Salinas Municipal Code § 25-23 Reports

The purpose of this chapter is to facilitate effective and economic service to the public and to provide for a fair and equitable system of personnel management. This chapter is intended to set forth those policies which ensure equitable treatment for those who seek original appointment and career ladder promotions as well as providing for a city personnel system.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

For the purpose of this chapter, words and phrases shall have the meanings normally ascribed to them unless from the content it is apparent that a different meaning is intended.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

The personnel officer shall cause to have made periodic studies of the classification of each position and shall submit to the city manager for approval any changes deemed desirable to better classify positions within the city services. Such collection of positions shall be known as the classification plan of the city of Salinas.

Upon approval of the city manager, classifications, including specifications, shall be referred to the city council for final consideration and adoption.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

The compensation plan adopted by the city council by resolution shall provide for salary schedules, rates, ranges, steps, time of increases, establishment of salary, and any other special compensation or terms related to the total compensation paid to employees. Step increases shall be governed by the following:

(a) The first step is the minimum rate and normally the hiring rate for the class. In classes where it is difficult to locate qualified personnel, or if a person of unusual qualifications is engaged, the city manager is authorized to hire at any step in the authorized range.

(b) The second step is an incentive adjustment to encourage an employee to improve his or her work. Employees will be eligible to advance to this step after the completion of at least six months of service at the first step and upon recommendation of the department head and approval by the city manager.

(c) The third step represents the middle value of the salary range and is the rate that is applicable to a fully qualified, experienced, and ordinarily conscientious employee who has completed a reasonable period of service. Employees shall be eligible to advance to this step after completion of at least twelve months of fully satisfactory service in Step 2 and upon the recommendation of the department director and approved by the city manager. It shall be the general policy that all employees after serving one year in Step 2 should proceed to Step 3, unless it is determined that his or her quality of work or work behavior for some reason does not meet the average standards for qualified employees.

(d) The fourth step is reserved for employees who are considered to be fully qualified in their classification. An employee shall be eligible to advance to this step after completion of at least twelve months of service in Step 3 upon recommendation of the applicable department director and approval of the city manager. It shall be the policy that all employees will advance to Step 4 of their pay range unless the quality of their work or other work behavior dictates otherwise.

(e) The fifth step is reserved for employees whose work meets the job standards established for their classification. An employee shall be eligible to advance to this step after completion of at least twelve months of service in Step 4. Advancement will be made upon submission of written communication from the department director substantiating that the quality of the employee's job performance meets the established job standards for the position held. Approval of the city manager is required.

(f) The sixth step is a longevity step. To be eligible for the sixth step, an employee must have five years of full-time service with the city of Salinas. The employee's most recent performance evaluation must be "meets standard" or greater. The employee must have been at the fifth step for at least one year. Years of service are determined based upon regular employment status. An employee advanced to the sixth step of the pay range shall retain such pay status as long as his or her performance remains at a level which meets job requirements.

(g) A person who is promoted or reclassified to a classification with a higher salary range shall be raised to the first step of the new range or to one step above his or her old step rate, whichever is higher; provided, however, that in cases where application of this procedure would result in an obvious inequity, the city manager is authorized to allow an additional adjustment of one step or more.

(h) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, upon written recommendation of the department director substantiating that the quality of the employee's work is that of a fully qualified, experienced, and conscientious employee, the city manager may approve the advancement of an employee from one step in a salary range to any other step within the same salary range or may accelerate that employee's movement through the salary range by eliminating or modifying the amount of time that must be spent in a given step before advancement to the next step.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2; Ord. No. 2115 (NCS), § 1; Ord. No. 2452 (NCS), § 1.)

Appointments to city service shall be under the direction and control of the city manager or city attorney in cases of attorney and paralegal employees. The city manager may delegate this responsibility to department directors.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2; Ord. No. 2113 (NCS), § 2.)

All original employment and promotions shall be made from eligibility lists established by the personnel officer. Persons shall be placed on an eligibility list after successfully passing the selection process designated for that particular classification by the personnel officer.

Whenever certification is to be made, the personnel officer shall determine from which eligibility list certification shall be made. The personnel officer shall advise the appointment authority as to the availability of the employees for reinstatement, reemployment, request for transfer, or demotions, and of eligibles on eligibility or promotional lists for the class.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

After interview and investigation, (including but not limited to physical, psychological, polygraph testing, etc.) the authorized appointing authority shall make appointments from among those certified and shall immediately notify the personnel office. If the applicant accepts the appointment and presents him or herself for duty at the prescribed time, he or she shall be deemed appointed; otherwise, he or she shall be deemed to have declined the appointment and his or her name shall be removed from the eligibility list.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

All applicants for any type of appointment shall complete the application documents required by the city. Such application forms shall be received by the city personnel officer in the manner and time required by the city.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

To meet the immediate requirements of any emergency or extraordinary condition such as fire, flood, or earthquake which threatens public life or property, any department director may employ such persons as may be needed for the duration of the emergency without regard to this chapter or other rules affecting appointments. All such appointments shall be reported to the personnel officer as soon as possible and shall be limited to a three-day period unless approved in writing by the city manager for a longer duration.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

Vacancies in positions above the lowest rank in any class in the classified service shall be filled as far as practical by the promotion of employees in this service. The personnel officer shall, in each case, determine when an open competitive examination or promotional examination will best serve the interest of the service in attracting well-qualified candidates. Executive, department directors, and management vacancies may be considered separately.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

The name of any employee who has been permanently separated from the service of the city shall be removed from any promotional eligibility list(s).

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

The personnel officer shall prepare recruitment announcements containing a summary of the job description which outline the duties to be performed, a summary of experience desired, education or experience requirements, and other essential information about positions. Notification of the public shall conform with the city personnel rules.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

All applicant screening and components of selection process shall be under the direction of the personnel officer.

All selection procedures held under the provisions of this chapter shall be competitive and shall be conducted in a fair and impartial manner in accordance with these rules.

Selection procedures for employment shall be practical and reasonably related to the duties of the position to which the applicant seeks appointment and which fairly test the relative capability of the applicant to discharge the duties of the position. The city shall establish the specific selection components which may include any and all of those components established by the city personnel rules.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

The city shall establish minimum qualifications for positions within the city's service. Applicants not meeting the minimum qualifications shall not be considered for employment.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

Fraudulent conduct or false statement by an applicant or by others with the applicant's knowledge and acquiescence shall be deemed cause for exclusion from a selection procedure, removal from an eligibility list, or discharge from the service after appointment; provided, that the applicant shall be offered an opportunity prior to removal to be heard by the personnel officer in his or her own behalf.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

Applicants for employment or promotion shall attend at the place designated by the personnel officer for the conduct of selection procedures at the time for which they are scheduled, and any applicant who appears late may be excluded. Failure to appear at any of the components of the selection process may exclude the applicant from further consideration. Applicants will only be admitted to the place to which the selection procedures are conducted upon the production of a notice sent to them or other vehicle approved by the city.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

Applicants changing their post office box or place of residence after filing an application shall notify the personnel office of such changes in writing immediately. Failure to do so will be treated as the fault of the applicant and may result in his or her failure to be notified of an examination, or his or her failure to be certified for appointment, or failure to receive any other notice or communication which the personnel officer may send him or her.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

Procedures for reduction in force shall be specified in the city personnel rules. Whenever it becomes necessary, in the opinion of the city council, to abolish a regular position or reduce the number of officers or employees in a given class in the classified service and to discharge the officer or officers, employee or employees holding such position or positions, for economy reasons or for any other cause, the city council may do so by stating in its proceedings the reasons therefor. Should such position be reestablished or such position or positions be refilled within one year, the officer or employee previously discharged shall be appointed thereto if they are still available for employment. All layoffs shall be governed by the personnel rules and regulations.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

Any regular or probationary employee shall have the right to appeal from disciplinary action as defined in the personnel rules.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

All original and promotional appointments shall serve a probationary period established in the city personnel rules.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

The official employee records shall be maintained by the personnel office under the control of the personnel officer.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

Provisions of this chapter and of the personnel resolution and the personnel rules with respect to vacation, sick, or annual leave overtime, other leaves or benefits shall not give rise to any vested right or interest of any employee and may be modified or repealed, in whole, or, in part, at any time subject to city code, state law and federal law.

At the time of adoption, nothing herein shall be deemed to reduce or remove vacation, sick leave, overtime, other leaves or benefits that have accrued to any employee.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

Each department shall report to the personnel officer in writing as follows:

(a) All appointments, promotions, transfers or demotions in city service;

(b) All separations from city service;

(c) All disciplinary actions;

(d) Employee evaluations;

(e) All other personnel actions.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

A system of compulsory periodic ratings performed at least once a year shall be established by the personnel officer for all employees in the classified city service. The process and procedure shall be established by the personnel rules.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

All strikes by public employees that create a substantial and imminent threat to the health or safety of the public are illegal and are prohibited as provided by law. Violation of this provision by an employee may be cause for discharge or other disciplinary action.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)

The city may establish residency requirements pursuant to law and the city personnel rules.

(Ord. No. 2000 (NCS), § 2.)