There shall be in the finance department a personnel division, the head of which shall be a personnel director who shall be appointed by the finance director.
Appointments and promotions in the service of the city shall be made according to merit and fitness in the manner provided by this charter. All such appointments and promotions shall be made without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability or political consideration. (Election of 11-6-01)
Within one year from the effective date of this charter the council shall adopt ordinances which shall include but not be restricted to the following provisions:
(a) A position classification plan for all city employees, including heads of divisions or subdivisions within departments, but excepting elected officials, heads of departments and agencies appointed by the mayor or council, employees of the school department, professional persons engaged on a fee basis, and such temporary unskilled workers paid on an hourly basis as the council may determine. Such plan shall define generally the duties, responsibilities and types of work involved for each class of position; the skills and knowledge necessary for each position, and the minimum qualifications necessary to qualify for appointment to each position.
(b) A pay plan for all city employees in the classification plan. Such plan shall state the salary or wage for each position established by the classification plan: and define the method for granting step advancements in pay in those instances where a minimum and maximum pay range is established for a position.
(c) Personnel policies regarding vacation, sick leave, overtime pay and the dismissal of classified employees.
(d) The council shall establish by ordinance, concurrent with the adoption of the annual appropriation ordinance and consistent with the amounts appropriated therein for personal services, the maximum number of employees that may be employed in each class of positions by each office, department or agency of the city, and no authority shall exist to employ a greater number than is so provided.
Upon the adoption of the classification plan, all persons employed by the city, subject to the classification plan, shall be assigned to the appropriate position classification by the personnel director with the approval of the personnel board hereinafter provided.
There shall be a personnel board consisting of three (3) members and two (2) alternate members. The members shall be appointed by the mayor with the approval of the city council for terms of six (6) years. The members first appointed shall serve for terms of two (2), four (4) and six (6) years respectively and thereafter, their successors shall be appointed as their respective terms expire. The alternate members shall be appointed by the mayor and their terms shall run concurrent with the mayor. (Election of 11-6-01)
Each member appointed to said board shall be a person of good repute in his respective business, profession or trade, who is known to be in sympathy with the merit principle as applied to public employment. No member shall hold any other public office or appointment or employment either paid or non-paid within city government. (Election of 11-6-01)
It shall be the duty of the personnel board:
(a) To certify that persons appointed to positions in the classified service, as herein defined, actually possess the qualifications required by the classification plan.
(b) To recommend pay scales and to perform such related services as the council may require.
(c) To advise and assist the personnel director on problems concerning personnel administration and the improvement or personnel standards in the municipal service.
(d) To conduct grievance hearings as required. (Election of 11-6-01)
Before any person may assume the duties of any employment in the classification plan, the personnel board shall first review the qualifications of such person for the purpose of determining his eligibility under the classification plan. If the personnel board is satisfied that the person is properly qualified, it shall so certify to the personnel director and said person shall then be eligible for appointment to the class of position in the city service for which he has so qualified. Any appointment not made in accordance herewith shall be illegal and void. It shall be the duty of the personnel director to examine all payrolls covering classified employees for the purpose of determining that all persons to whom payments are to be made are properly employed and have been approved by the personnel board as to eligibility, and no authority shall exist to certify the payroll or to make any payment to persons not properly employed as herein provided.