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P.ESOLUTION NO. 15 --78
PERSONNEL POLICY
SECTION I - PREAMBLE
1.1 Purpose.
The objectives of this policy are to:
(a) Facilitate efficient service to the publici and,
(b) Provide equitable personnel management policies for all
county employees.
1. 2 Scope.
These policies shall apply in all circumstances to all appointed county employees
except:
(a) Where these policies conflict with collective bargaining
contracts and agreements clearly agreed upon between
authorized employee organizations or unions and the county,
those contract and agreements shall prevail; and,
(b) Where these policies conflict with any authority vested by
state law in an elected official of county government,
the state-mandated authority of the elected official shall
prevail.
SECTION II - DEFINITION OF TEm1S
2.1 County.
The County of Jefferson, a municipal corporation.
2.2 Continuous Service.
Errployment without interruption except for brief leaves of authorized absence.
2.3 Department Head.
Elected and appointed officials.
2.4 Dismissal.
The discharge of an employee from employment with the County for just cause.
2.5 Examination.
Examination refers to any device or procedure used in the selection process to
measure applicant's abilities and suitabilities for a position. This includes but
is not limited to oral interviews, written tests, perfonnance tests, evaluation of
perfonnance during probation and scored evaluation of education and experience.
2.6 Just Cause.
Cause, supported by substantial evidence, for a superior to take disciplinary
action against a subordinate employee.
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2.7 Layoff.
Termination of an employee because of lack of funds or lack of
work.
2.8 Part-Time Regular Position.
A position in which th~ employee regularly works less than thirty-
five (35) hours per week but not less than twenty (20) hours per week,
or a minimum of eighty (80) hours per month.
2.9 Part-Time Non-Regular Position.
A position in which the employee regularly works less than twenty
(20) hours per week. Fringe benefits shall not be available to those
working in a part-time, non-regular position.
2.10 Terrp:>rary EmplOyment.
Employment which meets short-term needs or is seasonal in nature.
Temporary employment of an individual shall not exceed four (4) months
in anyone year. Fringe benefits shall not be available to temporary
employees.
2.11 Permanent App:>intment.
The appointment of a person to a perrnanent position upon successful
corrpletion of probation, when applicable, which signifies satisfactory
performance in a permanent position to which the employee is assigned.
2.12 Permanent Employee.
An employee who has successfully canpleted a probationary period of
six (6) months in a permanent position.
2.13 Probation.
A working test period of up to six (6) months during which an
employee is required to demonstrate his ability and capacity to perform
the duties of the position to which he has been appointed.
2.14 Reinstatement.
Return of an employee to his former position in the service of the
County within one (1) year after layoff or at any time after successful
appeal of a suspension, demotion or dismissal.
2.15 Suspension.
A temporary reITOval fran duty with or without pay of an employee
for disciplinary purposes or for the purpose of investigating accusation
brought against an employee.
2.16 Temporary Appointment.
The appointment for a limited period of a person to a position in a
higher class occupied by a permanent appointee on suspension; or to a
position in a higher class occupied by a probationary or permanent
employee who is on authorized leave of absence; or a position for which
a vacancy exists.
2.17 Termination.
Separation fran employment with the County.
2 . 18 Unifo:rmed Employees.
Employees who are duly sworn officers of the County Sheriff's
Department and who are under the State mandated Civil Service System of
the County (RaV Ch. 41.14) .
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SECTION III - C~RAL POLICIES
3.1 Recruitment.
In general, new employees will be hired from the list of persons
who have expressed a desire for employment by filing an application for
employment in a manner prescribed by the elected department head or,
where the department head is an appointed position, by the County Commissioners.
Selection for employment shall be based solely upon the basis of merit,
fitness and ability to perfonn the required duties. Jefferson County is
an Equal Opportunity Employer and the provisions of this document shall
be construed in a manner to give effect to the County's AffiDnative
Action Plan.
3.2 EITl?loyment.
Elected department heads shall, wi thin the scope of the established
budget, employ all personnel for their respective offices. Employment
for those offices having an appointed o.epartment head shall be made by
the County Conmissioners.
3.3 Probationary Period.
All employment with the County shall be probationary during the
first six (6) months of such employment. If during the probationary
period the employee's perfonnance does not meet the standards estab-
lished by the department head or by this document, or if it is otherwise
deemed advisable to tenninate the probationary employee's employment,
that employee may be tenninated without any requirement for cause. A
probationary employee shall have no right to appeal his or her tennination.
3.4 Promotions.
It is the policy of the County to fill vacancies, insofar as consistent
with the best interests of the County, by prorroting pennanent employees.
Appointments to a higher employee classification will be made on a
CCllTpetitive basis by the appropriate elected department head or, where
the department head is an appointed position, by the County Conmissioners
after reviewing the recarmendations of the appointed department head.
An employee who is promoted shall hold the new position of employment as
a probationary employee for a period of six (6) months. At the end of
six months, the employment beCOttES pennanent if the pranoted employee
has perfonned satisfactorily. If the prorroted employee does not perfonn
satisfactorily, the employee shall be given his previous job classification.
Any position filled by one replacing an employee who has been pranoted
will be placed in that position on a probationary basis regardless of
whether they are newly employed or a pranoted County employee.
3.5 Political Activity.
The rules governing political acti vi ties of employees shall follON
the provisions of Revised Code of Washington 41. 06.250. No employee
shall be tenninated solely on the basis of membership or non-membership
in a particular pOlitical party.
3.6 Outside Employment.
It is the policy of this County to provide its citizens the most
efficient and effective service possible within the bounds of County
finances. To foster this policy, County employees shall not engage in
employment other than his County job or if such employment interferes
with the efficient performance of the County job or constitutes a conflict
of interest or would result in a poor public image for the County as
detennined by the elected department head or, where the department head
is an appointed position, by the County Conmissioners.
3. 7 Part-Time and Temporary Employees.
Fran time to time it may be necessary to hire part-time or temporary
employees. Such employees shall be paid on an hourly basis.
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SECTION IV - BASIC COMPENSATION
4.1 General.
Salaries are set in the annual budget approved by the County Carmissioners.
Generally, e:rrployee salaries will not be reduced from year to year unless so dictated
by sound fiscal policies and budgetory constraints.
4.2 Pay Period.
Employees shall be paid Il'Onthly on the last working day of the month or as
authorized by the County Coomissioners. Probationary e:rrployees who have worked
less than a full month and pennanent employees who have missed ~rk and used all
accumulated vacation and sick leave pay. will be paid for the time they actually
worked at the hourly rate of pay for their position. The hourly rate of pay shall
be corrputed by dividing their Il'Onthly salary by the nmnber of hours to be worked by
an employee in that position.
4. 3 Part-Time and Temporary :Employees.
Part-time and temporary employees shall be paid on an hourly basis.
4.4 Probationary Employees.
Upon initial appointment or pranotion to a position, an employee shall receive
the minimum salary for the class to which the position is allocated. After the
employee canpletes the six month probationary period, the elected department head
or, where the depart:.rrent head is an appointed position, the County Ccmnissioners
may adjust the e:rrployee's salary upwards; provided the increase is within the
department's approved budget.
4.5 Longevity Pay.
Employees shall receive longevity pay as follows:
(a) o - 5 years
(b) 6 - 10 years
(c) 11 - 15 years
(d) 16 - 20 years
(e) 21 years & over
Percentage of Increase
o
2%
+2%
+2%
+2%
The anniversary date for all employees for detennining longevity pay shall be
January 1. My employee corrmencing employment during the first six (6) Il'Onths of
any calendar year shall have an anniversary date of January 1 of the year of employment.
MY employee corrmencing e:rrployment on or after July 1 shall have an anniversary
date of January 1 of the next year.
Longevity pay is based upon continuous service from the date of county e:rrployment.
My separation from county employment and re-employment rrore than thirty (30) days
later shall establish the anniversary date based on the date of re-anployment.
4.6 Mileage Reimbursements.
Employees shall be reimbursed rronthl y for authorized required use of private
vehicles at a rate established by the County Ccmnissioners. Elected department
heads or, where the department head is an appointed position, the County Ccmnissioners
shall establish procedures and policies to control the use of private vehicles for
county business. As a standard procedure reimbursement for mileage is authorized
only when an enployee is perfonning his or her duties as a county employee and a
county vehicle is not available to that e:rrployee. The rate of reimbursement shall
be set annually by the County Carmissioners.
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4.7 Overtime Com~sation.
Personnel shall start work at a fixed time each morning unless
notified differently and shall work according to a fixed schedule established
by the elected department head, or where the department head is an
appointed position, by the County Ccmnissioners. In the event that the
employee is required to work more than forty (40) hours per week, the
employee shall be compensated as follows:
(a) Compensatory Time.
Additional time worked shall be taken off at time and
one-half as soon as practicable and in accordance with
directions from the department head, but in no instance
later than thirty (30) days from the date accrued.
(b) Overtime Pay.
If an employee accumulates forty (40) hours or more
of compensatory time, the department head may require
the employee to take time off to reduce the compensatory
time or to pay the employee for additional overtime at
a rate of time and one-half fram the department's approved
budget. Under no circumstances will supervisors be paid
overtime.
4.8 Lunch Periods.
Employees are authori~ed a daily lunch period. Department heads
will establish procedures to insure that lunch periods do not interfere
with the conduct of public business. Office hours for each department
shall be set by the department head unless otherwise established by the
County Ccmnissioners.
SECTION V - FRINGE BENEFITS
5.1 Sick Leave.
Sick leave is earned by a permanent employee at the rate of one (1)
working day for each nonth of completed service. An employee may not
accumulate more than two hundred forty (240) days of sick leave. To
receive sick leave, an employee must actually be sick and must be able
to furnish proof of the illness. Falsification or misuse of sick leave
shall be grounds for disciplinary action, including tennination of
employment.
Upon an employee's death, the employee's estate shall be paid
twenty-five (25%) percent of accumulated sick leave. When an employee
becomes disabled, or retires, he shall be paid twenty-five (25%) of his
accumulated sick leave. If E;mployment is terminated other than by
death, disability or retirerrent, no portion of accumulated sick leave
shall be paid.
5.2 Bereavement Leave.
Bereaverrent leave shall be authorized permanent employees for a maximum of
three (3) days on the death of a member of the employee's imnediate family.
"Imnediate family" is defined as follows: grandparent, parent, child, grandchild,
brother and sister, and step relations of the same degree.
5.3 Annual Leave.
All permanent employees shall be granted annual leave as follows:
(a) During the first year of employment - five (5) days;
(b) Upon completion of not less than one (1) year of
continuous employment - ten (10) days;
(c) Upon completion of not less than five (5) years of
continuous employment - fifteep (15) days.
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(d) Upon corrpletion of not less than fifteen (15)
years of continuous employment
'IWenty (20) days
With approval of the department head, annual leave may be taken at any ti.m=
during the calendar year in which it is accumulated; however, should an employee
discontinue employment for any reason prior to corrpletion of the period for which
such leave was authorized, the employee shall reimburse the County on a pro-rata
basis for annual leave taken but. not authorized by this policy. For purposes of
this section a leave of absence of fifteen (15) days or more shall be considered a
discontinuance of employment.
No more than ten (10) days annual leave can be accumulated. from year to year.
Upon death, retirement or tennination for any reason, an employee or his estate
shall be paid for any accumulated annual leave.
5.4 Civil Leave.
Any necessary leave may be allowed by the elected depa.rt:rnent head or, where
the department head is an appointed position, by the County Corrmissioners, to
pennit any regular employee to serve as a member of jury or to take examination for
state positions. The employee who is granted such leave and who, for the perfonnance
of such civil duties involved receives any canpensation, shall be paid by the
County for the ti.m= he is absent only in the cmount of the excess of his regular
salary over the conpensation so received.
5.5 Military Leave.
Any employee who is a member of the Washington National Guard or of the Anf!Y,
Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps Reserve of the United States or of
any organized reserve or Anned Forces of the United States shall be entitled to
military leave with pay for a period not to exceed fifteen (15) days during any
calendar year in order that the employee may take part in required active training
duty. Such military leave shall be granted pursuant to the provisions of Revised
Code of Washington 38.40.
Any employee who enters upon active duty service or training in the Washington
National Guard, the Anned Forces of the United States, or the United States Public
Health Service may seek leave of absence for a period not to exceed the actual act
of duty, service or training, and upon return shall be entitled to re-employrnent
providing the individual carrplies with the provisions of the Revised Code of Washington
73.16, or as hereafter amended.
5.6 Leave of Absence.
A leave of absence may be requested by any pennanent employee. The decision
as to whether or not such leave of absence will be granted is with the County
Corrmissioners. No leave of absence shall exceed a period of nine (9) months.
Any request for leave of absence shall be in writing, and that writing shall
state the ti.m= period for which the request is made. The granting of any such
request for leave of absence shall also be in writing and signed by the County
Comnissioners.
Any leave of absence shall be without pay and all County benefits of the
employee shall cease during the period of the leave of absence. The employee may,
if satisfactory arrangements can be made, continue insurance plans in effect by
prepayment of the insurance premiums. Where the leave of absence does not exceed
fifteen (lS) days, ,the County Corrmissioners may authorize payment of fringe benefits.
5.7 Holidays.
The following are holidays with pay for pennanent employees:
(1) New Years's Day
(2) Lincoln's Birthday
January 1
February 12
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(3) Washington's Birthday Third Monday in February
(4) Memorial Day Last Monday in May
(5) Independence Day July 4
( 6) Labor Day First Monday in September
(7) Veterans Day November 11
(8) Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday of November
(9) Day After Thanksgiving Fourth Friday of November
(10) Christmas Day December 25
(11) One Floating Holiday
If a holiday falls on Sl,U1day, it shall be observed the following Monday. If
it falls on a Saturday, it shall be observed on the previous Friday. An employee
will not receive holiday pay if the employee is absent on his last scheduled work
day prior to the holiday or on his first scheduled work day following the holiday
and that absence is unexcused. Employees on "leave of absence without pay" shall
not receive holiday pay.
5.8 Medical Benefits.
Employees may participate in basic group medical insurance plans as may be
adopted by the County under the tenns and conditions established by the Board of
County Ccmnissioners.
SECTION VI - DISCIPLINARY ACTIa.\I
6.1 Purpose of Disciplinary Action.
The County will attempt at all times to operate its business in the most
efficient, economical and orderly manner consistent with good management practices.
All employees shall conduct themselves ina manner that will be consistent with
established rules and regulations. Disciplinary action is not primarily intended
to be punitive but rather to maintain the efficiency of day-to-day operations and
in keeping with sound business principles of human relations in the County service.
6.2 Causes of Disciplinary Action.
All appointed employees may be subjected to disciplinary action for cause,
including but not limited to:
(a) Drinking intoxicating beverages or using non-prescription
drugs on the job, or arriving on the job under the influence
of intoxicating beverages or drugs;
(b) Violation of a lawful duty;
(c) Insubordination;
(d) Breach of discipline;
(e) Being absent from work without first notifying and securing
pennission from the employee's supervisor;
(f) Being habitually absent or tardy for any reason;
(g) Misconduct;
(h) Conviction of any felony or of a misdemeanor involving
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moral turpitude;
(i) Using religious, political or fraternal influence;
(j) Accepting fees, gifts, or other valuable items in the
perfonnance of the errployee's official duties for the County;
(k) Failure to perfonn the assigned job.
6.3 Procedure for Disciplinary Action.
The degree of discipline administered must depend on the severity of the
infraction and must be in accordance with any appropriate labor contracts, and,
if applicable, Civil Service Rules and Regulations. It is the responsibility of
the supervisor to evaluate thoroughly the circumstances and facts as objectively
as possible. The supervisor will then apply the most suitable fonn of discipline
to the best of his or her knowledge and discretion.
There are several types of disciplinary action which may be applied to
discourage detrimental behavior or actions:
A. Oral Warning.
(1) Talk to the errployee in private.
(2) This type of discipline should be applied for infractions of
a relatively minor degree. Supervisors should at all times
infonn the errployee that he or she is administering an oral
warning and that the errployee is being given an opportunity
to correct the condition. If the condition is not corrected,
the person will be subject to IIOre severe disciplinary
measures.
(3) A notation that an oral warning was given should be made for
the employee's personnel file.
B. Written Warning.
(1) This notice will be issued by the supervisor in the event the
errployee continues to disregard an oral warning, or if the
infraction is severe enough to warrant a written record in
the errployee's personnel file.
(2) The supervisor will set forth in the warning notice fonn
the nature of the infraction in detail and will sign the
notice. He or she will discuss the warning notice with his
or her immediate supervisor, then with the errployee, to be
certain that the errployeeunderstands the reasons for the
disciplinary action.
(3) A copy of the warningriitice is to be handed to the errployee
at the time of the discussion of the discipline. The original
copy is to be placed in the errployee' s personnel file.
C. Suspension.
(1) This fonn of discipline is administered as a result of a
severe infraction of rules, standards, or for excessive
violations after the errployee has received a written warning
and has made no effort to improve perfonnance. This is the
most severe fonn of discipline given by a supervisor short
of discharge.
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(2) All facts leading to the reason for the disciplinary
suspension and the duration of suspension will be set forth
on a disciplinary form. The employee will be informed of
the disciplina:ry action and provided an original copy of
completed disciplinary action form. The maximum period of
suspension shall be days.
(3) Suspension of any employee will be applied only by the elected
departrrent head, or where the IBpart:rrent head is an appointed
posi tion, by the County Corrmissioners.
D. Demotion.
(1) Demotion is to be used in rare instances where an employee
has been employed for or pranoted to a position but fails to
perform the duties and responsibilities of that position.
Derrotion should be made only after a thorough evaluation
by the Department head and only after written warning.
(2) Demotion of an employee will be made by the elected Department
head, or where the DepartI'rent head is an appointed position,
by the County Carmissioners.
E. Discharge.
(1) To assure the continuous, successful operation of County
business, certain rules and policies may not be violated by
its employees. Infraction of certain basic rules by an
employee shall be considered just cause for discharge. The
decision as to whether or not the employee should be discharged
shall depend upon, among other things, the severity of the
infraction, the previous efforts to counsel the employee,
the p:>tential danger to other errployees, and the effect on
the County's operations.
(2) If in the opinion of the supervisor or Department head the
infraction is so severe as to require inmediate renDval of
the employee from his or her employment situation, the
supervisor or Depart:nent head may inmediately suspend the
employee. Within five (5) working days following any such
suspension, the elected DepartJrent head, or where the
Department head is an appointed position, the County Carrmissioners
will review the circumstances ooncerning the incident and
determine whether or not discharge of the employee is appropriate.
(3) Discharge of an employee shall be by the elected Depart:rrent
head, or where the Depart:rrent head is an appointed position,
the County Camnissioners.
SECTICN VII - GRIEVANCE AL"ID ARBITRATICN PFOCEDURES
7.1 Definition.
A grievance IrEans a claim or dispute by an employee with respect to the
interpretation, IrEaning, or application of the provisions of this policy.a
7.2 Purpose.
An employee may resort to these grievance procedures for any decision or
action which he or she feels may affect his or her employment adversely.
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7.3 Procedure.
The following grievance procedures apply unless other procedures are provided
by State law, as in the case of the unifonred services, or by union contract:
(a) If an errployee feels he or she has a justified conplaint or
problem, the errployee shall discuss the matter with his or
her Depa.rt::Irent head. If the corrplaint relates to a specific
incident, the discussion shall take place within fifteen (15)
days fran the date of the incident.
(b) If the employee feels that his or her corrplaint is not fairly
resolved by the Department head, he or she may then within five
(5) days submit a written complaint to the County Comnissioners.
If the grievance continues to exist, the County Comnissioners
may agree to any recourse or otherl~gal means available 'for
resolving the errployee' s grievance, including arbitration in the
manner set out belo.v.
7.4 Arbitration.
(a) If an errployee after corrpleting the grievance procedure outlined in
Section 7.3 still believes that his or her grievance has not been dealt with
justly, the errployee may request fran the County Carmissioners independent arbi-
tration of this matter. Any grievance involving a dispute with respect to the
application, meaning, or interpretation of this Personnel Policy may be sul::mitted
to arbitration in the following manner. If arbitration is desired by the aggrieved
errployee (s) and the County Conmnissioners, the Arbitration Committee shall consist
of three (3) persons: one appointed by the employee or his or her representative,
one appointed by the County Carmissioners and one appointed by agreerrent between
the arbitrating members. If the members are unable to agree upon a third member
for the Carmittee within five (5) days after they meet to detennine such an
appointee, they may jointly request the Washington State DepartIrent of Labor and
Industires to provide a list of five (5) arbitrators from which the parties may
select one person. The representatives of the errployer and the employee shall
alternately eliminate the narre of one person on the list until only one remains.
The person whose narre was not eliminated shall be the third :member of the Carrmittee.
The third member of the Committee shall be the Arbitration Committee chairman.
(b) It shall be the duty of the Arbitration Carmittee to represent the
public interest in reviewing employee appeals, only after all other grievance
procedures have been exhausted, resulting from alleged adverse employer action
including violations of these procedures or the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder, unwarranted demotion, discharge, or suspension. During such review,
lx>th the appealing employee and the County Commissioners or other person whose
action is being reviewed shall have the right to be heard publicly, be represented
by a person of his or her choice, and to present evidentiary facts. At the hearing
of such appeals or grievances, technical rules of evidence shall not apply.
(c) It shall be the duty of the Canmittee chairman, within three (3) days of
the conclusion of the hearing, to forward his or her reccmnendation concerning the
appeal to the County Commissioners for appropriate action.
(d) The recomrrendation of the Committee shall be reviewed by the County
Comnissioners and within fifteen (15) days following receipt the Board shall advise
the employee as to its decision regarding the grievance. It is the intention of
the County Commissioners to follow the Corrmittee recarmendation except where that
recoITIrendation does not appear to the Co\,IDty Comnissioners to be in the best
interests of Jefferson County. ..
7.5 Utilization of Grievance Procedures.
No punitive action shall be carried out against any employee for utilizing the
grievance procedures contained herein.
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SECTION VIII - PRIOR PERSONNEL POLICIES SUPERSEDED
The policies and procedures set out herein are intended to supercede any
previous resolution of this Board related to County personnel policies and
disciplinary procedures.
DA'IED this
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day of lhA-4/1-l . 191t
JEFFERSON COUN'TY BOARD OF CCM1ISSIONERS
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B. G. BRCWN, Member
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