Section 29. Promotion
29.1 Examinations
- Open Examinations: Any person who meets the minimum qualifications for the job classification may compete.
- General Promotional Examinations: Permanent and probationary employees who have served at least six months in such status prior to the date of the examination are eligible to compete. Persons who have been laid off and whose names are on a reemployment list are also eligible provided they had served at least six months prior to lay off.
Persons in unclassified positions, who previously held positions in the classified service and who did not have a break in County service between the classified and unclassified appointments are eligible to compete provided that they have at least six months total service prior to the final date to file an application.
- Departmental Promotional Examinations: Permanent and probationary employees of the specific department in which a promotional opportunity exists who have served at least six months in such status prior to the date of the examination are eligible to compete. Persons who have been laid off and whose names appear on the appropriate departmental reemployment eligible list are also eligible provided they had served at least six months prior to layoff.
- Open and Promotional Examinations: Any person who meets the minimum qualifications for the job classification may compete. In addition, any person competing in this type of an examination, and who meets the criteria described in (2) above, shall have 5 points added to the final passing score.
- Veterans preference shall not apply to promotional examinations.
29.2 Promotional Eligible Lists
- General Promotional Eligible Lists: The names of applicants successful in general promotional examinations shall be placed on general promotional eligible lists for the classifications examined.
- Departmental Promotional Eligible Lists: The names of applicants successful in departmental promotional examinations shall be placed on departmental promotional eligible lists for the classifications examined.
- These lists shall take precedence over General Eligible Lists.
- If, at the time of termination, an employee’s name appears on a promotional eligible list, their name shall be removed from the promotional list and placed on the open general eligible list for that classification in accordance with their final score.
29.3 Probationary Period
Permanent employees who are promoted to a higher classification shall undergo the probationary period prescribed for the higher classification, but shall have the right to demote to their former classification in their former department if a vacancy in their former classification exists. If no vacancy exists, such employees shall be placed in the longest standing vacancy, as determined by the requisition form date, County‑wide. Should the longest standing vacancy entail “unusual” work hours, the employee shall have the one-time option of returning to the second longest standing vacancy should one exist. (“Unusual” shall mean work hours or work week dissimilar to those of the position from which or to which the employee was promoted.) If no vacancy exists, such employees shall displace the least senior employee as determined by Section 14. If no less senior position exists, then the employee shall be removed from County service.