Employee Handbook

All employees of the City during their period of employment may be required by their Department Head to undergo periodic medical examinations to determine their continued physical and mental fitness to perform the work of the position in which they are employed. Such periodic medical examinations shall be at no expense to the employee. Determination of physical or mental fitness will be by a physician or physicians designated by the Human Resources Director.

When an employee of the City is reported by the examining physician to be physically or mentally unfit to perform work in the position which he/she is employed, such employee may, within five (5) days from the date of his/her notification of such determination by the examining physician, indicate in writing to the Human Resources Director his/her intention to submit the question of his/her physical or mental unfitness to a physician of his/her own choice. In the event there is a difference of opinion between the examining physician and the physician chosen by the employee, then a physician shall be mutually designated by the examining physician and physician chosen by the employee, whose decision shall be final and binding as to the physical or mental fitness of the employee to perform the work of the position in which he/she is employed. The City shall pay its physician; the employee shall pay his/her physician; and the third physician shall be paid by the party whose contentions shall not have been upheld.

Applicants determined to be physically or mentally unfit for service shall not be considered for appointment. An employee finally determined to be physically or mentally unfit to continue in the position in which he/she is employed may be demoted or separated from the City service.

APPOINTMENT

Before any commitment is made to an applicant, either internal or external, the Department Head shall make a recommendation to the City Manager that includes pay rate, start date, end dates where applicable, and the rationale for the selection. The City Manager shall approve appointments and the starting pay for all applicants.

Provisional Appointments. When the Human Resources Director is unable to certify eligible candidates for a vacancy because there is not a sufficient number of persons willing to accept appointment, the City Manager may authorize the Department Head to fill the vacancy by a provisional appointment. Provisional appointments require the prior approval of the City Manager, and no payment shall be made for services rendered by the appointee prior to such approval.

Emergency Appointments. In an emergency, the City Manager may authorize the appointment of any qualified person in the position to prevent stoppage of public business or loss or serious inconvenience to the public. Emergency employees shall not be entitled to any benefits.

Student Appointments. With the approval of the City Manager, students majoring in fields of value to the City, from qualified cooperating educational institutions, may be employed on an “internship” basis for a specified period of time.

INTRODUCTORY PERIOD AND PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN

An employee appointed or promoted to a permanent position shall serve an introductory period of twelve (12) months. Police personnel employed prior to graduating from the police academy will begin serving a one-year introductory period from the date of becoming POST certified by (1) graduation from an accredited academy or (2) successfully passing the POST challenge written test. Employees serving an