Colfax Municipal Code Ch. 2.48 Personnel System

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 and to provide a reasonable degree of security for qualified employees, the personnel system set out in this chapter is adopted.

(Prior code § 2-4.701)

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

A. The city manager;

B. Elective officers;

C. Members of appointive boards, commissions and committees;

D. All department heads;

E. Persons engaged under contract to supply expert, professional, technical or any other services;

F. Volunteer personnel, such as volunteer firefighters;

G. City attorney;

H. Emergency employees who are hired to meet the immediate requirements of an emergency condition, such as extraordinary fire, flood or earthquake which threatens life or property;

I. Employees, other than those listed elsewhere in this section, who are not regularly employed in permanent positions.

(Prior code § 2-4.702)

Personnel rules shall be adopted by resolution of the city council after notice of such action has been publicly posted in at least three public places designated by the city council and at least five days prior to city council consideration. The city clerk shall give reasonable written notice to each recognized employee organization affected by the ordinance, rule, resolution or regulation or amendment thereof proposed to be adopted by the city council. Amendments and revisions may be suggested by any interested party and shall be processed as provided in the personnel rules. The rules shall establish regulations governing the personnel system including:

A. Preparation, installation, revision and maintenance of a position classification plan covering all positions in the competitive service, including employment standards and qualifications for each class;

B. Public announcement of all interviews and acceptance of applications of employment;

C. Preparation and conduct of tests and the establishment and use of resulting employment lists containing names of persons eligible for appointment;

D. Certification and appointment of persons from employment list and the making of provisional appointments;

E. Establishment of probationary periods;

F. Evaluation of employees during the probationary period;

G. Transfer, promotion, demotion, reinstatement, punitive action and layoff of employees in the competitive service;

H. Separation employees from the city services;

I. The establishment of adequate personnel record;

J. The establishment of appeal procedures concerning the interpretation or application of this chapter and any rules adopted hereunder; and

K. The establishment of a grievance procedure.

(Prior code § 2-4.703)

Appointments to vacant positions in the competitive service shall be made in accordance with the personnel rules. Appointments and promotions shall be based on merit and fitness to be ascertained so far as practicable by competitive examination. Examinations may be used and conducted to aid in the selection of qualified employees and shall consist of selection techniques which will test fairly the qualifications of candidates such as achievement and aptitude test, written tests, personal interview test, physical ability test, evaluation of daily work performance, work samples or any combination of these or other tests. The probationary period shall be considered an extension of the examination process. Physical and medical tests may be given as a part of an examination.

(Prior code § 2-4.704)

All regular appointments, including promotional appointments, shall be for a probationary period of not less than six months, nor more than two years. During the probationary period, the employee may be rejected at any time without the right of appeal or hearing.

(Prior code § 2-4.705)

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

(Prior code § 2-4.706)

The political activities of the city employees shall conform to pertinent provisions of state law.

(Prior code § 2-4.707)

No person in the competitive service or seeking admission thereto, shall be employed, promoted, demoted or discharged or in any way favored or discriminated against because of political opinions or affiliations, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religious creed, sex or because of the exercise of his or her rights under Section 3502 of the Government Code.

(Prior code § 2-4.708)