The purpose of this chapter is to establish a system of personnel administration that meets the needs of Oneida County government. This system shall include policies and procedures to recruit, select, develop and maintain an effective, efficient and responsible work force for the County while complying with federal and state laws and regulations. This chapter shall promote the following objectives:
(1) 
To recruit, select and advance employees on the basis of their relative knowledge, abilities and skills.
(2) 
To provide equitable compensation for all employees.
(3) 
To assure fair treatment of all applicants and employees in all aspects of personnel administration without regard to political affiliation or beliefs; or race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age or disability; and with proper regard for their rights as citizens.
(4) 
Nothing contained in this chapter is intended to diminish an employee's rights under federal or state law or regulation.
(1) 
ALLOCATION — The assignment of a position to a class.
(2) 
ANNIVERSARY DATE — Annual anniversary of your most recent date of permanent regular or permanent regular part-time employment by the County.
(3) 
CLASSIFICATION — One or more positions which are sufficiently alike in duties and responsibilities to warrant using the same title, similar qualifications, selection procedure and pay range.
(4) 
COMPENSATORY TIME — Compensatory time off earned by nonexempt employees working beyond their normally scheduled work period, at straight time up to 40 hours per week and at time and one-half after 40 hours per week. Compensatory time off earned by exempt professional employees is defined in the Employee Handbook.
(5) 
CONTRACT — The terms of employment negotiated with the various bargaining groups.
(6) 
DATE OF HIRE — Original date that the employee was first hired by the County.
(7) 
DEPARTMENT HEAD — The employee responsible for the overall operation of a department who reports directly to the oversight committee.
(8) 
DISCIPLINARY ACTION — The action taken to discipline an employee, which may include any action from a verbal reprimand up to and including termination. Disciplinary action need not be progressive.
(9) 
ELECTED OFFICIALS — Those individuals elected to their positions by the citizens of Oneida County and covered by the statutes as far as duties, responsibilities and rights.
(10) 
ELIGIBILITY LIST — A list of persons eligible to fill positions in a particular job classification.
(11) 
EXEMPT EMPLOYEE —
(a) 
Exempt salaried position: expected to work the time required to complete the job for which they are hired and shall not receive overtime pay. This meets with the criteria defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
(b) 
Exempt hourly position: may be compensated by the employer above a base salary and is defined in the Employee Handbook.
(12) 
GRIEVANCE — A controversy between an employee or employees and the County regarding the interpretation and application of this chapter, the Employee Handbook or a collective bargaining agreement.
(13) 
IMMEDIATE FAMILY — Father, mother, stepparent, husband, wife, son, daughter, stepchildren, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother and sister, brother-in-law and sister-in-law.
(14) 
INTERN/INTERNSHIP — An intern is defined as an individual working for Oneida County in the capacity of a training position. Usually these types of positions will be a contracted position with an educational institution such as a university, college, technical school or high school. An internship may also be a cooperative arrangement with an agency that trains disadvantaged people.
(15) 
INTRODUCTORY PERIOD — A trial period in which an employee is required to demonstrate their capability for continued employment. "Introductory period" may be referred to as "probationary period" within various bargaining unit contracts and the Employee Handbook.
(16) 
JOB DESCRIPTION — A written description of a class containing the title, a general statement of the duties and responsibilities, examples of typical duties, minimum qualifications and requirements; may also be referred to as a "position description."
(17) 
NONEXEMPT EMPLOYEE — Employees paid on an hourly basis meeting the criteria defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
(18) 
NONREPRESENTED EMPLOYEES — Persons employed by Oneida County who are not represented by a bargaining group.
(19) 
OUT-OF-CLASS PAY — Temporary pay adjustment for employees moved into positions of higher responsibility and pay.
(20) 
OVERTIME — Hours worked by eligible employees in excess of the established work period.
(21) 
OVERTIME PAY — Compensation paid to nonexempt employees working beyond their normally scheduled work period, at straight time up to 40 hours per week and at time and one-half after 40 hours per week. Paid time is not considered work time for overtime calculation. Exempt salaried employees are not eligible for overtime pay. Exempt hourly employees are eligible for overtime pay on an hour-for-hour basis.
(22) 
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE — Committee, board, or commission designated to oversee a particular department.
(23) 
PAY RANGE — The minimum through maximum rates of pay established for each grade.
(24) 
RECLASSIFICATION — The reassignment of a position from one classification to another classification to recognize a change in the duties and responsibilities of the position or to correct an error in the original assignment.
(25) 
SUPERVISOR — The person responsible for the assignment, direction and evaluation of the work of another employee or supervision of another employee.
(26) 
TERMINATION — The removal of an employee from the payroll for voluntary or involuntary reasons, including dismissal, resignation, retirement or death.
(27) 
TRANSFER — The assignment of an employee from one position to another in the same class or to a class with the same pay range.
(28) 
VACANT POSITION AUDIT — Review of a position to determine if it is still necessary and whether appropriated funds exist to continue the position.
(29) 
WORK PERIOD — The established unit of time used to determine overtime eligibility.
(30) 
WORK RULES — Any departmental or County regulation, which is job-related.
This chapter shall govern the personnel policies and procedures for all employees and departments of the County, with the exception of the following positions:
(1) 
Members of the County Board.
(2) 
Elected County officials.
(3) 
Members of boards, commissions, committees, and judges when they are acting in that capacity.
(4) 
Employees employed directly by the County Board pursuant to statute who have employment agreements with Oneida County.
(5) 
Students engaged in field training.
(6) 
Volunteers.
(7) 
Persons under contract to make or conduct a temporary special inquiry, investigation or examination on behalf of Oneida County.
(8) 
Employees represented by unions are exempt from specific provisions of this chapter to the degree that relevant collective bargaining agreements have specific contrary provisions, which cannot be harmonized with this code.
(a) 
Provisions of this chapter discuss wages and benefits, hours of work, and other conditions of employment, and are mandatory subjects of bargaining.
(b) 
Provisions of this chapter not addressed in the relevant collective bargaining agreements that pertain to work rules, general County operation, or any other right reserved by Oneida County shall apply to all employees of the County.
(9) 
Supported work program positions.
(10) 
Employees hired under the provisions of Chapter 5 (Sheriff's Department), to the extent, that Chapter 5 has specific provisions that cannot be harmonized with this chapter.
[Amended 2-20-2024 by Res. No. 32-2024, effective 4-16-2024]
The authority to implement policies consistent with this chapter is vested within the Executive Committee. Personnel policies will be promulgated as follows:
(1) 
The Human Resources Director shall prepare draft personnel policies for review by the Labor Relations Employee Services Committee.
(2) 
The Human Resources Director shall consider the comments and recommendations submitted and incorporate those changes if he/she deems them appropriate, with the approval of the Executive Committee. Where the Human Resources Director deems a recommended change inappropriate, he/she shall present the written comments and recommendations to the Executive Committee, which shall make the final decision.
The County may from time to time amend this chapter as it sees fit. Such amendments shall be approved by the County Board by a simple majority vote of the members present. In the event federal or state mandates are amended that deviate from this policy or are held unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, this chapter shall be deemed to have been amended automatically at that time.
In addition to the personnel policies, the County shall create and maintain an Employee Handbook as a tool for providing general policy guidance to employees. The Human Resources Director is responsible for maintaining the Oneida County Employee Handbook. Employees shall sign and return the acknowledgment sheet signifying receipt and understanding of the contents of the Oneida County personnel policies to the Human Resources Director, to be filed in the employee's personnel file.
[Amended 2-20-2024 by Res. No. 32-2024, effective 4-16-2024]
All personnel activities and issues, unless otherwise requested, are directed by the Human Resources Director, the Executive Committee or the County Board and will be conducted through the Labor Relations Employee Services Office or the Human Resources Director. The Human Resources Director and the Corporation Counsel or his/her designated representatives shall be responsible for ensuring the Personnel Ordinance is adhered to and are responsible for interpretations of the intent of the language in this chapter.
(1) 
New positions or vacancies shall be filled through the Labor Relations Employee Services office. All applications for employment shall be accepted and processed through the Labor Relations Employee Services office.
(2) 
Unless otherwise directed by the County Board or the Executive Committee, the Human Resources Director is the Chief Negotiator and Spokesperson for Oneida County with regard to communicating with the bargaining group business representatives. The Corporation Counsel is designated as alternate spokesperson.
(3) 
All official personnel files shall be stored and maintained in the Labor Relations Employee Services office.
(4) 
The Human Resources Director shall be responsible for the administration of benefits. All payroll changes will be authorized by the Human Resources Director prior to submission to the Finance Department.
(5) 
The Human Resources Director shall be responsible for all investigations related to personnel matters unless otherwise directed by the County Board Chair or the County Board. The Human Resources Director has the authority to instruct the individual involved in the matter, related individuals or witnesses that they must tell the truth, and not to discuss the matter until the investigation is completed. All individuals involved in the investigation shall tell the truth and comply with the ethics section of the Employee Handbook and cooperate fully.
The County of Oneida reserves unto itself all rights commonly associated with the employer in the employment relationship, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) 
To direct all operations of the County.
(2) 
To establish reasonable work rules and schedules of work.
(3) 
To hire, promote, transfer, schedule and assign employees to positions within the County.
(4) 
To suspend, demote, discharge and take other disciplinary action against employees.
(5) 
To relieve employees from their duties because of lack of work or any other legitimate reason(s).
(6) 
To maintain efficiency of County operations.
(7) 
To take whatever action is necessary to comply with state or federal law.
(8) 
To introduce new or improved methods or facilities.
(9) 
To change existing methods or facilities.
(10) 
To determine the kinds and amounts of services to be performed as pertains to County operations, and the number and kind of classifications to perform such services.
(11) 
To contract out for goods and services.
(12) 
To determine methods, means and personnel by which County operations are to be conducted.
(13) 
To take whatever action is necessary to carry out the functions of the County in situations of emergency.
(14) 
To take whatever measures as are reasonable to comply with the mandated obligations of the County.
(1) 
Employment with Oneida County is voluntarily entered into, and the employee is free to resign at will at any time, with or without cause. Similarly, Oneida County may terminate the employment relationship at will at any time, with or without notice or cause.
(2) 
Policies set forth in this chapter and the Oneida County Employee Handbook are not intended to create a contract, nor are they to be construed to constitute contractual obligations of any kind, or a contract of employment between Oneida County and any of its employees. The provisions of this chapter have been developed at the discretion of the County Board and may be amended or canceled at any time, at Oneida County's sole discretion and without notice.
In the interpretation and implementation of this chapter all applicants and employees shall be treated without regard to political affiliation, religious beliefs, race, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, as defined under Wisconsin law, age or disability, and with proper regard for their rights as citizens.
[Amended 3-21-2023 by Res. No. 33-2023, effective 4-7-2023]
(1) 
Committee of Jurisdiction and Department Head Long Range Plan.
(a) 
Purpose: to identify the factors that will have a significant impact upon the operations of a department and to establish long- and short-term goals that address those factors identified. This long-range plan is not a "one size fits all" document. It is up to the department head to determine where their long-range plan is outlined/described.
(b) 
The committee of jurisdiction and department head will meet to review and revise the department's long-range plan annually. The date and time of this review will be determined by the parties; however, the long-range plan review must be completed, and approved by the committee of jurisdiction, each year. Additional reviews may occur more frequently as determined by the parties.
(2) 
Department Head and Employee Review and Long-Range Plan.
(a) 
Purpose: to identify those factors involving department employees which will have a significant impact on the ability of the department to meet the goals of the department's long-range plan and to establish individual action steps that further the operations of the department. This shall be part of the employee's performance evaluation.
(b) 
The department head, or, when delegated, the employee's direct supervisor, will meet with the employee to review their performance evaluation annually. The date and time of this review will be determined by the parties. Additional reviews may occur more frequently as determined by the parties.
(3) 
The LRES Committee shall be responsible for making changes to the long-range plan procedure as conditions or situations warrant.