Rules, Policies and Procedures Overview

Merit System Rules

• Positions covered by this Merit System will be filled by a competitive process that evaluates applicants on the basis of job-related knowledge, skills and abilities;
• Compensation and classification will reflect the responsibility and difficulty of the work and the competitiveness of the position with respect to the labor market;
• Involuntary separation from County service will be for a disciplinary reason as defined herein, or for other reasons as specifically provided in these Rules and Pima County Personnel Policies;
• Training and development opportunities will be available to all employees commensurate with the needs of the County and service to the public;
• Applicants and employees will be treated in a fair, legal, non discriminatory and reasonable manner and will be provided avenues for internal complaint resolution;
• Employees have the right to participate in partisan political activities, but such activities shall not influence or interfere with the conduct of official County business or activities.

Unless otherwise stated, the Merit System Rules shall apply to all positions and employees in the classified service within Pima County Government.  These Rules do not apply to employees and/or positions in the Judicial Merit Systems or the Law Enforcement Merit System.

Personnel Policies

Unless otherwise stated, the Personnel Policies shall apply to all positions and employees, including law enforcement positions and employees, in the classified and unclassified service within Pima County Government and generally govern  employee conduct & compensation, including vacation & sick leave, hiring, and changes in employment status.

The purpose of the Law Enforcement Merit System Rules is to establish for the Pima County Sheriff's Department a system of personnel administration for Law Enforcement Officers that is based on merit principles and designed to ensure the following:

• That recruitment and selection be competitive with final appointment predicated on job-related ability and qualifications;
• That compensation and classification reflect the responsibility and difficulty of the work and a competitive position with respect to the labor market;
• That involuntary separation from County service be for a disciplinary reason as defined herein, or for other reasons as specifically provided in these Rules and Pima County Personnel Policies;
• That disciplinary action be taken only for a disciplinary reason as defined herein;
• That no unlawful discrimination be practiced.

The Board of Supervisors is charged with the responsibility of establishing policy to guide the various functions of County Government, and, where necessary, to establish procedures by which functions are performed.  Board policies define a recurring or long term course of action to be followed by County officials, administrators, and staff in making decisions and operating County Government.

Administrative Procedures are concise statements of the sequence of actions necessary to implement policies of the Pima County Board of Supervisors.  Administrative Procedures are issued by the authority, and over the signature, of the County Administrator.  It is the responsibility of Department Directors to see that Administrative Procedures are followed in their departments.