Pursuant to the authority granted to it under the provisions of the County Civil Service Enabling Act Statutes of 1939, Chapter 982, and in order to establish an equitable and uniform procedure for dealing with personnel matters through a civil service commission and to place county employment on a merit basis for the purpose of obtaining the highest efficiency and assuring that the best qualified persons available shall be brought into the service of the county, the following civil service system is adopted.
(Prior code § 14.1000; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007)
There is created a civil service commission. The commission shall consist of five members appointed by the board of supervisors. The board of supervisors shall appoint five qualified electors of the county as members of such commission, to take office as soon as appointed and qualified. The term of office of two members of the first commission shall be one year. The term of office of the other members shall be two, three, and four years respectively. The members of the commission shall determine by lot the relative order of expiration of their terms. Each member of the commission shall hold office for four years and until his or her successor is appointed and qualified.
(Prior code § 14.1010; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007)
A. 
The members of the civil service commission shall be selected from among the qualified electors of the county. No member of the commission shall be an employee of the classified or unclassified service and concurrently a member of the commission, an officer of any local, state of national committee of a political party, or an officer of a committee in any partisan political club or organization or shall hold or be candidate for any elective office.
B. 
A majority vote of the entire board of supervisors shall be required to elect a member of the commission. The board of supervisors, by a majority vote of all the members may remove a member of the commission for cause during his or her term of office, but only by stating in writing the reason for such removal and allowing him or her an opportunity for a public hearing before the board of supervisors.
C. 
Members of the commission shall receive $100 per regularly scheduled meeting attended, with a maximum limit on compensation for 24 meetings per county fiscal year. Members of the commission shall also receive $100 for each day, or portion thereof, devoted to the hearing of grievance complaints or disciplinary appeals, other than the days of a regularly scheduled meeting. Members shall receive reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incidental to the proper execution of their duties and responsibilities; and such necessary traveling and other official expenditures necessitated by their official duties as shall be approved by the board of supervisors.
D. 
The commission shall have power to inquire into the conduct and operation of any department and to subpoena and require the attendance of witnesses and production of records, books and papers and to administer oaths.
1. 
Any inquiry conducted pursuant to this section shall be only for the purpose of determining whether or not there has been a violation of any section or sections of this article or the civil service rules.
2. 
No inquiry shall be commenced unless a verified complaint is first filed which alleges a violation of a section or sections of this article or the civil service rules.
3. 
Such an inquiry shall be conducted by the civil service commission in the form of public or private hearings.
4. 
No inquiry shall be commenced unless the alleged violation or violations occurred less than 60 days prior to the commencement of the inquiry.
5. 
The civil service commission shall enact rules, not inconsistent with this section, which govern the procedural method of commencing, conducting, and concluding the inquiry.
E. 
Three members of the civil service commission shall constitute a quorum, and a majority of the entire civil service commission shall be required to transact business.
(Prior code § 14.1020; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007)
Immediately upon appointment, the civil service commission shall elect one of its members as chairperson. The commission shall meet once a month and may, upon the call of the chairperson, meet as often as necessary for carrying out its duties.
(Prior code § 14.1030; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007)
The civil service commission shall hold hearings on grievances, appeals and other personnel matters, shall enforce rules for the classified service, shall keep minutes of its proceedings and records of its examinations, and shall, as a commission or through a single commission member, make investigations concerning the enforcement and effect of this article and of the rules and efficiency of the service.
(Prior code § 14.1040; Ord. 5006-B, 1999; Ord. 5160-B, 2002; Ord. 5189-B, 2002; Ord. 5398-B § 4, 2006; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007; Ord. 6025-B § 3, 2020)
A. 
The director of human resources shall be a department head appointed by the county executive officer, subject to confirmation by the board of supervisors.
B. 
The director of human resources shall act as executive secretary of the civil service commission and shall perform and discharge, under the direction and control of the commission, the powers, duties, purposes, functions and jurisdiction vested in the commission and delegated to him or her by it. The director of human resources shall be responsible for carrying out all procedures in the administration of the classified personnel in conformity with the provisions of this article, including prescribing, amending and enforcing rules for the classified service.
Such rules shall, among other things, provide:
1. 
For the standardization and classification of all positions in the classified service, as contained in Article 3.12 of this chapter.
2. 
For competitive examinations to test applicants for entrance to the promotion in the civil service system; provided, that in the event of the creation of a new position in the classified service or in the case of a vacancy in any classified position requiring peculiar and exceptional qualifications of a scientific, professional or expert character, upon satisfactory evidence that competitive examinations to qualify applicants for such positions are impractical, and that the position can best be filled by the selection of a person of recognized attainments, competitive examinations may be suspended by the commission, but no suspension shall be general in its application to such position and all such cases of suspension shall be reported, together with the reasons therefore to the board of supervisors. This provision for the suspension of competitive examinations shall not apply to any examination to qualify applicants for entrance into the service in any classified position in the health, emergency services, and social service departments.
3. 
For creation of employment lists, upon which shall be entered the names of successful candidates in the order of their ranking via the examination process.
4. 
For provisional appointments where there is no employment list.
5. 
For appointments to vacant positions from employment list.
6. 
For publicly advertising all examinations.
7. 
For emergency appointments without reference to employment lists, when such appointments are found necessary to prevent stoppage of public business, loss of life or damage to persons or property.
8. 
For certification of eligibles in order of priority lists.
9. 
For rejection of applications of eligibles who fail to comply with the requirements of the commission.
10. 
That department heads, boards or officers possessing appointive power shall make a selection from one of the five highest ranks on an eligible list.
11. 
For a probationary period of not less than six months, but not to exceed one year.
12. 
For separation from the service of employees through layoffs and for reemployment of the employees laid off.
13. 
For leaves of absences.
14. 
For promotion, demotion, transfer and reinstatement.
15. 
For recommendation of rates of pay for each classification of position based upon an annual study of salaries prevailing in the labor market for comparable employment in government agencies and private industries.
16. 
For health, welfare and safety of employees.
The director of human resources shall also keep an official record of all actions taken by the commission and shall prepare or cause to be prepared an annual report that shall be submitted to the board of supervisors.
C. 
The director of human resources shall be in the unclassified service and serve at the pleasure of the county executive officer.
D. 
All references in county forms, documents, regulations, filings and other provisions of this county code to the terms "personnel director" or "director of personnel," or to the term "director" when context clearly indicates the term is meant to refer to the personnel director, shall now mean and be construed to mean "director of human resources."
(Prior code § 14.1050; Ord. 5006-B, 1999; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007; Ord. 5795-B § 3, 2015; Ord. 6025-B § 3, 2020)
The civil service system of the county is divided into the unclassified and the classified service.
A. 
The unclassified service shall consist of:
1. 
All officers elected by the people and all confidential or special investigators employed by any of such elective officers.
2. 
All appointive boards and commissions.
3. 
Members of the civil service commission.
4. 
All persons serving the county without compensation.
5. 
Interns, student nurses, dentists, and all physicians except those required to be in the classified service by state regulation.
6. 
Casual patient and inmate employees at county institutions.
7. 
Persons employed under contract to supply expert, professional or technical service in a temporary position.
8. 
Appointive officers as set forth in County Charter Section 402.
9. 
Chief probation officer.
10. 
All department heads and appointing authorities.
11. 
Special classifications exempt from approved local merit system standards (State Administrative Code).
12. 
All other classifications and titles as identified by the board of supervisors through passage of an ordinance so indicating.
The current schedule of all titles coming within the classified service pursuant to this section will be maintained by the personnel director and presented in such a fashion so as to be readily available for review by county employees, officers, and the public.
B. 
Classified Service. The classified service shall comprise all positions not included in the unclassified service.
Note: See Section 3.08.050(B).
(Prior code § 14.1060; Ord. 5006-B, 1999; Ord. 5014-B, 2000; Ord. 5032-B, 2000; Ord. 5040-B, 2000; Ord. 5065-B, 2000; Ord. 5069-B, 2000; Ord. 5077-B, 2001; Ord. 5115-B, 2001; Ord. 5140-B, 2001; Ord. 5182-B, 2002; Ord. 5184-B, 2002; Ord. 5193-B, 2002; Ord. 5194-B, 2002; Ord. 5196-B, 2002; Ord. 5235-B, 2003; Ord. 5295-B, 2004; Ord. 5303-B, 2004; Ord. 5329-B, 2004; Ord. 5353-B, 2005; Ord. 5345-B, 2005; Ord. 5347-B, 2005; Ord. 5356-B, 2005; Ord. 5359-B, 2005; Ord. 5363-B, 2005; Ord. 5374-B, 2005; Ord. 5382-B, 2005; Ord. 5389-B, 2005; Ord. 5395-B, 2006; Ord. 5402-B, 2006; Ord. 5403-B, 2006; Ord. 5408-B, 2006; Ord. 5425-B § 4, 2006; Ord. 5435-B, 2006; Ord. 5441-B § 1, 2006; 5468-B, 2007; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007; Ord. 5795-B § 4, 2015; Ord. 5991-B § 1, 2019)
The board of supervisors may contract with any state department or with any competent agency or person for the conducting of competitive examinations or for the performance of any other service in connection with personnel selection and administration.
(Prior code § 14.1070; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007; Ord. 6025-B § 3, 2020)
A. 
All persons holding full-time positions in the classified service, as established by this article, for six months immediately preceding the effective date of this article, shall hold their positions until discharged, reduced, promoted or transferred in accordance with the provisions of this article. Any other persons holding positions of employment in the classified service shall be regarded as holding their positions of employment as probationers who are serving out the balance of their probationary periods before obtaining regular positions.
B. 
Employees of the social service department who hold positions which are subject to state grant-in-aid merit system requirements and who have been under the jurisdiction of the California County Merit System shall be transferred from the system and included in and made a part of the classified service of the Placer County civil service system upon approval of the latter system by the California State Personnel Board. Upon such a transfer of jurisdiction, employees who acquired either probationary or permanent status under the former system prior to such transfer, shall retain such status and hold their positions until discharged, reduced, promoted or transferred, in accordance with this article. Upon such a transfer of jurisdiction, employees who have not acquired either probationary or permanent status under the California County Merit System prior to such transfer, shall be required to compete for the positions which they then hold through open competitive examinations, in accordance with the provisions of this article.
(Prior code § 14.1080; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007)
The county auditor shall withhold payment of any salary or compensation for services from any person holding or performing the duties of a position in the classified service, unless the payroll or claim for such salary or compensation shall bear the approval of the director of human resources that the persons named therein have been appointed or employed and are performing service in accordance with the provisions of this article and of the rules established under this article.
(Prior code § 14.1090; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007; Ord. 5991-B § 1, 2019)
A. 
General Provisions. No person in the civil service system or seeking admission thereto shall be appointed, reduced or removed or in any way favored or discriminated against because of any constitutionally or statutorily protected right, or because of age, sex, race, sexual orientation, color, ancestry, religious creed, national origin, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status or denial of family and medical care leave, family sick leave or pregnancy leave except where specific age, sex or physical requirements constitute bona fide occupational qualification necessary for proper and efficient operation. A copy of the county equal employment opportunity plan is available upon request of the human resources department.
B. 
Appeals Procedure. The appeal procedure against such acts shall be as provided in Section 3.08.280 of these rules and regulations.
1. 
Any person who believes they have been discriminated against on the basis of discrimination as cited in subsection A of this section, may appeal in writing to the director of human resources within 10 working days of the alleged discriminatory act. The director shall advise the person appealing of their rights and options pursuant to the grievance procedure. The appeal shall state the following:
a. 
The specific act(s) of alleged discrimination.
b. 
The effect of the act(s) of alleged discrimination.
c. 
The nature of the relief or remedy which is being sought.
2. 
Upon receipt of the appeal, the director of human resources, or designee, shall determine the initial appeal step to be followed; however, every effort will be made by the director to resolve the appeal through an informal discussion with the parties concerned.
3. 
a. 
If the director determines that the appeal is within the scope of an appointing authority's power to correct, a copy of the appeal will be forwarded to them within five working days. The appeal shall then begin with the lowest appropriate step of the grievance process as designated under County Code Section 3.08.290, if it is a county employee, and will begin with Step 3, if it is a member of the general public.
b. 
If the director determines that the appeal is not within the scope of an appointing authority but is within the scope of the director, then the appeal shall begin with Step 3 of the grievance process.
c. 
If the appeal is not within the scope of either an appointing authority or the director of human resources, the appeal shall be referred directly to the civil service commission as designated under County Code Section 3.08.320.
4. 
If the appeal is within the scope of an appointing authority and is not resolved to the appellant's satisfaction at Step 3 of the grievance process, the appellant may submit a written request for review to the director of human resources within five working days following the date the appointing authority renders a decision.
a. 
The director, or designee, shall then review and investigate the matter. The director shall render a written decision to the appellant and the appointing authority within 10 working days.
b. 
If the decision of the director of human resources requires an appointing authority to take action, the appointing authority shall notify the director within five working days of the acceptance or rejection of the decision.
5. 
If the appellant is not satisfied with the director of human resources' decision or if the appointing authority rejects the director's decision, the appellant may submit a written request for a hearing before the civil service commission as designated under County Code Section 3.08.320.
(Prior code § 14.1100; Ord. 5238-B, 2003; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007; Ord. 5991-B § 1, 2019; Ord. 6068-B § 1, 2021)
A. 
General Provisions. No employee shall be subject to sexual harassment including verbal harassment, physical harassment, visual forms of harassment or sexual advances: (1) where submission to such conduct is either explicitly or implicitly made a term or condition of employment; (2) where submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment decisions; or (3) where such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.
B. 
Complaint Procedure. The complaint procedure for reporting incidents of sexual harassment and/or retaliation is available upon request from the personnel department. Complaints of sexual harassment may be submitted to the employees supervisor or department head or formally through the equal employment opportunity officer in the personnel department. The personnel department shall routinely and continuously post the name, work location and telephone number of the equal employment opportunity officer in each county office and department and shall provide any forms to be used for filing a formal complaint of sexual harassment.
(Prior code § 14.1110; Ord. 5238-B, 2003; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007)
A. 
General Provisions. No person with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual shall be subject to discrimination in regard to job application procedures, hiring or discharge from employment, compensation, advancement, job training, or other terms, condition and privileges of employment because of such disability. However, these provisions shall not apply where the disability prevents that person from performing the essential functions of a job with or without reasonable accommodation; as such terms are defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 USC Section 12101 et seq.
B. 
Complaint Procedure. Any employee or applicant who believes that they have been the subject of discrimination because of a physical or mental impairment may file a complaint with the equal employment opportunity officer at the human resources department. The name, work location and telephone number of the equal employment opportunity officer will be routinely and continuously posted by the human resources department. The human resources department shall make available to all persons a copy of the procedure for the filing of formal complaints for violation of this section. In addition, the human resources department shall provide the necessary forms to any person who wishes to file a complaint under this section.
(Prior code § 14.1120; Ord. 5238-B, 2003; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007; Ord. 6068-B § 1, 2021)
The board of supervisors shall appropriate such funds as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this article.
(Prior code § 14.1140; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007)
No ordinance repealing or amending this article which nullifies the basic principle of the civil service system contemplated by this article and the county civil service enabling law shall be effective unless a proposition of such repeal or amendment shall have been submitted to an election and approved by a majority vote of the electors voting on the proposition.
(Prior code § 14.1150; Ord. 5478-B (Attach. A), 2007)