Inyo County Municipal Code Ch. 2.80 Personnel Merit System

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "merit system ordinance of the county."

(Ord. 102 § 1, 1962; Ord. 899 § 3, 1991)

In order to establish an equitable and uniform procedure for dealing with personnel matters; to attract to the county service the best and most competent persons available; to assure the appointments, promotions, demotions, transfers, and lay-offs of employees will be based on merit and fitness; to generally regulate the appointment of persons in the employ of the county of Inyo as provided by Section 25300 of the Government Code, state of California; and to provide a reasonable degree of security for qualified employees, the following personnel system is hereby adopted.

(Ord. 102 § 2, 1962; Ord. 899 § 3, 1991)

The board of supervisors, upon the passage of the ordinance codified in this chapter, shall adopt a resolution setting forth the rules for administration of the merit system.

(Ord. 102 § 3, 1962; Ord. 899 § 3, 1991)

A personnel director shall be appointed. The personnel director will be responsible for the administration of the merit system. A department head may appeal an action of the personnel director to the board of supervisors. The personnel director shall have authority to appoint such employees for personnel work as may be allowed in the budget and in the salary ordinance. The personnel director shall provide the board of supervisors with such reports and information as the board may require and shall establish methods and procedures necessary for the proper functioning of the merit system in an efficient and economical manner.

(Ord. 102 § 4, 1962; Ord. 899 § 3, 1991)

All positions, except those held by elective officers, shall be included in a classification plan and shall be classified according to duties and responsibilities in such a way that schedules of compensation may be applied equitably. The number of positions allocated to the various classes of the classification plan shall be set forth in a salary resolution. Each class shall have a written specification defining the class, describing the duties and typical tasks related to the position in the class, and setting forth qualifications required of persons appointed to positions in the class. The concept of position classification applies to the particular work being performed as described in the class specification and does not apply to the employee holding the position, except that an employee may be designated as having the title of the position for the purpose of identifying him or her.

(Ord. 102 § 5, 1962; Ord. 899 § 3, 1991)

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all offices, positions and employments in the county, herein referred to as the merit system or competitive service, except the following:

A. Elected officials;

B. County administrator;

C. Deputy or assistant county administrator;

D. Department heads appointed by the board of supervisors;

E. Chief probation officer and executive officer of the superior court appointed by the superior court judge;

F. Members of appointive boards, commissions and committees;

G. Psychiatrist;

H. Senior assistant county counsel;

I. Assistant county counsel;

J. Deputy county counsel IV;

K. Deputy county counsel III;

L. Deputy county counsel II;

M. Deputy county counsel I;

N. Director of information services;

O. Deputy director information services;

P. Medical director—Corrections;

Q. All other management-level positions (including department or division heads and any deputy or assistant department/division heads) that are or become vacant after December 1, 2016, if at the time of hiring they are unrepresented by any recognized employee organization;

R. Any position that is unrepresented by a recognized employee organization, if the county and the person filling that position contractually agree that the person's employment shall be "at-will" (i.e., subject to termination with or without cause);

S. Any position represented by a recognized employee organization where the organization has agreed that the represented position is or may become "at-will" and provided that the county and the person filling that position have also contractually agreed that the person's employment shall be "at-will";

T. Any other position that the board of supervisors specifically designates as "at-will" by resolution, provided the county has first satisfied any obligation to meet and confer with a recognized employee organization representing that position.

(Ord. 994 § 4, 1998; Ord. 1196 § 3, 2016; Ord. 1203 § 1, 2016; Ord. 1219 § 1, 2017)

All classes of positions in the classification plan shall be assigned a salary range or rate as provided for by a salary resolution. Employees appointed to positions in the classification plan shall be paid a salary within the monthly range or rate so provided for in the salary resolution and according to the procedures established by the personnel resolution.

(Ord. 102 § 7, 1962; Ord. 899 § 3, 1991)

All appointments to positions identified in subsections B, D and G of Section 2.80.055 shall be made by the board of supervisors unless otherwise provided by law. All other appointments to positions in the classified services shall be made by department heads as provided by the personnel resolution. A department head shall appoint only from among those persons certified to him or her by the personnel office as being qualified for appointment to a particular class or position. Appointments shall be made in writing on forms prescribed by the personnel office. The personnel office shall, before approving any appointment, determine that there is a vacancy in an authorized position as allocated in the salary resolution, that the work to be performed relates to the concept of the position as described in the class specification, and that the appointee is qualified. A copy of the approved appointment shall be delivered to the auditor before payment shall be made to any employee occupying a position in the classified service.

(Ord. 994 § 4, 1998)

Appointive department heads shall hold their positions for a term of office as provided by law or at the pleasure of the board of supervisors, as the case may be, as set forth in the personnel resolution. Except for an employee holding an exempt position as described in Section 2.80.070, any other employee appointed to a position in the classified service who successfully completes a probationary period of six months (twelve months for safety employees and dispatchers assigned to the sheriff's department) following his or her appointment shall have regular status. An employee who has a regular status, who is promoted to a more responsible position and who successfully completes a probationary period of six months (twelve months for safety employees and dispatchers assigned to the sheriff's department) in the new position shall have regular status in the new position. The status of welfare department employees shall be as provided by the personnel resolution and by the rules of the Welfare Merit System of the state.

(Ord. 102 § 9, 1962; Ord. 899 § 3, 1991)

An employee shall receive a merit advancement provided he or she earns it by satisfactory performance according to the provisions of the personnel resolution.

(Ord. 102 § 10, 1962; Ord. 899 § 3, 1991)

An employee may be disciplined in accordance with the rules set forth in the personnel resolution.

(Ord. 102 § 11, 1962; Ord. 899 § 3, 1991)

An employee may appeal a disciplinary action in accordance with the procedures set forth in the personnel resolution.

(Ord. 102 § 12, 1962; Ord. 899 § 3, 1991)

The personnel office shall provide such personnel services and assistance to department heads and employees that will contribute to efficient conduct of the county's business and to the morale of the county employees.

(Ord. 102 § 13, 1962; Ord. 899 § 3, 1991)

The personnel office shall maintain such records which are necessary for the effective administration of the personnel program, including a file for each employee which will be available to the employee and authorized persons at all reasonable times. Any record kept by the personnel office may be destroyed as provided by law.

(Ord. 102 § 14, 1962; Ord. 899 § 3, 1991)

All county officers and employees, except those persons providing services under the terms of a contract which provides otherwise, shall be paid every two weeks.

(Ord. 994 § 5, 1998; Ord. 1180 § 3, 2013)