Trinity County Municipal Code Art. I General Provisions

The county personnel ordinance is promulgated by the personnel officer in accordance with, and subject to, approval by the board of supervisors.

(Ord. 1087 §1(part), 1986)

A. The personnel rules and policies contained herein shall apply to all persons employed by the county, except where the natural construction of this chapter otherwise indicates.

B. The acceptance of an appointment to any position covered by these rules shall signify acceptance of coverage of these rules by the employee.

C. Where the provisions of coverage conflict with presently existing memorandums of understanding with a particular bargaining unit, the presently existing memoranda of understanding shall supersede and take precedence.

D. Those departments covered by Merit System Personnel Standards of the California State Personnel Board shall not be obligated to adhere to those sections of this chapter which conflict with those standards. Where conflicts between this chapter and the Merit System Standards arise, the Merit System Personnel Standards shall supersede and take precedence. However, where conflicts do not arise, those departments shall comply with the requirements of this chapter.

(Ord. 1087 §1(part), 1986)

A. The personnel officer shall have responsibility for providing official interpretations of this chapter in cases of apparent internal conflict between rules and when questions arise regarding the application of these rules to specific situations, procedures, or policies. The county counsel shall be responsible for providing legal interpretations when the policies outlined in this chapter appear to conflict with state and/or federal regulations.

B. The personnel officer shall ensure that these rules are enforced, and that the provisions of this chapter are applied uniformly and fairly to all employees under county service.

C. Department heads are responsible for the application of these rules within their respective departments and shall ensure that all department employees comply with the provisions of this chapter.

D. Department heads shall further ensure that employees in their departments are informed of pertinent provisions of this chapter, when such information is required for the proper execution of their duties; and that employees are informed when any provisions of this chapter affect the terms and conditions of their employment.

(Ord. 1087 §1(part), 1986)

A. The personnel officer may, as necessary, issue written policy statements to be followed in the administration of personnel and employee relations policies, and to other matters deemed necessary for proper personnel administration.

B. Department heads shall ensure dissemination of such policy statements and procedures and take appropriate action, where applicable, when violations of such policies and procedures are determined.

C. The personnel officer shall prescribe the forms and procedures to be used by county departments in matters of personnel and for purposes of personnel administration.

D. The personnel officer shall maintain and/or have access to all employee and personnel records, except where specifically prohibited by state or federal law.

E. The personnel officer may assign to other personnel staff employees such duties and responsibilities in connection with this chapter deemed proper and expedient.

(Ord. 1087 §1(part), 1986)

A. The county will provide equal employment opportunity in the administration of all personnel policies and practices in a manner which does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, ethnic background, handicap (except where handicap is a bona fide occupational disqualification), political affiliation, marital status or sexual orientation.

B. The personnel policies and practices covered under subsection A of this section shall include, but not be limited to, recruitment, appointment, promotion, discipline, retention, training and other benefits, terms and conditions of employment.

C. Department heads shall conduct all personnel operations in accordance with equal employment opportunity policy and shall lend full cooperation with the personnel officer in investigating and resolving alleged discrimination complaints.

D. Department heads shall be responsible for the distribution to, and discussion of, equal employment opportunity policy with employees in their respective departments.

E. The personnel office is directed to maintain such employee and other records as are necessary to accomplish the provisions required by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

(Ord. 1229 §1, 1999; Ord. 1087 §1(part), 1986)

A. No employee shall use official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with, or affecting the results of an election or nomination for office, or directly or indirectly coerce, attempt to coerce, or advise a county employee to pay, lend, or contribute anything of value to a party, committee, organization, agency, or person for political purposes.

B. All county officers and employees are subject to the provisions of Section 3201 through 3209 of the State of California Government Code relating to political activities.

C. All officers and employees whose employment is connected with an activity which is financed in whole or in part by loans or grants made by the United States Government or any federal agencies are subject to the provisions of Section 1501 through 1508, Title 5, United States Code.

D. No employee shall accept, or solicit anything of value which is, or which may appear to be, designed to influence official conduct; nor shall a county employee enter into any financial or other relationship with a county department, a private business, individual or other organization, which would constitute a conflict of interest with county employment.

E. No person employed under the system created in this chapter, whether in the classified or unclassified service, shall, during his working hours, seek election, nomination or appointment as an officer of a political club or organization, or take an active part in a political campaign favoring or opposing any candidate for election or for nomination to any public office.

F. This chapter does not prevent any such officer or employee from becoming, or continuing to be, a member of a political club or organization, from attending political meetings, or from seeking or accepting election or appointment to public office, during off-duty hours.

(Ord. 1087 §1(part), 1986)

A. There shall be no conflicting hours of work when a person is employed by two or more county departments, or in two or more positions in the same department. Dual employment within the county service shall be subject to review and approval by the personnel officer.

B. A county employee may work for another employer, so long as the employee continues to function in a satisfactory manner during service with the county, and there is no conflict of hours. No employee shall engage in outside employment or other activity which interferes with the efficient and proper discharge of the duties of county employment, and which tends to impair capacity to perform the duties and responsibilities assigned.

C. The board of supervisors may prohibit and/or limit the type of outside employment department heads or employees may engage in as a condition of continued employment where a conflict with county employment can be clearly demonstrated. Nothing in this section, however, shall preclude a department head from taking appropriate action against employees in violation of the provisions of 2.60.01.07 of this chapter.

(Ord. 1087 §1(part), 1986)

A. No employee shall use or permit the use of county-owned property for other than official activities. In addition, county employees shall have a positive responsibility to protect and conserve county property entrusted to them.

B. County employees shall not use their official positions for personal gain. Public authority and privileged information shall not be turned to personal advantage.

(Ord. 1087 §1(part), 1986)

A. A work week shall be deemed to be forty hours.

B. The work week shall be established as Sunday through Saturday.

C. For purposes of computing fractions of hours worked, the time shall be computed to the nearest half hour.

D. Employees shall have a meal period of a minimum of thirty minutes or more. Meal periods are not considered work time. Employees shall be completely relieved from duty for the purpose of eating meals. Employees are not relieved from duty if they are required to perform any duties, whether active or inactive, while eating.

E. Each department head shall establish a fifteen minute rest period during each four hours of employee work time. Rest periods are hours worked and employees may be required to perform regular duties, if necessary. Rest periods shall be noncumulative and shall not be taken contiguously with lunch breaks or at the beginning or ending of a shift. Department management reserves the right to regulate the times and restrictions by which rest periods are provided.

F. A four day, ten hours per day work week schedule may be established by any department head.

G. All county offices which provide services directly to the public, other than hospital emergency services, shall remain open for public business Monday thru Friday, excluding the holidays, at a minimum from nine a.m. to four p.m. Office hours shall be posted by each department. The department head shall notify the board of supervisors of any changes in office hours.

(Ord. 1243 §1, 2000: Ord. 1171 §1, 1992; Ord. 1143 §1(part), 1990; Ord. 1087 §1(part), 1986)