The city is an equal opportunity employer. Pursuant to this and in accordance with applicable state and federal law, the city bases all employment-related decisions on principles of equal employment opportunity, including:
A. 
The city recruits, hires, discharges, promotes, reassigns, compensates and trains highly qualified persons without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition or any other basis prohibited by applicable laws.
B. 
The city administers all personnel actions such as compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, reductions in force, training, education, social and recreational programs, without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.
C. 
The city will provide reasonable accommodation where necessary and when it does not create an undue hardship, and otherwise treats equally, qualified individuals with disabilities.
D. 
The city prohibits harassment, discrimination and retaliation in the workplace.
(Ord. 1072, 2004)
The city of Palm Desert recruits to fill vacant positions in a manner which is fair, efficient, and results in a list of the most qualified candidates for departmental consideration. All recruitment and examination activities shall be designed to assess the job-related qualifications of each applicant and ensure that these activities are consistent with merit system principles.
The human resources department, in conjunction with the department head, shall determine whether a position is best filled through an open or promotional recruitment. When an open recruitment is conducted, notices shall be posted and/or distributed in a manner that is likely to provide for a qualified applicant pool. When a promotional or limited recruitment is conducted, notices shall be posted for a minimum of two weeks. All recruitment announcements shall describe the available position(s) and indicate steps a prospective applicant must take in order to be considered.
All recruitments for regular allocated positions shall be conducted by the human resources department and/or their designee. The human resources department, in conjunction with the department head and city manager, may determine that a position should remain unfilled or be filled at a lower level. If a position is determined to be filled at a lower level due to a lack of desirable candidates, a separate recruitment will be conducted.
A. 
Recruitment Methods. Department heads shall advise the human resources department in a timely manner of current and anticipated allocated position vacancies. The city manager must authorize the filling of vacancies. The human resources department, together with input from the affected department, shall determine the methods to be used to fill the vacancy. The human resources department may postpone, cancel, extend or otherwise modify recruitment efforts, as circumstances indicate. A recruitment need not reflect an immediate vacancy. It may be conducted to establish an eligible list for future vacancies.
B. 
Job Announcement. The human resources department shall publicize all recruitments and examinations for regular city positions by posting the job announcements on the city's website for the duration of the filing period. The recruitment shall be given other publicity as the human resources department deems warranted with concurrence of the affected department head, to attract a sufficient number of qualified candidates to compete in the selection process, keeping cost efficiency and effectiveness as a priority. The announcement must be made publicly available, whether electronically, bulletin board posting or other means.
Recruitment notices will specify the title and pay of the class, the nature of the work to be performed and the essential functions of the job, the qualifications necessary for performance of the work, the manner of applying, the type of exam(s) that will be administered, and other pertinent information. In addition to the general employment standards in the class specifications, the human resources department with concurrence of the department head, may establish additional requirements which shall be included in the job announcements and which must be met by each applicant before admission to examination or appointment.
Application forms shall require information covering training, experience and other pertinent information. Applicants for positions which are scientific, professional or technical, or the duties of which requires special qualifications shall be required to provide documentary evidence of a satisfactory degree of education, training, and/or experience.
Application Forms. Applications shall be made as prescribed on the examination announcement. Application forms shall require information covering training, experience, and other pertinent information, and may include certificates of skill level, references and fingerprinting, if appropriate. Applications will be accepted electronically or on prescribed forms, the method and format of which may at any time or from time to time be set forth by the city council through resolution.
Disqualifications. The human resources department may reject any application which indicates on its face that the applicant does not possess the minimum qualifications required for the position or is not able to provide proof of their ability to work in the United States, except when this ability is not required by state or federal law. Applicants shall be rejected if the applicant is physically or mentally unable to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation; is a current user of illegal drugs; has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that relates to the position duties that the applicant would perform; has made any false statement of any material fact or practiced fraud or deception in making the employment application; directly or indirectly obtained information regarding examinations; failed to submit the employment application correctly or within the prescribed time limits; has had his or her privilege to operate a motor vehicle in the state of California suspended or revoked if driving is job related; and for any material cause which in the judgment of the personnel officer or his/her designee would render the applicant unfit for the position, including a prior resignation from the city, dismissal from the city, or a significant disciplinary action.
Background checks will be conducted on all applicants and made part of the applicant's file. Applications shall be rejected, or employment terminated, if already hired, if the applicant has made any false statement or omission of any material fact, or given wrong or misleading information.
(Ord. 1072, 2004; Ord. 1260 § 1, 2013)
The city has discretion to use any examination process that the city believes will measure the relative capacity of the persons examined to execute the duties and responsibilities of the position that they seek.
The human resources department, together with the director of the hiring department, will determine the methods of evaluating the qualifications and interviewing applicants. The methods may involve any combination of written test, agility test, oral interview, performance test, rating of education, training and experience or other measure of an applicant's ability and qualifications.
No question in any test, or in any application form, or by an appointing authority, shall be so framed as to attempt to elicit information concerning actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, age, gender, gender identity, political or religious opinions or affiliations of an applicant.
Each person who takes an examination shall be given written notice of the results thereof within a reasonable period of time.
(Ord. 1072, 2004; Ord. 1260 § 1, 2013)
Appointment of individuals for employment with the city of Palm Desert will be made on the basis of merit, ability, qualifications and background.
No appointment to or removal from a position in the personnel system, shall be affected or influenced in any manner by any consideration of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, age, gender, political or religious opinion or affiliation, sexual orientation or physical or mental disability, when such disabilities do not affect ability to perform essential job duties with or without reasonable accommodation.
In accordance with municipal code Section 2.04.050(C), it shall be the duty of the city manager to appoint, remove, promote and demote any and all officers and employees of the city under his or her control, subject to all applicable personnel ordinances, rules and regulations.
Offers of employment may be made conditional on the applicant undertaking and passing a medical examination. When it is required, the exam will be conducted at city expense and must be satisfactorily passed prior to commencement of employment to determine if applicant can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.
(Ord. 1072, 2004; Ord. 1260 § 1, 2013; Ord. 1345 § 2, 2019)
Each person who provides proof of an honorable discharge from the service of any branch of the U.S. military or U.S. armed forces within ten years of the final filing date for an open position, and who meets the application requirements (Section 2.52.205), will receive preferential consideration as required by law.
(Ord. 1072, 2004; Ord. 1260 § 1, 2013)