§ 2-2. Procedures For Hiring

Authorization for Hiring

Department Directors shall submit each request to fill a vacancy, to the Human Resources Department on the prescribed form. The Human Resources Department shall verify each request and present it to the City Manager or his or her designee. The City Manager may or may not authorize the vacancy be filled.

Required Licenses and Certificates

Applicants/employees are responsible for meeting all job-related requirements at the time of application, hire, transfer or promotion as outlined in the job description. This may include licenses, certificates, permits, degrees and registrations.

Employees are responsible for paying any fees in obtaining such license, etc., unless otherwise specified by the City Manager, Department Director, or designee.

Failure to Maintain Job Qualifications

Employees are required to maintain qualifications and certifications necessary for their position. Employees who have lost such certification requirement/job qualifications are responsible for:

A.

Immediately notifying both their immediate supervisor and their Department Director on the first day of employment after such a loss; and

B.

Not performing any work, or related function, without the required certification.

Pre-Employment Screening

Pre-Employment testing may include, dependent on the position, but are not limited to a functional capacity examination, position competency test, and/or physical testing.

Background Checks

The Human Resources Department will obtain signed releases and authorizations to conduct background and reference checks. Background checks may include, dependent on the position, but are not limited to employment history, criminal history, driving history, education verification, and credit history as appropriate.

Supervisors may review previous performance reviews and disciplinary actions of current employee's being considered for a new position, and may consider this information when selecting a successful candidate.

Post Offer, Pre-Employment Examinations

Pre-employment examinations may include, dependent on the position, but are not limited, to a preemployment drug test, a physical, a polygraph, hearing test, eye test, and/or a psychological examination.

Recommendation for Hire and Appointment

The City Manager, or his or her designee, has the authority to approve or disapprove a recommended selection. Upon the City Manager's written approval, and upon completion of all pre-employment procedures, the Human Resources Department will notify the finalist of a conditional offer of employment.

Conditional Offer of Employment

The Human Resources Department shall notify the successful applicant of the conditional offer of employment and will schedule them to attend orientation. Unless prior approval is obtained from the City Manager, the City will not reimburse travel or relocation expenses in conjunction with the hiring process.

Rejection of Employment Offer

In the event an applicant rejects an offer, the position may be offered to another candidate from the top three (3), the next highly qualified applicant from the same selection pool, or it may be re-opened for recruitment. A Director may choose not to hire candidates that remain eligible in the recruitment file.

New Employee Orientation

Each new employee is required to attend a New Employee Orientation coordinated by the Human Resources Department.

The employee's department is responsible for providing additional information on departmental rules and regulations that set forth standards, regulation, duties, training, hours of work, reports, leave requests, safety, dress code, etc.

Categories of Employment

A.

Probationary: All newly hired employees for the City are on a probationary status that extends for six (6) months from the date of hire or twelve (12) months for Police and Fire Personnel under special circumstances and with the approval of the City Manager.

Probationary periods may be extended for an additional period of up to six (6) months. Extended probationary periods must be initiated and served prior to the end date of the initial probationary period. Such an extension will be effective the day following the end of the initial probationary period.

B.

Regular Full Time: A Regular Full-Time employee is one whose average workweek is no less than forty (40) hours in a seven (7) day period, has successfully completed the probationary period, and is entitled to employee benefits; or meets the requirements of the Affordable Care Act.

C.

Regular Part Time: A City employee who works less than forty (40) hours in a seven (7) day period, is in a regularly budgeted position, has successfully completed the probationary period, and is entitled to qualifying employee benefits.

D.

Temporary/Seasonal: Full or part-time employees whose work assignment is budgeted not to exceed six (6) months in a calendar year for a special purpose, project or definite number of projects during a peak season. These employees are not eligible for benefits. Such employees are probationary their entire tenure, regardless of the number of seasons for which they have been rehired, and may be terminated at any time with or without cause and may not appeal this termination.

E.

Intermittent: An employee qualified to work in one or more job assignments who is on call to work at irregular intervals in one or more City departments. This employee is not entitled to City benefits and is paid only for hours worked.

F.

Emergency: A full-time or part-time person hired to ensure continuity of municipal services during an emergency. Emergency appointments need only approval by the City Manager. Such employees are not eligible for City benefits.

G.

Acting: A current employee appointed to temporarily assume the duties of a position pending the return of the employee in that position or a regular competitive appointment. A current employee who assumes the acting appointment may be required to also perform his/her usual duties. An Acting Employee will be granted additional compensation after thirty (30) calendar days or upon City Manager approval where required.

H.

Professional: A person from outside the work force who is appointed on a temporary basis by the City Manager, to a vacant position pending selection of a qualified person.

I.

Special Programs: These are employees who are assigned to work areas anywhere in the City for the purpose of training or re-training. These individuals are not City employees, and all benefits and insurance coverage are the responsibility of the agency that has placed said individuals with the City. The City is not responsible for extending regular employment of these individuals.

Employee Preference

Current full-time and part-time, regular non-probationary period employees who apply for and are qualified for a vacancy that are selected for the interview process, will be given a ten (10%) percent preference, which will be added to their interview score before being referred for the final interview with the Department Director. The 10% preference will only be added to each score after passing the minimum passing score. The minimum passing score is 70% or greater. This preference does not guarantee selection or appointment to any vacancy. Where two (2) or more City employees are the only applicants being considered for final selection, seniority with the City, past performance, evaluations, and attendance (barring the courtesy of emergency/medical leave) may be considered in the final selection.

Employee Identification Cards

The Human Resource Department will issue all employees a City Employee Identification Card (I.D. Card). The employee will carry the I.D. card when on Official City business. Each employee is responsible for safeguarding and updating his or her issued I.D. card. All identification cards remain the property of the City and must be returned to the Human Resource Department upon termination of employment. Failure to return the I.D. card may result in a charge being withheld from the final pay in accordance with the City Property policy.

City retirees will be provided with an I.D. card, from the Human Resources Department for required identification when requesting recreational City benefits. A City retiree is defined as an employee retiring in good standing under City Employment and under the New Mexico PERA retirement system. City retiree I.D. Cards are not required to be returned to the City.

(Ord. No. 1547 , 1-19-18)