Indexes Pacific Cities and U.S. City Average, All Items Indexes, All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)” currently accepted as the recognized resource for cost of living information. d. Contingent upon the availability of funding as determined by the City Manager and Finance Director, the City Manager will recommend by formal action to the City Council a Cost of Living Adjustment for all City of Clearlake Employees. The City Manager will make the formal recommendation in February of each calendar year during the mid-year Budget Presentation. (Ord. #2006-125; Ord. #2012-153)

The Clearlake Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 286-2026, passed April 2, 2026. Disclaimer: The City Clerk’s Office has the official version of the Clearlake Municipal Code. Users should contact the City Clerk’s Office for ordinances passed subsequent to the ordinance cited above. City Website: www.clearlake.ca.us Hosted by General Code.