CHAPTER 5

CLASSIFICATION PLAN

5.1 Adoption of a Classification Plan.

(a) The Director, on a regular basis, shall present to the Commission at public hearing a Classification Plan consisting of all current classifications in the system including any new or amended jobs added (in accordance with Rule 5.1(c)). Such plan shall consist of job specifications designated by standard titles designed to encompass all positions and jobs in the classified service.

(b) An original classification plan or an amended classification plan shall become effective only after approval by the Commission following public hearing.

(c) The Director may approve amendments to the classification plan on an interim basis as the need for new jobs is identified; and any amendments made more than 15 days prior to the public hearing may be presented to the Commission at public hearing as provided in Rule 5.1(a).

5.2 Allocation of Positions.

(a) The Director, after consultation with the appointing authorities concerned, shall cause each position to be allocated into its appropriate job and may reallocate positions from job to job.

(b) In making such allocations, the Director shall provide for uniform application of the classification plan to all positions regardless of appointing authority.

(c) No person shall be appointed to any position until it has been officially allocated by the Department of State Civil Service.

(d) Allocation of positions shall be based on those duties being actually certified as true by the appointing authority as stated on the official position description form. Falsification or misrepresentation of duty statements are a violation of Civil Service Rules and any such falsification or misrepresentation cannot support allocation into any job.

5.3 Review of Classifications.

(a) The Director shall provide for the systematic review of the classification of each position in the classified service.

(b) An employee affected by the allocation or reallocation of a position to a job shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to have his case reviewed by the Director or by a representative whom he designates. The Director's decision shall be final in these matters unless there is an allegation that his ruling has been discriminatory.

5.4 Use of Job Titles.

(a) The title of each job shall be the official title of every position allocated to that job and shall be used to the exclusion of all others on all payrolls, budget estimates, and official records and reports pertaining to budget estimates, and official records and reports pertaining to the position, provided

1. That any abbreviation or code symbol approved by the Director may be used to designate a position of a job.

2. That any other working title satisfactory to the appointing authority may be used in connection with matters not having to do with the personnel transactions prescribed by the Director.

(b) No employee shall be appointed, employed, or paid under any title other than that of the job to which the position occupied or to be occupied by him is assigned.

5.5 Force and Effect of Job Specifications.

The classification plan consists of the specifications for all jobs officially created and shall have the following force and effect:

(a) The definitions are descriptive and not restrictive. They are intended to indicate the kinds of positions that should be allocated to the various jobs as determined by their duties and responsibilities. The use of a particular expression or illustration as to duties shall not be held to exclude others not mentioned that are of similar kind or quality.

(b) The allocation of a position to a job and the assignment of a job to a pay grade is based on the analysis of duties and responsibilities reported on the official position questionnaire by the appointing authority.

(d) Repealed, effective June 29, 1987.

5.6 Status of Incumbent When Position is Reallocated.

(a) When a position is reallocated, the incumbent shall be entitled to remain in the position provided that he or she meets the minimum qualification requirements of the job to which the position has been allocated.

(b) When the incumbent does not meet the minimum qualification requirements, the agency can return to, or remove from, the position the duties which caused the reallocation; or the Director shall declare the position a new position.

(c) If the duties which caused the reallocation are returned or removed, the incumbent shall be entitled to remain in the position. Subject to the provisions of Rule 17.9(c), if the position is declared a new position, the former shall be deemed abolished and the incumbent shall be removed therefrom by layoff.

5.7 Job Evaluation.

The Director shall evaluate and/or reevaluate each job in the classification plan to establish its relative value in the classified service. Jobs will be assigned to a pay grade based on the provisions contained in Chapter 6 of these Rules as well as consideration of each job's evaluation.

5.8 Status of Incumbent Affected by a Job Correction.

(a) When the allocation of a position is changed by job correction, the incumbent shall be entitled to remain in the position provided that he or she possesses any license, commission, certification, or accreditation which is established as a minimum qualification.

(b) When the incumbent lacks a required credential, the position shall be declared a new position; the former position shall be deemed abolished and the incumbent shall be removed therefrom by layoff.

5.9 Dual Career Ladder Classification Program.

Subject to the provisions of Rule 6.29, an appointing authority may participate in a dual career ladder program for selected job series by submitting an agency policy requesting the establishment of a job or jobs to provide a mechanism to implement a dual career ladder program. The agency policy must be approved by the Civil Service Commission prior to implementation. All such programs must comply with the following requirements:

(a) The dual career ladder jobs must be in a scientific, medical, information technology, or engineering field that exhibits one or more of the following characteristics:

1. Requires substantial technical or professional training and expertise beyond the basic level.

2. Is known for rapid innovation.

3. Possesses the potential for employees to receive national credentials or licenses.

(b) Such a program shall be implemented in accordance with written policies and procedures established by each department. These written policies must include at a minimum the following elements:

1. Program goals and expectations.

2. Performance standards for employees eligible to enter the program.

3. Selection procedures to move employees into a dual career ladder job title.

4. Supplemental qualification requirements for each position encompassed by the program.

5. The scope of intended use including the location and number of dual career ladder positions and job specifications for all dual career ladder jobs.

6. Program assessment procedures and reports.

(d) Pay for employees in dual career ladder jobs shall be established in accordance with Civil Service Rules governing pay.

(e) Applicants may be placed in dual career ladder positions using normal procedures for filing positions or, if appropriate, through reallocation.

(f) Agencies must report to the Department of State Civil Service annually on the use and effectiveness of the program. Such annual reports should reflect fiscal year information.

(g) The Director shall review all programs and report annually to the Civil Service Commission on the program's use and effectiveness.