[Added 11-7-1974 by L.L. No. 29-1974; amended in its entirety 12-5-2023 by L.L. No. 10-2024[2]]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Art. VI, Civil Service Administration, was repealed by L.L. No. 12-1973.
[2]
Editor's Note: Previously amended by L.L. Nos. 11-1990; 40-1990; 14-1995; 2-2001; 17-2006; 18-2006; 17-2012; 6-2013; 29-2013; 1-2018; 36-2019; 1-2020; 4-2020; 5-2020; 31-2023.
There shall be a Department of Civil Service, the head of which shall be the Personnel Officer. He or she shall be appointed by the County Executive with the approval of the County Legislature for a six-year term of office. The Personnel Officer shall, within the appropriations provided, appoint such officers and employees of said Department as may be established by action of the County Legislature.
The civil service system within the County shall be administered by the Department of Civil Service under the supervision and direction of the Personnel Officer, who shall have all the powers and duties of a municipal civil service commissioner and shall perform such other responsibilities as may be assigned by the County Executive and/or the County Legislature, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) 
Maintain accurate, centralized, updated records on all personnel employed by the County.
(2) 
Have jurisdiction over the payroll/personnel system as needed to certify the payroll and other civil service requirements.
(3) 
Have jurisdiction over employee classifications, employee certifications, and examinations for positions of employment.
(4) 
Have jurisdiction and control over the administration of all County salary plans.
(5) 
Have jurisdiction and control over the Deferred Compensation Plan.
(6) 
Review and maintain a record of the Management Compensation Plan and have jurisdiction over the recommendation of salary grades for County positions, subject to the power of the County Executive and County Legislature to implement, approve, modify and administer such compensation plans.
[Amended 5-20-2025 by L.L. No. 17-2025]
1) 
Definitions. When used in this section, the following words and phrases, unless context otherwise requires, shall have the following meaning:
a) 
COUNTY EMPLOYEE — Means any person holding a position of employment in the service of the County.
b) 
RESIDENCE — Means a person's domicile.
2) 
Residence Requirement. Except where Suffolk County residence is required by law as a condition of County service:
a) 
A County employee's residence shall be in the County of Suffolk or the County of Nassau.
b) 
Any County employee who is not a resident of either the County of Suffolk or the County of Nassau at the time of commencement of employment shall be required to establish residence within the County of Suffolk or the County of Nassau no later than the fifth anniversary of the date of the commencement of employment.
c) 
Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of this Subsection (2), the Chief Deputy County Executive and all employees of the Board of Elections shall have their residence in the County of Suffolk.
d) 
Except as provided in Subsection (c), once a person satisfies the residency requirements of this section, residence shall be maintained in the Counties of Suffolk or Nassau for the duration of the County employee's employment with the County.
3) 
Exceptions.
a) 
Upon good cause demonstrated by a County employee who is in compliance with the residence requirements pursuant to Subsection (2) of this section, the County Executive, or the appointing authority if the appointing authority for whom the County employee is employed is an elected official other than the County Executive at the time of the request, may present a request using an approved form, to the County Executive and Presiding Officer to except that County employee from further compliance with the residence requirements of Subsection (2) of this section. Upon approval by the County Executive and Presiding Officer, or their designees, the County employee shall be excepted from the residency requirements as allowed and specified by the agreed upon approval of the request.
b) 
Upon good cause demonstrated by a County employee who satisfied the residency requirements under Subsection (2) of this section when entering into County service, the County Executive, or the appointing authority if the appointing authority for whom the County employee is employed is an elected official other than the County Executive at the time of the request, may present a request using an approved form, to the County Executive and Presiding Officer to consider excepting that County employee from further compliance with the residence requirements of Subsection (2) of this section. Upon approval by the County Executive and Presiding Officer, or their designees, the County employee shall be excepted from the residency requirements as allowed and specified by the agreed upon approval of the request.
4) 
Exemptions. This section shall not apply to: (i) any public officers whose residence is exempted by Section 3 of the Public Officers Law; and (ii) any person in County service whose duties regularly require regular attendance at locations outside of Suffolk County.
5) 
Rules of Construction.
(a) 
In the event that any provision of law shall require a person to maintain a residence in a town, village, district or other locality of the County as a condition of qualifying for a particular position within County service, this section shall not be construed to permit such person to maintain a residence at any other location within the County of Suffolk.
(b) 
This subdivision shall not be construed as applying to members of the faculty, both professional and teaching employees, of the Suffolk County Community College.
(c) 
The Civil Service Law of the State of New York is a general law which may not be superseded by the County of Suffolk. If there is a conflict between any paragraph, sentence, phrase or word in this section and the Civil Service Law, the provisions of the Civil Service Law shall apply.