TITLE 67

STATE GOVERNMENT AND STATE AFFAIRS

CHAPTER 53

PERSONNEL SYSTEM

67-5309.  Rules of the division of human resources and the personnel commission. The administrator of the division of human resources shall have the power and authority to adopt, amend, or rescind such rules as may be necessary for proper administration of this chapter. Such rules may include:

(a)  A rule requiring the administrator, after consulting with each department, to develop, adopt, and make effective a job classification system for positions covered by this chapter, based on an analysis of the duties and responsibilities of the positions. The job classification shall include an appropriate title for each class and a description of duties and responsibilities of positions in the classes and the requirements of minimum training, skills, capabilities, work, or relevant experience and other qualifications suitable for the performance of duties of the position. Except for job classifications legally required to possess a professional license or credential or postsecondary degree, as determined by the administrator, no job classification may require a postsecondary degree unless the job description describes the necessity. Applicants may demonstrate qualifications or equivalency to any substantiated postsecondary degree requirements using relevant and comparable work or volunteer experience, education, skills, capabilities, expertise, or nondegree credentials, including but not limited to skill-based certificates, badges, or professional certifications.

(b)  A rule describing the relevant labor markets and benchmark job classifications used in the administrator’s salary surveys.

(c)  A rule requiring that all classes of positions that are common to the departments concerned shall have the same titles, minimum requirements and compensation ranges.

(d)  A rule providing for review by the administrator of the personnel system, including classifications and compensation policies and procedures of state classified and nonclassified employees.

(e)  A rule that, notwithstanding the procedure for examination and ranking of eligible applicants on a register provided in subsection (f) of this section, offers an alternative application process for persons with disabilities.

(f)  A rule requiring fair and impartial selection of appointees to all positions, other than those defined as nonclassified in this chapter, on the basis of open competitive merit examinations or evaluations. An application for an examination will be accepted after the closing date of the examination from a person who was serving in the armed forces or undergoing service-connected hospitalization up to one (1) year following discharge. The application must be submitted within one hundred twenty (120) days of separation from the armed forces or hospitalization and prior to the expiration of the register established as a result of the examination. A disabled veteran may file an application at any time up until a selection has been made for any position for which the division maintains a register as a source for future job openings or for which a register is about to be established, provided he or she has not already been examined twice for the same position and grade for which application is made, does not have current eligibility on that register, or is not serving in a competitive position in the same grade for which application is made. Examinations may be assembled or unassembled and may include various examining techniques such as rating of training and experience, written tests, oral interviews, recognition of professional licensing, performance tests, investigations and any other measure of ability to perform the duties of the position. Examinations shall be scored objectively. Five (5) points shall be added to the earned rating of any veteran as defined in section 65-203, Idaho Code, and the widow or widower of any veteran as defined in section 65-203, Idaho Code, as long as he or she remains unmarried. Pursuant to section 65-504, Idaho Code, ten (10) points shall be added to the earned rating of any disabled veteran as defined in section 65-502, Idaho Code, the widow or widower of any disabled veteran as long as he or she remains unmarried, or the spouse of any eligible disabled veteran who cannot qualify for any public employment because of a service-connected disability. Employment registers shall be established in order of final score, except that the names of all five (5) and ten (10) point preference eligibles resulting from any merit system or civil service examination shall be placed on the register in accordance with their augmented rating. Selective certification shall be permitted when justified by the hiring department, under rules to be made by the division defining adequate justification based on the duties and requirements of the positions. Such examinations need not be held until after the rules have been adopted, the service classified, and a pay plan established, but they shall be held within one (1) year after departments commence participation in the personnel system.

(g)  A rule that, whenever practicable, a vacancy in a classified position shall be filled by the promotion of a qualified employee of the agency in which the vacancy occurs. An interagency promotion shall be made through competitive examination and all qualified state employees shall have the opportunity to compete for such promotions. If an employee’s name appears within certifiable range on a current register for a higher class of position, he shall be eligible for a transfer and promotion.

(h)  A rule for development and maintenance of a system of service ratings and the use of such ratings by all departments in connection with promotions, demotions, retentions, separations and reassignments. The rule shall require that an evaluation of each classified employee shall be made after each two-thousand-eighty (2,080) hour period of credited state service and that a copy of the evaluation shall be filed with the division.

(i)  A rule prohibiting disqualification of any person from taking an examination, from appointment to a position, from promotion, or from holding a position because of race or national origin, color, sex, age, political or religious opinions or affiliations and providing for right of appeal.

(j)  A rule establishing a probation period not to exceed one thousand forty (1,040) hours of credited state service for all classified appointments and promotions, except that peace officers as defined in section 19-5101, Idaho Code, shall be subject to a probation period of two thousand eighty (2,080) hours of credited state service, and for the appointing authority to provide the employee and the administrator a performance evaluation indicating satisfactory or unsatisfactory performance. The employee shall be deemed to have satisfactorily completed the probation unless, prior to one thousand forty (1,040) hours, or two thousand eighty (2,080) hours for peace officers, the appointing authority receives approval from the administrator to extend the probationary period for good cause for an additional specified period not to exceed one thousand forty (1,040) hours of credited state service. If an employee is performing in an unsatisfactory manner during the entrance probationary period, the appointing authority shall ask the employee to resign and, if no resignation is submitted, shall terminate the employment of such employee without the right of grievance or appeal.

(k)  A rule concerning temporary appointments.

(l)  A rule governing the employment of consultants and persons retained under independent contract.

(m)  A rule for the disciplinary dismissal, demotion, suspension or other discipline of classified employees only for cause, with reasons given in writing. Such rule shall provide that any of the following reasons shall be proper cause for the disciplinary dismissal, demotion or suspension of any employee in the state classified service:

1.  Failure to perform the duties and carry out the obligations imposed by the state constitution, state statutes and rules of the employee’s department, or rules of the administrator or the division.

2.  Inefficiency, incompetency, or negligence in the performance of duties; or job performance that fails to meet established performance standards.

3.  Physical or mental incapability for performing assigned duties.

4.  Refusal to accept a reasonable and proper assignment from an authorized supervisor.

5.  Insubordination or conduct unbecoming a state employee or conduct detrimental to good order and discipline in the employee’s department.

6.  Intoxication on duty.

7.  Careless, negligent, or improper use or unlawful conversion of state property, equipment or funds.

8.  Use of any influence that violates the principles of the merit system in an attempt to secure a promotion or privileges for individual advantage.

9.  Conviction of official misconduct in office or conviction of any crime that is deemed relevant in accordance with section 67-9411(1), Idaho Code.

10. Acceptance of gifts in exchange for influence or favors given in the employee’s official capacity.

11. Habitual pattern of failure to report for duty at the assigned place and time.

12. Habitual improper use of sick leave privileges.

13. Unauthorized disclosure of confidential information from official records.

14. Unapproved absence without leave.

15. Misstatement or deception in the application for the position.

16. Failure to obtain or maintain a current license or certificate lawfully required as a condition for performing the duties of the job.

17. Prohibited participation in political activities.

(n)  A rule to establish procedures for maintenance of a record of the employment history and appropriate information relating to performance of all classified and nonclassified employees under the personnel system. For the purposes of this rule, the state shall be considered one (1) employer.

(o)  Rules to provide for recruitment programs in cooperation with department heads in keeping with current employment conditions and labor market trends.

(p)  Rules to establish procedures for classified position examinations as necessary for the purpose of maintaining current registers from which to fill employment vacancies.

(q)  Other rules not inconsistent with the foregoing provisions of this section as may be necessary and proper for the administration and enforcement of this chapter.

(r)  Rules relating to leave for state employees from official duties, including but not limited to sick leave, military leave, jury duty, leaves of absence without compensation and such other forms of absence from performance of duties in the course of state employment as may be necessary.

(s)  A rule providing up to twenty-five percent (25%) shift differential pay based on local market practices.

(t)  A rule to establish guidelines for awarding employee suggestion awards as set forth in sections 59-1603 and 67-5309D, Idaho Code.

(u)  A rule to establish the reimbursement of moving expenses for a current or newly hired state employee.

(v)  A rule to allow, at the request of the hiring agency, temporary service time to count toward fulfilling entrance probationary requirements as established in subsection (j) of this section.

(w)  A rule to allow, at the request of the hiring agency, acting appointment service time to count toward fulfilling promotional probationary requirements as established in subsection (j) of this section.

History:

[67-5309, added 1965, ch. 289, sec. 9, p. 746; am. 1969, ch. 171, sec. 2, p. 510; am. 1972, ch. 52, sec. 1, p. 93; am. 1973, ch. 58, sec. 1, p. 93; am. 1975, ch. 164, sec. 4, p. 434; am. 1976, ch. 367, sec. 2, p. 1207; am. 1979, ch. 36, sec. 1, p. 53; am. 1981, ch. 133, sec. 3, p. 227; am. 1986, ch. 127, sec. 1, p. 327; am. 1986, ch. 133, sec. 4, p. 348; am. 1987, ch. 99, sec. 1, p. 195; am. 1989, ch. 85, sec. 1, p. 146; am. 1990, ch. 161, sec. 1, p. 350; am. 1993, ch. 67, sec. 1, p. 177; am. 1993, ch. 104, sec. 1, p. 263; am. 1994, ch. 159, sec. 4, p. 361; am. 1994, ch. 272, sec. 2, p. 837; am. 1994, ch. 294, sec. 1, p. 928; am. 1997, ch. 163, sec. 1, p. 470; am. 1999, ch. 370, sec. 8, p. 985; am. 2001, ch. 214, sec. 3, p. 846; am. 2002, ch. 134, sec. 2, p. 366; am. 2006, ch. 51, sec. 17, p. 156; am. 2006, ch. 380, sec. 8, p. 1185; am. 2010, ch. 80, sec. 1, p. 157; am. 2011, ch. 98, sec. 1, p. 235; am. 2014, ch. 26, sec. 2, p. 33; am. 2018, ch. 118, sec. 1, p. 250; am. 2020, ch. 44, sec. 5, p. 107; am. 2020, ch. 175, sec. 40, p. 545; am. 2022, ch. 112, sec. 7, p. 407; am. 2023, ch. 7, sec. 3, p. 18; am. 2024, ch. 106, sec. 1, p. 474.]