Susanville Municipal Code Ch. 2.56 Personnel System

In order to establish an equitable and uniform system for dealing with personnel matters, and to comply with applicable laws relating to the administration of the personnel process, the personnel system is adopted.

(Prior code § 2-A.1)

The terms used to administer the personnel system shall be defined in the personnel rules.

(Prior code § 2-A.2)

The city manager shall administer the city personnel system and may delegate any of the powers and duties to a personnel director or may delegate the appointing authority granted to the city council to any other officer or employee of the city or may recommend that such powers and duties be performed under contract as provided in Section 2.56.130 of this chapter. The city manager shall:

A. Act as the appointing authority for the city with the consent of the city council;

B. Administer all the provisions of this chapter and of the personnel rules not specifically reserved to the city council;

C. Prepare and recommend to the city council personnel rules and revisions and amendments to such rules;

D. Prepare or cause to be prepared a position classification plan, including class specifications and revisions of the plan;

E. Have the authority to discipline employees in accordance with this chapter and the personnel rules of the city;

F. Provide for the publishing or posting of notices of tests for positions in the city service; the receiving of applications therefor; the conducting and grading of tests; the certification of a list of all persons eligible for appointment to the appropriate position in the city service; and performing any other duty that may be required to administer the personnel system.

(Prior code § 2-A.3)

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

A. Elective officers.

B. City manager.

C. The city attorney and any assistant or deputy city attorneys.

D. Members of appointive boards, commissions and committees.

E. All department heads, including city clerk, community services director (sometimes also referred to as parks and recreation director), director of finance, police chief, fire chief, director of public works (previously designated Public Services Director in this code), community development director, and building official.

F. Persons engaged under contracts to supply expert, professional, technical or any other services.

G. Volunteer personnel such as volunteer firemen.

H. Emergency employees who are hired to meet immediate requirements of emergency conditions, 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. "Regularly employed in permanent position" means an employee hired for an indefinite term into a budget position, who is regularly scheduled no less than 1,040 hours per year, and has successfully completed the probationary period and been retained as provided in this chapter in the personnel rules.

J. Employees not included in the city service under this section shall serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority.

(Prior code § 2-A.4; Ord. 98-848 § 1)

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

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

B. Appropriate announcement of the selection process 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 from employment lists and the making of provisional appointments;

E. Establishment of probationary testing periods;

F. Evaluation of employees during the probationary testing period and thereafter;

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

H. Separation of employees from the city service;

I. The establishment and maintenance of adequate personnel records for purposes of accounting and legal requirements;

J. The establishment of any necessary appeal procedures;

K. Other items deemed necessary by the city manager for the operation of the personnel system.

(Prior code § 2-A.5)

A. Appointments to vacant positions in the city 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 city 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 tests, written tests, personal interview, performance tests, physical agility tests, evaluation of daily work performance, work samples or any combinations of these or other tests. The probationary period shall be considered an extension of the examination process. Physical, medical and psychological tests may be given as part of any examination.

B. In any examination, the city manager or designee may include, in addition to city tests, a qualifying test or tests, and set minimum standards therefor.

C. The appointing authority of employees in the city service, except where reserved by the city council, is the city manager.

(Prior code § 2-A.6)

A. All regular appointments, including promotional appointments, shall be for a probationary period of not less than six months or longer as determined by the personnel rules. During the probationary period, the employee may be rejected at any time without the right of appeal or hearing.

B. An employee rejected during the probationary period from a position to which the employee has been promoted shall be reinstated to a position in the class from which the employee was promoted unless he is discharged from the city service as provided in the personnel rules. If no vacancy exists in such position, the employee shall be placed on a reemployment list as provided in the personnel rules.

C. An employee in the city service promoted or transferred to a position not included in the city service shall be reinstated to a position in the class from which the promotion or transfer originated if action is taken to reject the employee unless the employee is discharged in the manner provided in this chapter and the personnel rules for positions in the city service. If no vacancy exists in such a position, the employee shall be placed on a reemployment list as provided in the personnel rules.

(Prior code § 2-A.7)

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

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

(Prior code § 2-A.8)

The city manager shall have the authority to reprimand or suspend any regular employee for cause in accordance with procedures included in the personnel rules.

(Prior code § 2-A.9)

The city manager shall establish and maintain a plan for evaluating the performance of employees in the city service. Evaluation shall be made periodically, and one copy of each report shall be filed in the employee's personal history file. Evaluations shall be considered in approving transfers, promotions, salary increases, demotions, discharges and other personnel actions.

(Prior code § 2-A.10)

Any employee in the city service shall have the right to appeal a demotion, reduction in pay, suspension, evaluation or discharge for disciplinary or medical reasons, except in those instances where the right of appeal is specifically prohibited by this chapter or the personnel rules.

All appeals shall be processed in accordance with the requirements and procedures as set forth in the personnel rules.

(Prior code § 2-A.11)

Layoff and reemployment actions shall follow the process outlined in the personnel rules.

(Prior code § 2-A.12)

The political activities of city employees shall conform to pertinent provisions of state law and any local provision adopted pursuant to state law.

(Prior code § 2-A.13)

The city manager shall consider and make recommendations to the city council regarding the extent to which the city should contract for the performance of technical services in connection with the establishment or operation of the personnel system. The city council may contract with any qualified person or public or private agency for the performance of all or any of the following responsibilities and duties imposed by this chapter:

A. The preparation of personnel rules and subsequent revisions and amendments thereof;

B. The preparation of a position classification plan, and subsequent revisions and amendments thereof;

C. The preparation, conduct and grading of city tests;

D. The conduct of employee training programs;

E. Special and technical services of advisory or informational character on matters relating to personnel administration.

(Prior code § 2-A.14)