TDD# 1-800-846-5277
STATE OF LOUISIANA
DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
August 3, 2006
General Circular No. 001671
To: Heads of State Agencies and Human Resource Directors
Subject: Proposed Amendment to
Civil Service Rule 6.5(g)
Issue Date: August 3, 2006
The State Civil Service
Commission will hold a public hearing on September 13, 2006 to consider
proposed changes to Civil Service Rule 6.5(g).
The hearing will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will be held in the auditorium of
the Claiborne Building, 1201 North Third Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Consideration will be given to the following:
Amend Civil Service Rule
6.5(g):
Extraordinary Qualifications/Credentials
Subject to provisions of Rule 6.29, if an applicant who is eligible for appointment under provisions of Chapters 7 and 8 of the Rules possesses extraordinary or superior qualifications/credentials above and beyond the minimum qualifications/credentials, the appointing authority may, at his own discretion, pay the employee at a rate above the minimum provided that
The employee may be paid upon hiring or at any time within one year of the hire date. If paid after the hiring date, the pay change must be prospective. The salaries of all current probational and permanent employees who occupy positions in the same job title and who possess the same or equivalent qualifications/credentials may be adjusted up to but not to exceed the amount of the percent difference between the special hiring rate and the regular hiring rate provided that the qualifications/credentials are also verified and documented as job related and that the rate is implemented in accordance with written policies and procedures established by the department; such policies shall be posted in a manner which assures their availability to all employees. Such adjustments shall only be made on the same date that the higher pay rate is given to the newly hired employee.
If an employee with permanent status resigns and is then rehired into either the same position or into the same job title or a lower level job in his career progression group at the same agency, the employee shall not be eligible for an increase under this rule unless there has been a break in State service of at least 60 days.
The proposed changes will clarify that this rule is intended for recruiting purposes and not for rehiring existing employees.
The changes to the rule will allow agencies the option to initially hire an extraordinarily qualified candidate at a lower rate of pay and then raise the rate prospectively at any time within one year of the hire date. This option will allow agencies to assure that the employee is a good fit for the agency before raising the employee’s pay level.
Employees
who resign and are then rehired into either the same
position or into the same job title or a lower level job in his career
progression group at the same agency shall not be eligible for an increase
under this rule unless there is a break in service of at least 60 days.
Please review this proposal and furnish us any comments that you consider pertinent by close of business August 18, 2006. If you would like to appear before the Commission to present your comments orally, you are invited to do so and are requested to notify the Department of Civil Service of such intentions in advance of the meeting. Please direct your comments to Lisa Lusk at 225-342-8083 or email at lisa.lusk@la.gov
Please post this General Circular prominently so that all employees will receive notice of this hearing.
If any special accommodations are needed, please notify us prior to this meeting.
Sincerely,
s/Anne S. Soileau
Director