The Directors of the departments of Social Services, Public Health, Sheriff, Register of Deeds, Board of Elections and Tax Collector shall have authority over and be responsible for the recruitment, application submission, employment, selection, appointment, supervision and discharge of employees in their respective departments with the County Manager and/or Personnel Director approving the salary and classification of the new employees. The Board of Trustees of the Asheville-Buncombe Library System shall appoint and hire the Chief Librarian or Director of Library Services.

Section 2. Statement of Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

It is the policy of the County to maintain a systematic, consistent recruitment program, to promote equal employment opportunities, and to identify and attract the most qualified applicants for employment with the County. Selection decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, nondisqualifying handicap, or age.

Section 3. Recruitment

The Personnel Director is responsible for an active recruitment program to meet current and projected staffing needs, using procedures that shall ensure equal employment opportunities based on job-related requirements. Recruitment efforts shall be coordinated in a timely manner. The Personnel Director and the Departmental Director may jointly determine whether a position vacancy shall be filled by outside recruitment or promotion. In case of disagreement, determination shall be made by the corresponding appointing authority or County Manager.

Section 4. Position Vacancy Announcements

Vacant positions shall be reviewed by the applicable department head and the County Manager and/or Personnel Director to determine whether they should be filled. Applicants shall be recruited for vacant positions which are to be filled by posting position vacancy announcements for a minimum of five (5) working days at (1) the Personnel Department and within each County Department, and (2) the local office of the Employment Security Commission. Optional recruiting publicity may be carried out through the media, as appropriate. Position vacancy announcements shall contain, at a minimum, (1) the title and the hiring range; (2) the closing date of the announcement; (3) a summary of the duties of the position; (4) a summary of the minimum qualifications; (5) the procedures for making application; and (6) a statement of equal employment opportunity. The Buncombe County Weekly Job Opportunities Report is published on Thursday of each week by the Personnel Director. A copy is posted in the lobby of the Personnel Department and sent to all other County departments and the Employment Security Commission.

Section 5. Application Submission

The Buncombe County Employment Application shall be the standard application accepted for any and all position listings. Applications are accepted at the Personnel Department or the office of the corresponding appointing authority.

Section 6. Application For Employment

A. All persons expressing interest in employment with the County are given an opportunity to file an application for employment with the Personnel Office. For most positions, applications are accepted for publicized vacancies only. A separate application must be submitted for each position applied. Copies are not accepted.

B. Applications are logged according to job classification and remain in active status for six months. At the end of six months, applications are kept in a reserve file for a period of six months.

Section 7. Qualification Standards

A. All applicants considered for employment or promotion shall meet the qualification standards established by the class specifications and/or job description relating to the position to which the appointment is being made.

B. All appointments shall be made on the basis of merit and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, nondisqualifying handicap, or age.

C. Consideration may be given to "Trainee" appointments when there is an absence of suitable qualified applicants from which to make a selection. In this instance, the deficiencies may be eliminated through orientation and on-the-job training, and the employee is designated a trainee by the Personnel Director and/or corresponding appointing authority.

D. When suitable qualified applicants are unavailable and there is no trainee provision for the vacant classification, an appointment may be made below the level of the regular classification in a work-against appointment, allowing the appointee an opportunity to gain the qualifications needed for the full class through on-the-job experience. The appointee must meet the minimum education and experience standard of the class to which initially appointed. A work-against appointment may not be made when qualified, and otherwise suitable applicants are available who meet the education and experience requirements for the full class of the position in question. When an applicant is selected to a work-against appointment to fill a vacancy for which one or more other applicants met the minimum qualifications on the basis of education and experience, documentation must be provided to support the selection decision which includes findings determining other applicant(s) qualified on the basis of education and experience to be unsuitable for the position.

Section 8. Selection

After applicants have been properly screened by the Personnel Department, a minimum of five applicants whose qualifications most closely meet those required by a position are referred to the Supervisor for further consideration. In some cases, fewer than five may apply for a position. A copy of the applications are forwarded to the Supervisor. The supervisor makes the decision as to employment, subject to the approval of the Departmental Director, Personnel Director and/or the County Manager.

A. All persons who have applied for employment are selected through open competition in the basis of bona-fide occupational qualifications. All applicants must meet the minimum training, education and experience, certification or license requirements established for the position, except on established trainee positions. In addition, applicants must meet other minimum standards as to character, aptitude, ability to meet the public, and physical ability in relationship to essential job functions, as may be required by the position.

B. If training and experience are among the criteria for employment in a job, the Departmental Director shall determine a procedure for the evaluation of the training and experience of the various applicants. The formula used in appraisal shall give due regard to recentness, quality, and quantity of the applicant’s experience and training. This procedure shall allow for the equitable substitution of training for experience, and experience for training, within the limits stated in the position specifications.

C. Applicants shall not be notified of the outcome of their application for employment unless they are interviewed by a Supervisor or Departmental Director. Notification shall be from the department with the vacancy or from the Personnel Department. Concerned applicants may check the status of their application by contacting the Personnel Department or corresponding appointing authority.

D. At the end of the selection process of each vacancy, the Supervisor is responsible for completing an Affirmative Action Application Selection/Rejection Data Form. The original copy must be submitted to the Personnel Department at the time of selection. Provided qualified applicants are available, a minimum of three applicants must be interviewed for each position and reflected upon this form; however, interviewing more than three applicants is encouraged.

1. The Affirmative Action Application Selection/Rejection Data Form provides documentation for EEO purposes and is a record of those applicants to be notified of the outcome of the selection process.

2. No new hire shall be processed unless a completed, signed and dated Affirmative Action Application Selection/Rejection Data form is provided to the Personnel Department at the time of hire, accompanied by a Personnel Action Form.

Section 9. Appointments

A. Before an applicant begins work, the County Manager and/or Personnel Director may require a meeting with the department head to discuss the appointment. The Personnel Action Form, the original application for employment, and any additional supporting documents may be reviewed by the County Manager and/or Personnel Director.

B. If the duties of the position include operation of County-owned or County-insured vehicles, the department head shall, before issuing an offer of employment, conduct a review of the driving record of the person to be hired, which record shall become a part of the personnel file.

C. The Board of County Commissioners must approve the appointment by the Sheriff, Register of Deeds, and Tax Collector of a relative by blood, marriage or nearer kinship than first cousin, or of a person who has been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude.

Section 10. Probationary Period of Employment

A. *An employee appointed to a permanent position shall serve a probationary period. Six months is the normal probationary period. but it may be extended or shortened by up to thirty days by the department head. Any employee serving a probationary period following initial appointment may be dismissed at any time during the probationary period. Following successful completion of the probationary period, the employee may be dismissed only as provided in Article VIII. *Revision 6/27/2000

1. During the probation period an employee may be separated upon the approval of the Departmental Director, Personnel Director, County Manager, or corresponding appointing authority without the right of grievance, if the judgment of the Departmental Director is that work performance, behavior, or work attitude is not satisfactory.

2. An employee who has received a promotion or a reclassification of his/her position may not be required to serve a new probationary period.

3. Upon successful completion of the probation period, an employee who has been newly appointed shall receive a pay increase of between zero and four and one-half percent, based on employee performance during the probationary period, upon recommendation of the Supervisor and approval by the Departmental Director and the Personnel Director.

4. Probationary employees of the County have no right of grievances during this period. If such an employee fails to perform satisfactorily, upon the recommendation of the Departmental Director and approval of the Personnel Director and the County Manager, or corresponding appointing authority, he/she may be demoted or dismissed at any time without further notice and without the right of grievance, except when the employee alleges sexual harassment or discrimination based on race, sex, religion, or national origin.

5. An employee who has successfully completed the probationary period shall be considered a permanent employee.

B. The work of a new employee shall receive a special performance rating in the last month of his/her probation period.

1. If an overall rating of "Meets Expectations" or better is received, and upon approval of the Departmental Director and Personnel Director, the employee shall obtain permanent status upon completion of the probationary period.

2. Employment in a temporary appointment may be credited toward the probationary period at the discretion of the Departmental Director.

*3. In its discretion, the Departmental Director, with the approval of the Personnel Director, or the County Manager, may extend the employee’s probation period for an additional thirty (30) days. At the end of that period receipt of a performance rating of "Meets Expectations" or better, the employee shall obtain permanent status. *Revision 6/27/2000

Section 11. Promotion

Candidates for promotion shall be chosen on the basis of their qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, nondisqualifying handicap, or age. First consideration for filling positions within departments under the supervision of the County Manager shall be given to qualified employees already in service with the County. If a current County employee is chosen for promotion, the department head shall forward information to the Personnel Director with recommendations for salary rate.

Section 12. Demotion

A. An employee whose work is unsatisfactory may be demoted provided the employee shows promise of becoming a satisfactory employee in another position. Such a demotion shall be made in accordance with procedures in Article VIII. The employee shall be provided with written notice citing the recommended effective date of the demotion, the reasons for the demotion, and the appeal rights available to the employee as stated in Article VIII of this Ordinance.

B. An employee who wishes to accept a position with less complex duties and reduced responsibilities may request a voluntary demotion. A voluntary demotion is not a disciplinary action and is made without using the procedures in Article VIII and IX of this Ordinance.

Section 13. Transfer

A. If a vacancy occurs and an employee eligible for transfer from another department wishes to be considered for the appointment, a written request and application must be forwarded to the Personnel Department during the recruitment period for the position. The request for transfer shall be subject to approval of both affected department heads, and approval by the Personnel Director. Any employee transferred without having requested it may appeal the action in accordance with the grievance procedure outlined in Article IX.

B. Any employee who has successfully completed a probationary period may be transferred to any other position without serving another probationary period.