§ 3-1-1. Purposes of Article; definitions.  


Latest version.
  • (a)

    Purposes. The purposes of this Article are:

    (1)

    To place personnel administration on a merit basis in order to attract and retain for public service in the County Government employees with integrity and superior ability;

    (2)

    To strengthen the effectiveness of the County Government through the improvement of personnel administration;

    (3)

    To provide for a County merit system under which recruitment, appointment, and advancement of covered employees will be on a competitive basis, free of discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, political affiliation, disability, or genetic information, and which will be administered in conformity with the Merit Principles set forth by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (5 CFR 900) under authority of the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970, as amended;

    (4)

    To provide for an exempt service which will be limited to positions so designated in accordance with this Article or by Personnel Regulations.

    (b)

    Authority. The authority for this article is contained in Va. Code Ann. § 15.2-1506, which reads, in part, as follows: "Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the governing body of every county, city and town which has more than fifteen employees shall establish by June thirty, nineteen hundred seventy-four, a grievance procedure for its employees to afford an immediate and fair method for the resolution of disputes which may arise between such public employer and its employees and a personnel system including a classification plan for service and uniform pay plan for all employees;" and Va. Code Ann. § 15.2-807, which reads, in part, as follows: "All appointments shall be on the basis of ability, training and experience of the appointees which fit them for the work which they are to perform." 1 []

    (c)

    Applicability.

    (1)

    This Article applies to all employees in the administrative service of the County who are appointed by the Board of Supervisors, County Executive or the head of a department, as provided in Va. Code Ann. §15.2-807. 2 []

    (2)

    This Article and any regulations or administrative directives or procedures issued under its authority also may be applied to designated employees of other public agencies within the County, pursuant to written agreements between the heads or governing boards of such agencies and the Human Resources Director of the County, subject to approval of the County Executive and Board of Supervisors, to the effect that the conditions of employment of such employees are to be administered under this Article in the same manner as if those employees were in the administrative service of the County. 3 []

    (d)

    Severability. Should any article, section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this ordinance, for any reason, be held unconstitutional or invalid for any reason, such decision or holding shall have no effect on the validity of the remaining portions hereof. It is the intent of the Board of Supervisors to enact or have enacted each section, and portion thereof, individually, and each such section shall stand alone, if necessary, and be in force regardless of the determined invalidity of any other section or provision.

    (e)

    Definitions.

    (1)

    Personnel Regulations. A body of rules governing County personnel administration issued under authority of this Article by the Board of Supervisors after consideration of the recommendation of the County Civil Service Commission, and having the effect of ordinance.

    (2)

    Competitive service. All positions not specifically designated as exempt positions in accordance with this Article, and the employees appointed to fill such positions. Competitive positions must be filled in accordance with merit principles. Persons in the competitive service are considered career employees. They have all rights, benefits, privileges, protections and obligations set forth in this Article and Personnel Regulations.

    (3)

    Exempt service. Positions which are specifically so designated in accordance with this article and Personnel Regulations, and employees appointed to fill such positions. Exempt personnel are not merit employees. They may be appointed, classified, promoted to other exempt positions, demoted to other exempt positions and discharged without regard to the restrictions contained in this Article and Personnel Regulations, which apply to the competitive service. They are entitled to only such employee rights and benefits as are provided for various categories of exempt personnel elsewhere in this Article and Personnel Regulations or by the Board of Supervisors or in procedural directives issued by the County Executive or his or her designee.

    (4)

    Full-time position. Any position, whether authorized for the competitive service or exempt, which is authorized to be filled for at least 2080 scheduled hours in 12 consecutive months.

    (5)

    Part-time position. Any position, whether authorized for the competitive service or exempt, which does not meet the above criteria for full-time positions.

    (6)

    Full-time employee. Any employee, whether in the competitive service or exempt, who is regularly scheduled to work at least 2080 hours in 12 consecutive months.

    (7)

    Part-time employee. Any employee, whether in the competitive service or exempt, who does not meet the above criteria for full-time employees.

    (8)

    Probationary employee. Any employee in the competitive service serving in a probationary appointment as defined in § 3-1-13 of this Article and Personnel Regulations.

    (9)

    Merit system. The system of personnel administration applicable to the competitive service. It includes the provisions of this Article, other applicable provisions of County ordinances, County Personnel Regulations and all applicable and lawful personnel management directives of the Board of Supervisors, County Executive or Human Resources Director.

    (10)

    Merit employee. Any employee in the competitive service.

    (11)

    Department Head. An employee appointed by the Board of Supervisors or the County Executive to oversee, direct, or manage a major functional division of County government, whether formally known as a department or not, under the general direction of the County Executive, and to act as the appointing authority for the positions assigned to that organization. All department head positions are assigned to the exempt service. All persons appointed as department heads on or after July 1, 1987, are exempt employees. Any department head appointed as a department head by the Board of Supervisors on or after July 1, 1987, may be removed by the Board of Supervisors with or without cause and in any event, may not grieve his or her removal under the County's grievance procedures. Any department head appointed by the County Executive may be removed by either the Board of Supervisors or the County Executive with or without cause and in any event, may not grieve his or her removal under the County's grievance procedure. (7-87-3; 32-8-3; 26-98-3; 35-05-3; 32-11-3; 40-19-3.)

    Footnotes:
    --- () ---

    As to appointment, tenure, suspension or removal and compensation of officers and employees, see Va. Code Ann., § 15.2-807, 15.2-808 and 15.2-809.


    --- () ---

    Wherever used in this Article, the term "department" means "department," "office," "agency," or other administrative unit, the director of which reports to the County Executive, either directly or via a deputy county executive, or to the Board of Supervisors. Elected officials, persons appointed to fill vacancies in elective offices, and members of boards, authorities and commissions appointed by the Board of Supervisors are not employees in the sense of this article, although they may be compensated and receive such other benefits as State law or regulations, County ordinance or the Board of Supervisors may authorize.


    --- () ---

    Public agencies authorized to execute such agreements include (but are not limited to) the offices of Constitutional Officers and individual members of the Board of Supervisors, the School Board, the Library Board, the Park Authority, the Housing Authority, the Fairfax/Falls Church Community Services Board, the Economic Development Authority, the Water Authority, the Industrial Authority, similar agencies established by the Board of Supervisors in the future, community centers and other service agencies established in small districts under authority of the Board of Supervisors, and State agencies located in and serving the County where such agreements are consistent with State law and regulations. Employees whose conditions of employment are to be administered pursuant to such agreements may be either merit system or exempt employees, as defined in this Article, whichever is specified in the applicable agreement.