[Amended 12-2-2014 by Ord. No. 49-14]
It is the policy of the Board of County Commissioners that the recruitment and selection of applicants shall provide open competition, equal employment opportunity, and shall prohibit discrimination with regard to age, sex (including pregnancy) (except where age or sex are essential bona fide occupational requirements), sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry or national origin, religion, race, color, genetic information, actual or perceived disability, gender-related identity or expression or other nonmerit factors.
The following procedures apply to selections for merit positions. The Director of Personnel reserves the right to apply these procedures to selections for other types of positions as well.
The County may establish eligibility lists with the names of applicants who are found to be qualified for employment in positions allocated to a specific class of work. Eligibility lists shall normally continue in force for six months from the date of posting but may be extended, combined, or canceled at the discretion of the Director of Personnel.
Reference verification is required for all potential employees. An applicant's employer may be excluded (at applicant's request) until such time as it is necessary for final consideration of suitability for a position.
Applicants may be tested by the Office of Personnel or designees. Such examinations may be written, oral, or in the form of a demonstration of skill, physical ability, or any combination of these. The examination shall be of a character to test and determine the job-related fitness and ability of the applicant. Applicants selected may be required to take a physical examination prior to employment, transfer, promotion, or demotion. An investigation of training and experience and any test of technical knowledge, manual skill, or fitness may be administered. Law enforcement officers, employees of law enforcement agencies, correctional officers, employees of the Calvert County Detention Center who have direct personal contact with inmates, communications officers, any other employees so required by law, or applicants for the above positions may be required to submit to polygraph tests and/or background investigations. Employees or applicants for positions in programs for children or special populations, or as otherwise determined by the Office of Personnel may be required to submit to criminal background investigations.
It shall be the responsibility of the Director of Personnel to notify the applicants of their test scores.
The County may reject any applicant for the following causes:
A. 
The applicant lacks the established requirements that are included in the minimum qualifications for the position;
B. 
The applicant made erroneous, false, or misleading statements within the selection process;
C. 
A complete application was not filed within the period specified in the official notice of the examination or position;
D. 
The applicant has been refused a place on the eligibility list because of irregular conduct (defined as, but not limited to, such conduct as would result in disciplinary action or dismissal if applicant had been a County employee at time of incident); or
E. 
The applicant on the eligibility list has declined two or more interviews or two or more job offers.
A. 
When a position is to be filled (excluding appointed, contract or temporary vacancies or positions), the department head shall request that the Director of Personnel provide the names of applicants on the eligibility list or announce the position. The position may be announced to County employees, without the necessity for public advertising, as determined by the Director of Personnel. County employees may be given priority of selection over equally qualified non-County employees. When two employees are equally qualified, the one with longer continuous County service having a satisfactory performance evaluation shall be chosen.
B. 
If a position is to be announced to the public, it shall be announced as necessary to ensure public notification and receipt of applications from qualified applicants.
A recall list is composed of individuals who formerly occupied nonprobationary merit County positions and who were separated through a layoff action. This list shall be maintained by the Office of Personnel. An individual may be recalled in a position of the same or of a lower graded class of work in the class series than he or she previously occupied for which he or she is qualified. An individual may remain on the recall list for 12 months from the date of the layoff.
The Director of Personnel and department head shall determine who shall conduct interviews for each position. The department head shall prepare a recommendation for selection and forward it to the Director of Personnel. Each selection shall be based solely on the principles of merit, fair methods, and fitness for the position. The eligibility list and a list of interviewed applicants, ranked subsequent to interviewing, shall be retained. The department head shall forward the hiring recommendation to the Director of Personnel for review and approval/disapproval. Only the Director of Personnel is authorized to notify the applicant of employment, which is done by telephone and in writing, directing the applicant to report to the Office of Personnel to complete the necessary employment forms. No payroll action shall take place until this procedure has been completed.
If the Director of Personnel rejects the applicant, the department head must make another recommendation.