§ 3.04.030. Classification plan.

A.

Adoption and amendment.

1.

Class specifications. Unless otherwise ordered by the board of supervisors, the human resources director may adopt and from time to time amend a classification plan which shall consist of a separate class specification containing the title, general statement of duties, typical tasks, and minimum qualifications, for each class of position other than county officers. Each new or revised class specification shall be approved by the human resources director.

2.

Maintenance of the plan. The classification plan shall be maintained in a current condition by the human resources director and the classification plan shall be made available in a format readily accessible by county agency/departments.

3.

Classification studies. The human resources director shall have the responsibility for recommending changes in the classification plan to keep the same currently in a condition to meet the needs of the county and its agency/departments. From time to time the human resources director may, and upon order of the board of supervisors shall, initiate classification studies of the various positions and class specifications, their relation to the salary plan, and related matters, and make appropriate recommendations to the board of supervisors for amendment of the classification plan, this ordinance and resolutions, orders and regulations made pursuant thereto. The human resources director shall have the primary responsibility for preparation of class specifications.

4.

Approval of new classes and reclassification. The board of supervisors shall approve the establishment of any new classes, on the recommendation of the human resources director. The human resources director may inactivate from the class and salary listing, without board of supervisors' approval, classes which are no longer allocated to agencies or departments and not in current use. Reclassification to an existing class and exchanges of positions shall not require board of supervisors approval however, shall require the approval of the human resources director and the county executive officer. As an outcome of a classification study or review, the human resources director, with the concurrence of the affected agency/department head, may reclassify positions which warrant a change to an existing job class, when no additional funding is required. This action shall be sufficient to authorize promotion or demotion through reclassification of the incumbents of the positions, on the request of the agency/department head.

B.

Conformance to plan.

1.

Requirement for class specification. No person shall be employed in or appointed to any regular or seasonal position until the class specification for such position exists within the classification plan.

2.

Minimum qualifications. No person shall be employed in or appointed to any regular or seasonal position unless said person meets the minimum qualifications set forth in the class specification except as otherwise provided in this section. No person shall be employed in or appointed to any temporary position unless said person meets the minimum qualifications set forth in the class specification, unless the human resources director shall certify that there is no qualified person available for the temporary position.

3.

Underfilling a position. An underfill shall mean a classification within the same class series, generally the journey level classification within a promotional growth series. This action may be required when filling a position with an individual who currently qualifies for a lower level in the same class series. When any regular or seasonal position has been funded in a(n) agency/department, the position may be filled in a job class of the same class series as if it were a position in the same or lower paid job class.

At a later date, the position may be filled in the originally funded job class, provided the following conditions are met:

a.

The employee must meet the established minimum qualifications and is satisfactorily and substantially performing the duties of the higher class.

b.

The originally funded class is the journey level and the underfill is a lower level in the same class series, in the same representation unit and job classes in the series are not separately allocated.

c.

There is no increase in the number of positions allowed for the classes involved.

C.

Class and salary listing.

1.

Design of listing. The class and salary listing, by this reference made a part hereof, contains a list, by titles, of all classes of positions in the classification plan, each preceded by a job code number which is assigned for numerical reference, and followed by the salary plan and grade or other basis of compensation which applies to the class.

The human resources director may include in the publication of the class and salary listing other reference information by class, such as the designated union code or salary.

2.

Amendments to the appendices impacting the class and salary listing. The following appendices: Appendix I, relating to overtime; Appendix II, At-will classifications; and Appendix III, Executive Vehicle Benefit classifications, may be amended by resolution of the board of supervisors and shall be effective on the first day of the first full pay period following Board adoption, unless a different date is established by the Board.

3.

Technical title changes and additions. The human resources director may change the title of a class of positions as listed in the class and salary listing, without changing the job code number or salary, when an occupational title change is warranted because of technical or programmatic developments. These changes shall be effective on the first day of the first full pay period following approval.

4.

Classification duplication. The human resources director may administratively duplicate an existing class (including for a separate program or district position) when necessary to preserve benefits that have been lawfully afforded to an employee group. The duplicated classification shall only differ from the existing classification by minimal modification of the following factors: title, class concept, essential duties, and recruiting guidelines. The duplicated classification shall be in accordance with the program area of the requesting department, and assigned a separate job code. Included in the provision of this authority is the ability of the waste management department to fill a position in either a generic class or district class when needed to accommodate an employee whose benefits have been "grandfathered" under an earlier district arrangement. The salary of the duplicated class in the class and salary listing shall be equivalent to the existing class, allowing, however, for a different salary plan and grade appropriate to the representation unit. It is not the intent of this provision to duplicate an existing classification solely based on salary and/or at-will status.

Whenever an administrative change or inactivation of a class is made by the human resources director, or by resolution of the board of supervisors, the change shall also operate with respect to the listing of the class in Appendix I, II, or III, in the class specification, in any applicable MOU, and/or in any applicable resolution of the board of supervisors.

Any or all sections of this chapter, its appendices, and any personnel related supplements may be published by the human resources director to include the technical changes authorized by this subsection, without separate board of supervisors' action.

(Ord. No. 440.1761, § 3, 9-15-2015; Ord. No. 440.1762, § 3, 1-5-2016)