CLASSIFICATION PLAN

4.1         The Plan.  The Board shall adopt and maintain a position classification plan.  A position classification plan consists of an orderly grouping of positions, a position being a group of current duties and responsibilities assigned to one person.  Classification specifications, which comprise the classification plan, are written documentation of kind of work, level of responsibility, degree of supervision, and experience, education, and training required of each position.

Among the main uses of a class plan are:

-serve in recruitment and selection of qualified personnel

-identification of proper classification of positions

-develop training programs

-basis for an equitable compensation plan providing equal pay for equal work

-management tool in organization of employees to meet department goals and objectives.

The Human Resources Director, or his designee, will be responsible for keeping the classification plan current by conducting periodic studies and making appropriate recommendations to the Board.

4.2         Allocation of Positions.  Classification review requests for existing positions and newly requested positions will be handled in conjunction with the annual budget process.  Departments contemplating new positions or classification changes need to submit them to the Human Resources Department early in the budget process to assure adequate time for review. Classification requests will be conducted outside the budget process if circumstances warrant.

When a Department Head wishes to establish a new position, or make any permanent and substantive change to duties and responsibilities of an existing position which the Department Head feels may result in classification changes, a written notification shall be made via completion of appropriate forms to the Human Resources Director.  The Human Resources Director may schedule a meeting with the Board of Commissioners and the affected Department Head prior to initiating any classification review.

Upon determining a need for classification review, the Department Head will complete a position classification review request form.  This form can be secured from the Human Resources Department.  Where other positions are affected by this classification, a position description will also be completed for them.  The request, along with completed position description questionnaire, will be reviewed by a Human Resources Department classifier.  Review time period will be up to one month.  Occasionally, the incumbent will not have enough time or experience in the position to enable them to accurately complete a position description questionnaire.  In such cases, it is suggested the employee work a minimum of six months in the position to allow an opportunity to accurately complete the form. 

When additional duties and responsibilities, or programs are reassigned from existing departmental positions, and a classification review has been requested by the Department Head, all positions affected by the movement may be reviewed.

After the Human Resources Department has reviewed the position description questionnaire, other related material, and met with affected employees, a recommendation will be made to the Department Head as to appropriate classification allocation and salary range placement.  If the Department Head and employees agree with the proposal, it will be presented to the Board.  If the Department Head agrees with the proposal and the employee has a disagreement, the Human Resources Department will meet with employee, through the Department Head, and attempt to resolve disagreement.  If resolution is impossible, the employee may appeal to the Board of Commissioners.  If the Department disagrees with the proposal, the Human Resources Department will attempt to resolve areas of concern.  If the Human Resources Department is unable to resolve all differences, the Department Head can submit the proposal to the Board for their consideration and final determination.

The base for equitable salary determination will be a mechanism of surveys of market, labor conditions, and comparative Oregon counties.

4.3         Classification Specifications.

4.3.1                    Content of Specifications. Each class specification shall include the class title, a description of the type of duties, level of responsibility and a statement of the minimum qualifications a person must possess to successfully perform the work.

4.3.2                    Interpretation of Specification.  The definitions in class specifications are descriptive and not restrictive.  They are intended to indicate the kinds of positions that are allocated to the class, as determined by duties and responsibilities, and are not to be construed as declaring what the duties or responsibilities of any position may be, or as limiting or modifying work of employees.  The use of a particular expression or illustration as to the duties shall not be held to exclude others not mentioned that are of similar kind or quality, nor shall any specific omission necessarily mean that such factor is not included.

4.3.3                    Minimum Qualifications Statements.  Personal qualifications commonly required of all County employees, such as good citizenship, honesty, loyalty, sobriety, industry, amenability to supervision and suggestions of superiors for improvement of service and willingness to cooperate with coworkers, shall be implied as qualifications required for entrance to every class, even though such traits may not be specifically mentioned in the specifications.  The desirable minimum qualifications outlined in a class specification are reasonable standards of experience and training required at the time of original appointment of a new employee and shall not be relative to employees already working in such a class.  These minimum qualifications shall be used as the standard for accepting or rejecting applications for employment.

4.3.4                    Use of Class Titles. The class title shall be the official title of every position allocated to the class for the purpose of personnel actions and are used on all payrolls, budget estimation and official records and reports relating to the position.  Any other working title which more explicitly describes a position may be used for purposes of internal administration or in contacts with the public.