(A) The town shall recruit and hire without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, national origin, or physical or mental disability. When employment vacancies occur, preference may be given to current town employees who possess the qualifications necessary to fill the vacant position.
(B) If, in the judgment of the town, a job cannot be filled by promotion from within, recruitment will be handled in the following manner.
(1) Advertisements relating to job openings in area newspapers or other publications, utilization of other available media including radio, public notice, or utilization of employment security services may be used to obtain applicants. Advertisements shall include the statement, “an equal opportunity employer”, or such other solicitation as the Town Council deems appropriate and consistent with the above-stated policy.
(2) The town will screen each applicant for a particular position using the following criteria, except where said criteria cannot be shown to be job-related or constitutes a violation of state or federal law:
(a) Prior job-related work experience;
(b) Education;
(c) Work history or experience;
(d) Physical ability required for the position;
(e) Applicant’s ambitions and goals;
(f) Special qualifications, licenses, or certification required by the position;
(g) Unusual circumstances in the applicant’s personal history; and
(h) Compliance with applicable law.
(3) No applicant will be hired who is a relative of a current town employee, Town Council member, or Clerk-Treasurer. RELATIVE shall include spouses, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws. Should current town employees marry during their employment with the town, the town may request one of said employees to resign. In no event shall a relative be allowed to supervise a relative employee.
(4) The town reserves the right to verify, by background check, information given by an applicant as to job history, education, experience, qualifications, and criminal record. Applicants will be required to sign a consent to background check to be considered for the job.
(5) The town may require an employee to maintain residence in the town as a condition of employment if such residence is essential to the conduct of the employee’s job.
(6) (a) A probationary employee is given a trial working period which is part of the selection process, during which time the employee’s work and conduct shall be under close observation for the purpose of determining his or her suitability and qualification for regular employment in the position. During this period of time, the employee will be considered a probationary employee.
(b) The probationary period for non-police employees shall last for a duration of 90 work days. During the 90-day probationary period, the employee’s supervisor shall observe the employee’s performance and evaluate and report to the Town Council in writing his or her observations concerning the probationary employee. The Town Council may discharge or remove an employee at any time during the probationary period when it determines that the employee is unable or unwilling to perform the duties of the position in a satisfactory manner, or that the employee’s habits and dependability do not merit continued employment, or where an error or misrepresentation was made in the application process. No matter or action concerning the discipline, lay-off, or termination of a probationary employee shall be subject to the employee grievance procedure.
(c) The probationary period for police employees shall last for a period of one year.
(d) An employee serving a probationary period following a promotion from within shall be considered a regular employee.
(e) Probationary employees are entitled to reserve and national guard duty leave without pay, bereavement leave without pay, civic leave, and leave without pay as defined in § 32.22; however, the sections covering paid vacations, personal time off, leave, reserve or national guard duty, and maternity leave, do not apply to probationary employees.
(f) If it is necessary for an employee to obtain certification for his or her position, the required certification must be timely obtained within the time frame and requirements of the certification.
(7) (a) TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES are employees whose employment with the town is anticipated to be of comparatively short duration or time. An employee who gained employment with the town via a federal, state, or county program designated to provide emergency and/or short-term employment shall be considered a temporary employee.
(b) Sections of this subchapter concerning vacation, personal time off leave, reserve or national guard duty, maternity leave, bereavement leave, and holiday pay shall not apply to temporary employees, except as provided by state or federal law. Temporary employees may be granted leave without pay only because of extraordinary reasons sufficient in the opinion of the Town Council to warrant such leave of absence.
(8) (a) A REGULAR EMPLOYEE is one who has been retained in his or her assigned job following the initial 90-day probationary period. Regular employees will be evaluated at least once a year by their department supervisors on forms provided therefor. Department supervisors shall be evaluated at least once annually by the Town Council on forms provided therefor.
(b) Regular employees shall be entitled to the rights and benefits set forth in this subchapter.
(c) All employees of the town shall be expected to perform the duties, tasks, and responsibilities as set forth in the individual job descriptions adopted by the town.
(9) The Town Council shall review the compensation levels of all employees at least annually.
(Ord. 1996-17, passed 8-20-1996)