RULE
1 - DEFINITION OF TERMS
Absence Rate - The number of absences during a given
period, usually expressed as a percentage obtained by dividing
the number of work days or hours lost by the total number
of work days or hours available during the period.
Allocation - The official assignment of a position
to a class.
Anniversary Year - Twelve (12) consecutive calendar
months beginning with the employee’s date of hire.
Annual Leave - A period of time when a qualified
employee receives pay when not physically present at an
assigned duty
station, granted specifically for the purpose of "vacation"
in compliance with and subject to all the provisions of the
applicable rule and regulation. This definition shall not
be construed to conflict with any other type of authorized
leave or "time off" authorized by these Rules
and Regulations.
Applicant or Candidate - A person who has made application
for a position in the combined Classified Service of Civil
Service and/or the General Personnel System.
Appointing Officer - A person authorized by statute,
ordinance or rule or by lawfully delegated authority to effect
personnel transactions as defined herein (City Manager and
City Auditor and Clerk, for their respective employees).
Appointment - The selection of a person to fill a position
as probationary employee, permanent trainee, permanent employee
or temporary employee as defined herein.
Base Rate of Pay - The base rate of pay is the hourly,
weekly or other periodic rate of pay for a position.
Blood Relative - A father, mother, son, daughter, brother,
sister, grandparent or grandchild, natural or by adoption.
Board - The Civil Service Board or the General Personnel
System Board of the City of Sarasota, Florida
Calendar Week - Seven (7) consecutive calendar days.
Calendar Year - Twelve (12) consecutive complete calendar
months commencing with January 1st.
Career Development - The personnel program in the City
that informs employees of available positions within the City
and allows them to be considered for promotion and transfer
to such positions, providing they have the required skill,
ability and experience. It offers to those employees who have
attained additional training and skill, through self-improvement,
promotions within the City employment and the opportunity
to assume greater responsibility.
Certification -
Official notice by the Director of Human Resources or
designee to the
Department Head that a candidate has met all requirements
for consideration for appointment.
Charter -
Charter of the City of Sarasota as adopted September
3, 1996,
and
all subsequent amendments.
Chief of Police -
The administrator of the Police Department and shall
be deemed
as Department
Head.
City -
The City of Sarasota, Florida.
City Auditor and Clerk -The City Auditor and
Clerk of the City of Sarasota or his designee.
City Building - Any building or that portion
of a building owned by or leased to the City of
Sarasota and
shall include
but not be limited to: offices, rest rooms, indoor
walkways, stair-wells, entrances, passageways,
break areas and
work areas. The term "City Building" shall include
to within twenty-five (25) feet of the outside of City
Building
entrances.
City Commission - The governing body of the
City with authority to pass ordinances and resolutions,
approve regulations
and exercise all other powers provided in the Charter
of the City of Sarasota.
City Manager - The City Manager of the City
of Sarasota or his designee.
City Motor Vehicles - Motor vehicles owned
by or leased to the City of Sarasota and shall
include
but
not be limited
to: cars, trucks, Cushman Scooters, refuse collection
vehicles, dump trucks, street sweepers, enclosed
tractors, enclosed
transport vehicles, pickup trucks, vans and construction
equipment.
Civil Service Board - The Civil Service Board
created as set forth in the Charter of the City
of Sarasota
and its
amendments, referred to also as the "Board".
Civil Service Employees - See Employee - 1.
Civil Service Employees
Civil Service System - A system for the employment
of eligible members of the uniform services of
the Police Department
who are employed, retained and promoted on merit
and fitness as determined by competitive examinations
as
provided by the
Charter and as defined herein.
Class or Classes of Positions - A group of
positions having sufficiently similar duties, supervision
requirements,
minimum
requirements for training, experience, skills and
such other characteristics, so that the same title,
the
same test of
fitness, and the same schedule of compensation
may be applied to each position in that group.
Class Probation - A working test period, normally
six (6) months in duration, after a promotion,
recall of layoff
of employee within the first year following layoff,
or re-hire of an employee, in first year after
resigning in good standing.
This is a part of the examination process, where
the employee is required to demonstrate fitness
for the
position
by satisfactory
conduct and by the satisfactory performance of
the established duties of the position.
Class Specification - A written statement of
the characteristics of a class of positions including
a
summary of the nature
of the work, illustrative tasks, the requisite
knowledge, abilities, skills, experience and training
required
of a candidate
for the satisfactory performance of the duties
of the class. It sets forth the requirements sought
in the
individuals to
be hired for a given position.
Class Title - The official title of the class
to which a position is allocated for all purposes
relating
to the position.
This title is used to identify the position on
all reports of official personnel transactions.
Appointment
to or
employment
in a position under a class title must be recommended
by the Director of Human Resources and approved
by the City Manager
or City Auditor and Clerk, for their respective
employees.
Classifications - A group of positions so sufficiently
similar in duties and responsibilities that the
same descriptive
title may be reasonably applied to each position
therein, the same qualifications may be reasonably
required
and the
same salary range applied.
Classification Plan - An orderly arrangement
of positions into separate and distinct classes
so that
each class
will
contain those positions which are similar in the
nature of the work, in duties and responsibilities,
and which
have similar
prerequisite qualifications.
Classified Service - This term shall be construed
to be synonymous with the combined Civil Service
and General Personnel
System and shall apply to all permanent employees
in the service of the City of Sarasota, Florida.
The combined
Classified
Service shall be subdivided as follows: 1. Competitive
Service: Shall include all positions now existing
or hereafter established
for which it is practicable to determine the merit
and fitness of applicants by competitive assembled
tests
or examinations,
either original entrance or promotional. 2. Non-Competitive
Service: Shall include those positions which require
peculiar
exceptional qualifications of a scientific, managerial,
professional or educational character and those
positions, the character,
the conditions of employment or the compensation
of which make it impracticable, in the opinion
of the
City Manager
or City Auditor and Clerk, for their respective
employees, to secure through competitive assembled
tests, a
sufficient number of eligible candidates to meet
the needs of
the service.
Each case of non-competitive service shall be determined
individually and on its own merits.
Coerced Resignation - A resignation that occurs
in response to a requirement that the employee
resign in
lieu of dismissal,
rejection, suspension or demotion.
Compensation - Wages, salary, fees, allowances
and all other forms of valuable consideration,
or the amount
of any
one or more of them paid to any employee, by reason
or service rendered in any position, but not including
any
allowance
for expenses authorized and incurred as incidental
to employment and which are separately authorized
and reimbursed.
Compensation Plan - A schedule of compensation
established for the classes of positions recognized
in the Classified
Service, so that all positions of a given class
will be paid
within the same wage or salary range established
for the class.
Compensatory Time - The time off with pay granted
in the pay period or in a subsequent pay period
for work in excess
of an employee's scheduled work week.
Competitive Positions - All positions in the
Classified Service that can be measured.
Contract Employee - See Employee - 2. Contract
Employee
Counseling - Oral advice given to an employee
regarding his behavior, conduct or performance
in order
to improve
the employee’s behavior, conduct or performance. Counseling
shall not be considered to be disciplinary action under
these
Rules and Regulations.
Court Time Pay - Payment for appearances in
court in accordance with these Rules and Regulations.
Department Head - Shall include any employee
who is in charge of or responsible for a Department.
Demotion - Change of an employee from one position
to another position for which a lower minimum and
maximum rate
of pay is established, or which requires a lower
level of responsibility.
Director of Human Resources - The Director
of Human Resources of the City of Sarasota.
Discipline - A system for obtaining and
enforcing employee adherence to the established
City departmental,
and statutory
rules, regulations and procedures.
Disciplinary Action - That action taken
by a supervisor, Department Head, the City Manager
or
City
Auditor and
Clerk,
for their respective employees to discipline an
employee as provided in these Rules and Regulations.
Discrimination - Disparity in the treatment
of an individual or group in matters affecting
their employment
or employment
status because of age, race, religion, national
origin, disability, marital status, sex or political
opinions.
Dismissal - The discharge of an employee
by the City Manager or City Auditor and Clerk,
for their
respective
employees.
Duty Period - The assigned number of hours
of work in a work day.
Earnings - Total compensation granted by
the City to an employee for time worked or services
rendered,
including
but not limited to, base pay, overtime pay, longevity
pay, incentive pay, special assignment pay, etc.
Eligible Applicant - Any person whose name
appears on an employment, reemployment, transfer
or promotional
list.
Eligibility List - A list of the names of
eligible applicants who are entitled under these
Rules and Regulations
to have their names certified to a Department Head
for consideration
for appointment.
Employee - A person occupying a position
in the service of the City of Sarasota, Florida,
as
follows:
1. Civil Service Employees - Employees of the uniform
services of the Police Department.
2. Contract Employee - Any temporary person full-time
or part-time hired by the City of Sarasota by a
written contract stating
the length of contract service, what types of benefits
received, not to include pension, and whose regularly
scheduled work
week is at least forty (40) hours per week for
full-time employees and having fewer than thirty
(30) hours
per week for part-time
employees.
3. Employment Agreement Employee (Special
Category Employee) - Any person who has been
appointed by and
serves
at the discretion of the City Manager or City Auditor
and Clerk, for their respective employees, or his
designee.
4. Exempt Employee - A salaried employee who normally
supervises other employees and/or accomplishes
executive/administrative type duties or performs
other various related duties
which
may be performed on other than normal duty hours.
5. General Employees - Employees who are not classified
as uniform services employees of the Police Department.
6. Non-Exempt Employee - One who normally does
not perform supervisory, professional or executive
type
duties or
qualify
for exempt status in accordance with the Fair Labor
Standards Act.
7. Part-time Employee - A person who is employed
with a work schedule having fewer than thirty (30)
hours
per work week.
8. Permanent Employee - A probationary Police Officer
who has satisfactorily completed his permanent
trainee
period, or any other probationary employee who
has satisfactorily completed his probationary
period. Except that
a Department
Director shall not be considered a permanent employee
but shall be considered exempt.
9. Permanent Trainee - A Civil Service employee
who has satisfactorily completed his probationary
period
as a Police Officer.
10. Probationary Employee - Any person regularly
and legally appointed under the provisions of the
personnel
system as
set forth in the Charter, the General Personnel
System Ordinance and these Rules and Regulations,
who meets,
or may meet, the
criteria as specified herein. The probationary
period is of six (6) months duration but may be
extended
as provided in
these Rules and Regulations.
11. Special Category Employee - All Department
Directors, who have an Employment Agreement shall
be considered
special
category employees and shall serve at the pleasure
of the City Manager or City Auditor and Clerk,
for their
respective
employees.
12. Temporary Employee - A person who is employed
for a predetermined short period of time for the
performance
of temporary or emergency
work of limited duration or as designated by the
Department Head within a Fiscal Year. A temporary
position is
filled by appointment without competition and temporary
employees
must be terminated prior to the end of each Fiscal
Year. (Employment
of temporary employees is based on a Fiscal Year
only - subject to the Department budget.)
Employee Grievance - The request of an employee
for review of his grievance as defined herein.
Employee Performance Evaluation - The evaluation
or appraisal of an employee's work performance,
conduct and potential.
Employee Review Request - The request of
an employee for review of his grievance
as defined
herein.
Employment Agreement Employee - See Employee
3. Employment Agreement Employee
Employment Year - Employment year means
twelve (12) months of continuous employment computed
from
the date of
appointment through the last day of a twelve (12)
month consecutive period of time.
Equal Employment Opportunity - The principle
of non-discrimination on account of age, sex, race,
creed,
national origin or disability
in the employment and application of the terms
and conditions of employment.
Examination - A job-related test or a combination
of job-related tests which may be employed to determine
the relative
capacity of candidates to discharge the duties
and responsibilities of the class in which they
are seeking
appointment.
Exempt Employee - See Employee - 4. Exempt
Employee
Fiscal Year - Twelve (12) consecutive complete
calendar months commencing October 1st and ending
September 30th.
Full-Time Work Schedule - Work schedule
covering all days or hours of work in accordance
with the
official work
schedule and a minimum of thirty (30) hours per
week to which the class of positions is allocated
pursuant
to these Rules.
General Employees - See Employee - 5. General
Employees
General Personnel Board - The General Personnel
Board is created as set forth in the Charter of
the City of Sarasota
and its amendments. It is also referred to as the "Board".
General Personnel System - A system for
the employment of persons on the basis of merit
as provided
by the Sarasota
City Code and as defined herein.
Good Standing - The status of an employee
who has given satisfactory service in accordance
with City
and department
directives, and has not undergone disciplinary
action as provided in these Rules.
Grade - A subdivision of service, including
one or more classes of positions for which comparable
basic
qualifications
and compensation are prescribed, the distinction
between grades being based upon differences in
the importance,
difficulty,
responsibility and value of the work.
Grievance - A problem or disagreement of
a permanent, full-time employee in regard to the
interpretation
or application
of the Personnel Rules and Regulations except in
the
following areas which are not proper subjects for
a grievance: sexual
harassment (Ref: Rule 2.18), discrimination (Ref:
Rule 2.19), demotion, suspension, dismissal, layoff
(Ref:
General Employees
see Rule 7.21 and Ref: Police Uniform Services
(Ref: Rule 7.22), Ref: Employee Performance Evaluations
(Ref: Rule 13)
and the establishment and approval of levels of
compensation
for eligible employees.
He, His, She, or Her - Whenever the words "he",
"his", "she", or "her" are
used, it shall be in reference to both sexes, as applicable.
Instruction and Cautioning - A disciplinary
warning which shall be written. it is a mode of advising
an
employee that his behavior, conduct or performance
is not
conforming
to desired standards and that a change in his
behavior, conduct or performance must follow.
Layoff - Separation of an employee from employment
due to a reduction in workload, a lack of funds,
abolishment of the position, reorganization or
for other work-related
reasons.
Longevity Pay - The incentive and reward
for continuous service through increments of additional
pay to the base
rate
of pay for eligible permanent employees based on
the length of continuous service as set forth by
these
Rules and Regulations.
Merit Pay Increase - A wage increase granted
because of individual employee's demonstrated ability
to produce
on
the job, increased efficiency, improvement in quality
of work, etc.
Merit Rating - Periodic evaluation of an
employee's ability and performance on a given job
in relation
to the requirements of that job. Used to determine
promotion,
transfer,
wage increases, etc. Also called "efficiency rating"
or "service rating".
Minimum Wage or Salary - Minimum wage or salary
permitted by the City Salary Ordinance or Compensation
Plan to be paid
for work or services.
Morale - The term used to designate employees'
reactions or attitudes toward their jobs, their
supervisors, co-workers
and the City policies and procedures.
Name-Clearing Hearing - A Name-Clearing
Hearing is a hearing that provides a qualifying
employee
with the opportunity
to contradict a charge or accusation that has been
made against the employee in order to show the
error in the
charge or accusation.
A Name-Clearing Hearing is not a hearing that provides
an opportunity to challenge the propriety of the
City's decision
to hire, promote, reject, suspend, demote, dismiss
or seek a coerced resignation.
Nepotism - Employment of relatives as defined
more specifically in Rule 2.9.
Non-Competitive Unskilled or Semi-Skilled Positions -
Positions in the Non-Competitive Classified Service
which are not readily adaptable to measurement.
These classifications
include unskilled or semi-skilled laboring positions,
domestic,
attendant, housekeeping or custodial positions.
Non-Exempt Employee - See Employee - 6.
Non-Exempt Employee
Normal Work Day - Normal work day means
eight (8) hours of work per day except where otherwise
scheduled, based upon “Contract Agreements” and/or the Departmental
operational requirements.
Normal Work Week - Normal work week means
forty (40) hours of work per week except as may
be otherwise
scheduled,
based upon “Contract Agreements” and/or on Departmental
operational requirements.
Open Competitive Test - An examination which
permits persons to compete provided they meet the
requirements of
the official announcement and the class specifications
as established by the City.
Ordered Extra Duty - The extra duty work
time ordered by the Department Head and performed
by an
employee which
is in excess of the normal hours in the assigned
work period of such employee.
Overtime - Time worked by an employee in
addition to his regularly assigned work
week in accordance
with
the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Overtime Pay - Overtime pay is the compensation
for overtime work as defined in these Rules and
the Fair Labor
Standards Act.
Part-Time Position - A position which is
established with a work schedule having fewer than
30 hours per
work week
Permanent Employee - See Employee 7. Permanent
Employee
Permanent Position - A position in the combined
Classified Service which is established without
a prescribed term of
employment for eligible employees.
Permanent Trainee - See Employee 8. Permanent
Trainee
Position - An employment, whether temporary
or permanent, part-time or full-time, occupied
or vacant, involving an aggregation
of duties to be performed and responsibilities
to be discharged by an employee as outlined in
the Position
Classifications.
Position Classification - The process of
ascertaining, analyzing and evaluating duties,
responsibilities
and requirements
of a position for the purpose of determining its
relative place in the Classification Plan.
Pre-Shift Overtime - The authorized scheduled
fifteen (15) minute reporting time worked immediately
before the commencement
of the employee's normally scheduled work day.
Probationary Employee - See Employee 9.
Probationary Employee
Probationary Period - A working test period
and a part of the examination process, during the
probationary appointment,
where the employee is required to demonstrate fitness
for the position by satisfactory conduct and by
the satisfactory
performance of the established duties of the position;
as
a prior condition to receiving permanent/permanent
trainee appointment.
Promotion - Change of an employee from one
position to another position for which a higher
minimum and
maximum rate of pay is established, and a higher
level of responsibility.
Promotion List - A list of names of permanent
employees who have qualified by written examination
and/or by other
methods of evaluation under these Rules and Regulations.
Promotional Test - A competitive examination
in which competition is open only to permanent
employees who meet the
requirements of the official announcement and the
class specification.
Public Official - An officer, including
Charter Officials, City Manager, City Auditor and
Clerk and
City Attorney, or
an employee of the City in whom is vested the authority
by law, rule or regulation, or to whom the authority
has been
delegated, to appoint, employ, promote, or advance
individuals or to recommend individuals for appointment,
employment,
promotion
or advancement in connection with employment with
the City.
Reclassification - The action taken to officially
change an existing position to an appropriate class
because of a
change in the duties, responsibilities, and/or
requirements of the position, or because of an
amendment to the
Classification Plan.
Re-employment List - A list of employees,
either permanent or probationary, who have been
laid off or
who have been terminated
or resigned in good standing for not more than
one (1) year and who are eligible to have their
names
certified to a Department
Head under these Rules and Regulations.
Regular Rate of Pay - A regular rate of
pay includes the base rate of pay, longevity, pre-shift,
career incentive
pay, special duty pay and the like.
Reinstatement - Reinstatement of a separated
employee as a result of a finding in favor of the
employee at
any step
in either the Employee Review Request procedure
in these Rules and Regulations or the grievance
procedure
which
may be provided
for by an applicable collective bargaining agreement.
Rejection - The separation from service
of an employee during or at the end of a probationary
appointment
or promotion
because of failure to satisfy the requirements
of
the position or of these Rules.
Relative - A spouse, father-in-law, mother-in-law,
brother-in-law, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law,
son-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter,
stepbrother,
stepsister, half brother or half sister, uncle,
aunt, nephew,
niece, first cousin, or a blood relative (See Blood
Relative definition) (Also see specific requirements
in Rule 2.9A
-
Nepotism Definitions and Rule 11.12A - Bereavement
Leave)
Removal - A complete separation of an employee
from the Classified Service of the City for cause
as defined in
these Rules.
Reprimand - A reprimand is a formal written
record advising an employee that more serious action
will be
taken
unless there is immediate improvement in his behavior,
conduct or performance.
Resignation - The termination by an employee
of his employment with or without notice.
Restriction - The discretionary, temporary
restriction, control or confining of the duties
of an employee for
the
best interest of the City, at which time the employee's
pay is not suspended.
Retirement - Separation of an employee from
his position with the City of Sarasota in
accordance with
the provisions of the City's applicable retirement
plan.
Seniority (Departmental) - An employee's
period of continuous service in a grade or position
classification
within
a department.
Service or City Service - Service in a class
of a position or positions by permanent appointment
or by
the grant of permanent
status in the combined Classified Service in accordance
with these Rules.
Service Report - A supervisor's evaluation
and appraisal of an employee's work performance
as defined
in these Rules.
Shift - Schedule of hours normally worked
as assigned pursuant to these Rules.
Shift-Trades - The authorized trading of
shift assignments between employees of a similar
classification
within the scheduled
work period.
Sick Leave - Time off granted to an employee
to recuperate from illness during which period
he
retains his employment rights and the eligible
employee may be compensated or not compensated for all
or
part
of the
time he is
off in accordance with these Rules and Regulations.
Smoking and Tobacco Use Area - An area designated
by the City located outside and in the vicinity
of a City Building
more than twenty-five (25) feet from the entrance
where the smoking and use of tobacco products is
permitted
by employees.
Smoking or Smoke - Possession of a lighted
tobacco product including, but not limited to,
a lighted cigarette,
lighted cigar or lighted pipe.
Special Category Employee - See Employee
- 10. Special Category Employee
Spouse - A wife or husband depending on
gender.
Straight-Time Pay - Salary or wages as defined
in these Rules that includes the regular rate of
pay and excludes overtime
pay.
Subject to Recall - An employee does not
have to remain on the employer's premises and is
free
to engage in his or
her own pursuits, subject only to the understanding
that word be left with the supervisor where he
or she may
be reached
for potential recall to duty as may be required
in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act
and
collective bargaining
agreements, as applicable.
Suspension - Enforced leave of absence with
or without pay of an employee for disciplinary
purposes, or during the
investigation of alleged misconduct by the employee.
Take-Home Pay - Salary or wages earned minus
tax and other deductions that the City is required
or has
been duly
requested to deduct from the employees’ normal rate
of pay.
Temporary Employee - See Employee - 11.
Temporary Employee
Test - One or more of the following job-related
examinations to determine an employee's qualifications:
1. Agility Test: A physical test to measure the
strength, stamina or dexterity of candidates.
2. Entrance Test: A written test composed of job-related
multiple choice, essay questions or problems.
3. Interview: A personal meeting with a candidates
to evaluate his training, experience and
qualifications.
4. Performance Test: A test consisting of a standard
task or series of tasks used to measure the job-related
skills
or abilities of candidates.
Time Limitations for Procedural Steps -
The period of time stated in these Rules within
which
a procedural
step
must be taken and the procedure requires notice
thereof to be mailed or otherwise given to the
person or
persons to be
notified.
Transfer - Change of an employee from one
department to another in a position which has the
same minimum
and maximum
rate of pay.
Transfer List - List of permanent employees
whose service (performance) ratings are satisfactory
or better
and he has requested a transfer from a department
or particular position within the Department.
Use of Tobacco Products - The use of unlighted
tobacco products including, but not limited to,
snuff and chewing
tobacco. (Note: Use of tobacco products are prohibited
within City buildings as outlined herein.)
Vacation - Annual period of leave granted
employees for rest and recreation, with or without
pay, in accordance
with these Rules.
Vacation Pay - Payment to employees for
the annual period of leave earned and granted as
vacation.
Wages - The regular pay for work or services
performed under normal conditions, including pay
for overtime,
holidays
and the like.
Work Week - The Work Week is hours of work
in a calendar week in a duty schedule for applicable
employees
as set forth
by Ordinance and/or these Rules and Regulations
and/or Departmental requirements or codes.
