Lancaster Municipal Code Ch. 2.56 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; the following personnel system is adopted.

(Prior code § 2-9.1)

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. Assistants to the city manager, whether executive or clerical, as designated by the city manager;

C. Elective officers;

D. Members of appointive boards, commissions and committees;

E. Heads of departments and administrative assistant(s) to heads of departments;

F. Persons engaged under contract to provide the city with expert, professional or technical service;

G. Volunteer personnel;

H. City attorney;

I. City treasurer;

J. Emergency employees hired to meet immediate requirements of an emergency situation.

(Prior code § 2-9.2)

The city manager shall serve as the personnel officer for the city. The city manager may delegate any of the powers and duties conferred upon him as personnel officer to any other officer or employee of the city or may recommend that such powers and duties be performed under contract. The personnel officer shall have the following powers and duties:

A. Administer the provisions of this chapter and any personnel rules and regulations adopted by the city council by resolution, not specifically reserved to the city council;

B. Prepare and recommend to the city council any and all revisions to this chapter or personnel rules and regulations;

C. Prepare or cause to be prepared a position classification plan, including class specifications, and revisions of the plan for approval by the city council;

D. Prepare a compensation plan, and revisions thereof, covering all classifications in the competitive service for approval by the city council;

E. Provide for the publishing and/or posting of current employment vacancies; receiving of applications; the conducting and grading of any necessary examinations; and certifying an appointment.

(Prior code § 2-9.3)

Personnel rules shall be adopted by resolution of the city council. The rules shall establish regulations governing the personnel system including:

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

B. Public announcement of all tests and acceptance of applications for 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 for employment lists, and the making of provisional, temporary and emergency appointments;

E. Establishment of probationary periods;

F. Evaluation of employees during and after probationary period;

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

H. Separation of employees from the city service through layoff, suspension and discharge;

I. The establishment, maintenance and use of personnel records and forms;

J. Standardization of hours of work, attendance and leave regulations, working conditions and the development of employee morale, welfare and training;

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

(Prior code § 2-9.4)

A. Any person holding a position who, on the effective date of this chapter, shall have served continuously in such position, or in some other position in the competitive service, for a period equal to the probationary period prescribed in the rules for his class shall assume permanent status in the position held on such effective date without a qualifying test, and shall thereafter be subject in all respects to the provisions of this chapter and personnel rules.

B. Any other person holding positions in the competitive service shall be regarded as probationers who are serving out the balance of their probationary periods as prescribed in the rules before obtaining permanent status. The probationary period shall be computed from the date of appointment or employment as specified in the personnel rules.

(Prior code § 2-9.5)

The provisions of the personnel rules relating to attendance and leaves shall apply to the incumbents of full-time exempt positions, unless otherwise specified. The city manager may, by written administrative policy, apply any provision(s) of the personnel rules to any person or position otherwise exempt therefrom.

(Prior code § 2-9.6)

The city manager is vested the power to appoint, reinstate, transfer, promote, layoff, demote, reduce in pay, suspend with or without pay or discharge employees and shall retain such power, subject to the provisions of this chapter and other personnel rules.

(Prior code § 2-9.7)

(Ord. No. 1131, § 1, 5-27-2025)

A. Any employee in the competitive service shall have the right to appeal any disciplinary action, or alleged violation of this chapter to the city manager except in those instances where the right of appeal is specifically prohibited by this chapter or the rules adopted thereunder.

B. All appeals shall be concluded as expeditiously as possible and in accordance with the requirements and procedures as set forth in the personnel rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter.

(Prior code § 2-9.8)

Whenever in the judgment of the city manager it becomes necessary in the interest of economy, or because the necessity for a position no longer exists, the city manager may abolish any position or employment and the employee holding such position or employment may be laid off without the right of appeal, subject to the provisions of this chapter and the personnel rules.

(Prior code § 2-9.9)

(Ord. No. 1131, § 2, 5-27-2025)

No person in the competitive service, or seeking admission thereto, shall be employed, promoted, demoted, discharged or in any way favored or discriminated against because of political opinions or affiliations, or because of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religious belief, sex, age, or because of the exercise of rights under Section 3502-3502.5 of the Government Code. The personnel officer shall provide for the establishment of programs, including trainee programs designed to attract and utilize persons possessing minimum qualifications, with a potential for development, to provide career development opportunities among members of such disadvantaged groups as handicapped persons, returning veterans, women, or other minority group representatives as may be designated by the personnel officer. Such programs may provide for regular appointment upon satisfactory completion of the training period and satisfactory completion of an open competitive examination.

(Prior code § 2-9.10)