§ 20-1. Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter and in any personnel rules and regulations adopted by the chief executive, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Act or the Act or merit system act means Georgia Laws, 1956, p. 3111 [App. B, § 1052 et seq.], as amended.

Allocation means assignment of a pay grade to a class of positions.

Appeal means a request by an employee to have a hearing pursuant to this chapter.

Applicant means any person who has filed an application in accordance with this chapter.

Appointment means the employment of an applicant for county service.

Available means an individual on a register for a class of positions willing to accept appointment to a particular position of that class.

Base rate of pay means that salary paid an employee excluding any incentive, longevity or other compensation.

Certification means referring a list of names of qualified applicants for appointment or promotion.

Class means a group of positions sufficiently similar as to the duties performed, degree of supervision exercised or required, minimum requirements of training, experience and such other characteristics that the same title, the same tests of fitness, and the same schedule of compensation may be applied to each position in the group; and which has been recognized as such in the classification plan approved.

Classified service means all positions under the merit system. Each position is assigned to a classification and carries that specific job code and an individual position number. Exempt positions are not in the classified service.

Compensatory time means that time which may be granted an employee as off time as compensation for time worked in excess of the standard workweek applicable to that employee.

Council means the merit system council.

Demotion means the reduction of a permanent or working test employee to a position of a lower class. For this purpose, a lower class means any class of positions having a maximum rate of pay lower than the maximum rate of pay for the position in which the individual is employed.

Department means the internal administrative unit established by formal action of the chief executive and board of commissioners.

Department head means any county employee designated as the head or principal administrative officer of any department subject to the provisions of this chapter. This includes the chief executive who shall be considered the department head of department heads under the merit system.

Director means the director of the merit system and personnel administration department.

Disciplinary action means action taken for cause by the chief executive officer or department head that results in suspension, involuntary demotion or dismissal.

Eligible means an individual whose name appears on a register for a particular class of positions and who is not otherwise barred from consideration for appointment.

Emergency appointment means employment to fill an immediate need and that regular appointment methods cannot be followed.

Employee means an incumbent of a position, as hereinafter defined.

Examination means the designated method of evaluating the knowledge, skills and abilities of applicants for purposes of ranking and selection. Such methods could include but not be limited to written tests, oral interviews, evaluations of education and experience, etc.

Exempt position means a position designated as being exempt from the application of this chapter.

Merit system means the county merit system of personnel administration of employees covered under the act.

Minimum qualifications means those training, experience and other requirements that qualify an applicant or employee to be considered for examination and appointment.

Overtime means time wherein an employee is directed to continue work in excess of the standard workweek for that position, as hereinafter defined.

Part-time employee means any employee working on a continuous basis at least twenty (20) hours but less than the standard workweek, as hereinafter defined.

Permanent status employee means an employee who has successfully completed his or her probationary period and has been designated a permanent status employee by the department head and approved by the merit system director.

Position means the duties, tasks and responsibilities which comprise and constitute the work of an employee.

Probation means conditional employment; not regular; a trial or working test period.

Promotion means the filling of a vacancy by appointing an employee with permanent status to a position from a position of a lower class.

Protected classes means minorities, females, handicapped, older workers, and other classes designated by federal or state law for special employment consideration.

Public hearings means a meeting of the merit system council open to the public, held after at least five (5) days' notice has been given thereof, at which time any interested party may appear and be heard.

Public notice, unless otherwise expressly stated, means a written notice on a bulletin board accessible to the public during business hours, and other publicity as may be deemed necessary by the merit system council.

Qualifying service means all periods of county employment during which an employee was eligible to accrue annual leave under this chapter.

Reallocation means change in the pay grade assignment of a class of positions.

Reduction in force means the termination of an employee due to lack of work, lack of funds, abolishment of position, or for other material changes in duties or organization, or appropriation of funds.

Register means an official list of persons who have successfully competed in a merit system examination for a particular class of positions.

Roster of employees means a listing of employees of the county government which sets forth the name of each employee, the department by which the employee is employed, the class title of the position held by the employee, and the salary range assigned to the class title of the position held by the employee.

Salary adjustment means any change in salary, resulting from legislative or administrative action, and not constituting a salary advancement, as hereinafter defined.

Salary advancement means an increase in salary based on merit and length of service within the salary range prescribed for a particular class of positions.

Standard workweek means that number of hours constituting the full working time for a class of positions, as determined by a department head and as approved by the board of commissioners.

Standby time means that time when employees are required to leave word at their homes or with departmental officials where they may be reached in case of an off-duty call-out.

Temporary position means a position created for a designated period of time not to exceed six (6) months.

Time-limited appointment means employment to fill a position for a period of time designated by programs authorized by Congress or the state legislature.

Transfer means the filling of a vacancy by assigning a permanent or working test employee from another position of the same or a comparable class.

Vacancy means an unoccupied position that has been established through a job analysis and official delegation of duties, which has been properly allocated and adopted as part of the classification and pay plans, and for which funds are available.

Waiting time means that period of inactivity while on duty spent waiting for weather conditions to improve or contingency assignments to be made.

(Code 1976, § 2-3002; Ord. No. 00-75, § 1, 7-25-00; Ord. No. 11-08, Pt. I, 6-28-11)

Cross reference

Definitions and rules of construction generally, § 1-2.