TDD# 1-800-846-5277
STATE OF
DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE
BATON ROUGE,
August 13, 2007
General Circular No. 1708
To: Heads of
State Agencies and Human Resource Directors
Subject: Amendments to Rules 1.18, 8.14, 6.5(a), 8.4(e), 9.1(a), Add Rule 9.1(h),
Repeal Rule 1.10
The State Civil Service Commission will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 to consider adoption of proposed amendments to Rules 1.18, 8.14, 6.5(a), 8.4(e), 9.1(a), the addition of Rule 9.1(h), and the repeal of Rule 1.10.
The hearing will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will be held in the
auditorium of the
Individuals who wish to comment on these proposed Rule changes may do so at
the public hearing or by writing to the Director of State Civil Service at Post
Office Box 94111,
If any accommodations are needed, please notify the Civil Service Department at (225) 342-8272 prior to the meeting.
Consideration will be given to the following:
(changes in bold italics)
Amend Rule 1.18
Definition of Job Appointment
1:18 ‘Job Appointment’ is a
non-permanent appointment of an employee to fill a position in the classified
service for a limited period of time.
Explanation:
This eliminates the repetition in
the existing rule, and eliminates the three-year cap, which is also eliminated
in the amendment to Rule 8.14.
Amend Rule 8.14 Job Appointment
(a) An appointing authority may
use a job appointment to fill a position for a period not to exceed three
years.
For rational business reasons, an appointing authority may request a
longer term job appointment. The
Commission may approve such requests or delegate approval authority to the
Director.
An agency shall maintain written justification stating the reason for the job appointment, as well as justification for any extension requested and a copy of the approval. This rule is subject to Rules 17.16(b)4 and 17.26 concerning layoff-related job appointments.
Explanation:
This change will allow agencies to maintain employees hired on a job appointment beyond the current absolute maximum if there is a rational business reason for extending the position beyond three years, and the extension is approved by the Commission.
(b) …
Amend Rule 8.14 (c)
(c) Job
appointments may be made:
1. In accordance with Rule 8.4(d) [range of certifiable
scores];
2. In accordance with Rule 8.9 [five highest
grade groups];
3.
On the basis of Rule 7.20 [non-competitive classes];
4. On the basis of Rule 8.18(a) [non-competitive
reemployment eligibility]
5.
In the absence of five available eligibles on an appropriate list, the Director may
authorize the appointment of any person who possesses the qualifications as stated
on the official specification for that job.
(d) REPEALED AND REENACTED IN RULE 8.14(c)
Explanation:
Combines and clarifies manners in
which job appointments may be made.
Amend Rule 8.14(g)
(g) The Commission or Director may, at any time, cancel a job appointment and/or withdraw an agency's authority to make such appointments.
Explanation:
Only the Commission may cancel an
action taken by the Commission, or they may delegate that authority to the
Director.
Amend Rule 6.5(a) Hiring Rate
(a) Subject to Rule 6.5(b), the pay of a job appointee, moving into a probational or permanent appointment in the same agency
with no break in service, shall not be reduced.
Explanation:
This proposed change removes the requirement that job appointees that are moved to probational or permanent appointments in the same agency be hired in the same job title in order to retain their current rate of pay. Any movement of an employee from a job appointment directly to a permanent appointment will be governed by proposed new Rule 9.1(h).
Amend 8.4(e) Certification of Eligibles
(e) An applicant who has obtained a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with an overall grade-point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher may be appointed probationally or by job appointment to any professional level job for which possession of the baccalaureate degree alone is sufficient to meet the Minimum Qualifications. …
Explanation:
This change clarifies that Rule 8.4(e) may be used for job appointments as well as for probational appointments.
Amend Rule 9.1
Probationary Period
(a) Probationary periods of no less than six months or more than twenty-four months shall be
served by employees following appointments to:
1. Permanent positions following
certification from an open competitive eligible list except as provided in Rule
9.1(h).
Explanation:
Change needed to implement proposed new Rule 9.1(h).
Add Rule 9.1(h)
(h) An employee who has served at
least 24 months in a job appointment with no break in service may be appointed
to the same position, or a position in the same job title, in the same agency
without serving a probationary period.
Explanation:
If an employee has been in a job appointment in the same job title in the same agency for 24 months without a break in service, this rule gives the appointing authority the option to permanently appoint that employee into the same job title without serving an additional probationary period.
Repeal Rule 1.10 (Definition of)
Continuous State Service
Explanation: The term “continuous state service” as it is defined in Rule 1.10 is no longer used in the Civil Service Rules.
Sincerely,
s/
Director