§ 4.03. Personnel Administration.

(A)

It shall be the policy of the parish to employ those persons best qualified to perform the functions of the parish and to foster effective career service in parish employment. All appointments and promotions in the service of the parish and of each of its departments, offices, agencies, and special districts shall be made on the basis of merit and fitness, which shall be determined, insofar as practicable, by competitive test except that the following shall not be subject to the provisions of Section 4.03 regarding appointment, promotion, and dismissal:

(1)

The Parish President.

(2)

The directors of departments and heads of principal offices provided that the procedures prescribed in Section 4.03E(2) shall apply to the appointment of the Personnel Director.

(3)

The Parish Clerk.

(4)

Members of advisory boards and other unpaid bodies who are not parish employees.

(5)

Organizations and their employees and other persons who are engaged by the parish on a contractual basis.

(6)

The Parish Attorney and his legal assistants.

(7)

The Inspector General and his assistants.

(B)

(1)

The appointment and dismissal of employees in the service of the elected officials subject to this Charter shall be made by the elected officials rather than the Parish President, but, nevertheless, shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 4.03.

(2)

The appointment, promotion, and dismissal of employees in the service of the Inspector General shall be made by the Inspector General rather than the Parish President, but, nevertheless, shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 4.03.

(C)

There shall be a personnel department consisting of a Personnel Director, who shall be the executive head of the department, and a Personnel Board, which shall be policy making and quasi-judicial in nature.

(1)

The Personnel Director shall be appointed by the Personnel Board. The Personnel Director shall be qualified by special training and experience in public personnel administration and shall be responsible to the Board for the administration of the personnel system for the parish, including all parish departments, offices, agencies, and special districts in accordance with personnel rules adopted pursuant to this section.

(2)

The Personnel Board shall be appointed by the Parish President as provided below and shall consist of three electors of Jefferson Parish, who hold no other public office or position in the parish and are known to be in sympathy with merit principles of public personnel administration. The first members shall be appointed for terms of two, four, and six years, respectively. Thereafter appointments shall be for six-year terms. One member shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Council. One member shall be appointed by the President from a list of three persons submitted by the President of Tulane University. One member shall be appointed by the President from a list of three persons submitted by the President of Loyola University of the South. The presidents shall make such nominations within 30 days after any vacancy occurs, and appointments shall be made by the Parish President within 30 days after nominations have been submitted. Should the President fail to appoint within 30 days, the first named nominee shall automatically become a member of the Board. Whenever the term of a Board member expires or there is a vacancy in an unexpired term, the Parish President shall make an appointment in the same manner as the original appointment was made. A member of the Board may be removed for cause after notice by the President and public hearing by the Council. Members of the Board may be paid a per diem allowance and may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in official duties as may be determined and approved by the Council.

(D)

The duties of the Personnel Director shall include but shall not be restricted to the following:

(1)

To develop and, upon adoption, to administer a position classification plan which shall provide for the classification of all positions on the basis of the duties and responsibilities off each position. The classification plan shall be submitted to the Personnel Board, and it shall become effective upon approval by the Personnel Board after public hearing.

(2)

To develop and, upon adoption, to administer a salary plan for all positions in the parish service. Such salary plan shall be submitted to the Personnel Board, which, after public hearing, shall submit it, together with such amendments as it deems necessary, to the Council through the Parish President. The plan shall become effective upon approval by the Council.

(3)

To prepare personnel rules to carry out the provisions of this section. These rules shall be submitted to the Personnel Board which, after public hearing, shall make such amendments as it deems necessary and shall submit the proposed rules to the Council through the Parish President. These rules shall become effective upon approval by the Council. Such rules shall apply to all parish departments, offices, agencies, and special districts and shall provide for:

(a)

Policies and procedures for the administration of the classification plan.

(b)

Policies and procedures for the administration of the salary plan.

(c)

Policies and methods for holding competitive tests to determine the merit and fitness of candidates for original appointment and promotion.

(d)

The establishment and maintenance of lists of persons eligible for appointment by reason of successful participation in competitive tests and procedures for the certification of persons from the eligible lists for filling vacancies.

(e)

The procedure for lay-off, suspension, demotion, and dismissal of employees, which shall provide for public hearings before the Personnel Board in cases of demotion or dismissal of permanent employees.

(f)

Hours of work, attendance regulations, and sick and vacation leave.

(g)

Prohibition against political activity of employees and assessment for political purposes.

(h)

A retirement system for parish employees which shall take into account any existing system or systems.

(i)

Other policies, practices, and procedures necessary to the administration of the parish personnel system.

(E)

The Personnel Board shall review the classification plan, the pay plan, and the rules as provided in Section 4.03D and in addition thereto shall:

(1)

Hold hearings on dismissals, demotions, and other disciplinary matters as may be provided in the rules. The decisions of the Personnel Board in these matters shall be final.

(2)

Examine candidates and select a qualified person for the position of Personnel Director whenever there is a vacancy in the position.

(3)

Make any investigation it deems desirable concerning personnel management in the parish service and report its findings to the Council through the Parish President.

(4)

Perform such other policy making or quasi-judicial duties as may be required under the rules developed pursuant to this section.

(F)

Any person holding a full-time position subject to this section when this Charter takes effect, who served in that position at the time the Charter was adopted by the electors of the parish, and at least one year prior thereto, shall continue in his position without competitive test but shall be subject in all other respects to this section.

(Ord. No. 19100, 6-8-94; Ord. No. 23989, § 3, 4-6-11, eff. 1-1-12)

Annotation— Classified civil service system for firemen and policemen established by State Constitution and statute was applicable to parish and firemen it employed, despite contention that parish's general civil service system including all parish employees was operated under parish home rule charter and provisions of such charters were carried over by constitution. West v. Allen, 382 So. 2d 924 (La. 1980).