145.04 DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND THE POSITION CLASSIFICATION PLAN.
   (a)   The respective appointing authority shall be responsible for the proper and continuous maintenance of the City of Oberlin Position Classification Plan, so that it will reflect the pay grades to which each position is allocated. In reviewing and proposing updates to the Plan, the respective appointing authority shall ensure that municipal positions are appropriately placed in the Plan to provide for competitive compensation and internal and external equity. Revisions of pay grades within the Plan and creation or updates to job descriptions shall be made as follows:
      (1)   The respective appointing authority shall study the duties and responsibilities of each new position as it is created and, on the basis of this study, place the position in the appropriate pay grade within the Classification Plan.
      (2)   A job description shall include a written description of responsibilities and duties of the position, with skills, education and experience desired. The description shall take into consideration the requirements of the job, not the incumbent's abilities. The job description is merely descriptive and explanatory of the work to be performed. It may not include all of the duties of the position. A copy of all job descriptions shall be on file with the Human Resources Administrator and shall include signatures and dates identifying when the job description was established and when any changes to the description were authorized by the respective appointing authority.
      (3)   Changes in the duties and responsibilities of any existing position involving either the addition of new assignments or the removal or modification of existing assignments that do not require a change in job description shall be reported to the respective appointing authority by department heads, or, if a department head, to the City Council. Unless the complexity of the work assigned to the position significantly changes, or the skills, certifications or minimum requirements for the position have significantly changed, the position descriptions will not change. If these changes are determined to be permanent and justify reallocation to a different pay grade, the respective appointing authority, upon approval of Council, shall place such position in its appropriate pay grade. If these changes are to the job description of a department head and are determined to be permanent, the respective appointing authority shall present the changes to the City Council for its concurrence by motion.
      (4)   New job descriptions and significant changes to current job descriptions involving civil service positions shall be presented to the Civil Service Commission for determination as to whether the position is in the classified civil service or not, and if it is determined to be a classified position, whether it should be designated competitive or non-competitive.
      (5)   The respective appointing authority shall periodically review the pay grades of positions and, upon the basis of that review, the appointing authority may combine or abolish positions. New positions, established by the respective appointing authority, shall be placed within the Classification Plan, upon Council approval. Job descriptions of new department head positions shall be subject to specific approval by the City Council by motion. Amendments to the Classification Plan which affect civil service positions shall first be submitted to the Civil Service Commission as noted in subsection (a)(4) hereof.
   (b)   An employee may at any time submit a written request through his/her department head to the respective appointing authority for a review of the allocation of his/her position, setting forth the reasons for justifying the review. Typically, such a review will only be undertaken after significant changes in duties or responsibilities have taken place (see subsection (a)(3) hereof). The respective appointing authority shall review the position to determine its correct allocation in the Classification Plan and that the job description is accurate. The decision of the respective appointing authority shall be in writing and shall be reported to the employee, and shall be final.
   (c)   The City's personnel resource shall be available to advise the City's appointing authorities in accomplishing the responsibilities set forth in this chapter.
(Ord. 08-30AC CMS. Passed 6-2-08.)