The Civil Service Commission shall adopt rules, policies and procedures to carry out the civil service merit system provisions of this charter and, except as otherwise provided in this Charter, such rules shall govern applications; examinations; eligibility; duration of eligible lists; certification of eligibles; leaves of absence for employees and officers; appointments; promotions; transfers; resignations; lay-offs or reduction in force, both permanent and temporary, due to lack of work or funds, retrenchment or completion of work; the designation and filling of positions, as exempt, temporary, provisional, part-time, seasonal or permanent; status and status rights; probationary status and the administration of probationary periods, except duration; pre-employment and fitness for duty medical examinations, except for the conditions under which referrals for fitness for duty examinations will be made, and the imposition of new requirements; classification; conflict of interest; and such other matters as are not in conflict with this Charter; provided, however, that the minimum rule for the certification of eligibles shall be the Rule of Three Scores, and provided further that rules for leave due to illness or disability shall be approved by the Board of Supervisors. Changes to the rules may be proposed by members of the Commission, the Executive Assistant or the Human Resources Director and approved or rejected by the Commission. The Commission may, upon ten days' notice, make changes in the rules, which changes shall thereupon be printed and be in force; provided that no such changes in rules shall affect a case pending before the Commission.
The Commission shall have power to institute and prosecute legal proceedings for violations of any civil service merit system or Department of Human Resources provisions of this Charter.
The Commission shall establish an inspection service for the purpose of investigating the conduct or an action of appointees in all positions and of securing records of service for promotion and other purposes. All departments shall cooperate with the Commission in making its investigations and any person hindering the Commission or its agents shall be subject to suspension.
The Commission shall by rule establish procedures to review and resolve allegations of discrimination as defined in Article XVII of this Charter or otherwise prohibited nepotism or favoritism appealed to it pursuant to this section. The determination reached under Commission procedures shall be final and shall forthwith be enforced by every employee and officer.
The Commission shall have the power to inquire into the operation of the civil service merit system to ensure compliance with merit principles and rules established by the Commission. After such inquiry, the Commission may direct the Human Resources Director to take such action as the Commission believes necessary to carry out the civil service provisions of this Charter. In any hearing conducted by the Commission or by any hearing officer it appoints pursuant to this section, the Commission or the hearing officer shall have the power to subpoena and require the attendance of witnesses and the production of records.
The Commission may require periodic reports from the Human Resources Director in a manner and form which it shall prescribe.
The Commission may hear appeals from an action of the Human Resources Director in accordance with its rules, including but not limited to:
1. Allegations of discrimination as defined in Article XVII of this Charter. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Charter except the fiscal provisions hereof, the decision of the Commission regarding allegations of discrimination shall forthwith be enforced by every officer and employee;
2. Allegations of fraud; and
3. Allegations of conflict of interest.
No action by the Human Resources Director which is the subject of any appeal shall be stayed during the appeal process except by a majority vote of the Civil Service Commission.
The Commission shall have the power and it shall be its duty to appoint an executive assistant to be the administrative head of the affairs under its control who shall serve at its pleasure; provided, however, that any person who has Civil Service status in the position of executive assistant to the Commission on the effective date of this section as amended shall continue to have Civil Service status in the position of executive assistant under the Civil Service provisions of this Charter. The executive assistant shall periodically report to the Commission on operation of the civil service merit system and may make recommendations to the Civil Service Commission regarding its rules, policies and procedures.