(A) Examinations shall be job related in character, practical in nature and relevant to those factors which test thoroughly the capabilities and qualifications of the applicant to discharge both proficiently and deficiently the duties of the classified position. The design of the examination shall be guided by legal and professional standards.
(B) (1) All examinations shall be under the direction of the Civil Service Commission, and conducted by the head of the department or other person as designated by the Civil Service Commission. All examinations shall be job related in character, and related to those matters tending fairly to test the capacity and qualifications of the applicant to discharge proficiently the duties of the positions to which appointment is sought. Examinations may consist of any one or a combination of the following: written tests; selection interviews; assessment centers; physical fitness or ability tests; medical examinations; stress tests; demonstration of manual or performance skills; experience; training; or any other selection method deemed appropriate by the department head and approved by the Civil Service Commission.
(2) As far as practical and feasible, vacancies in the classified service shall be filled by promotion of regular employees occupying positions in the classified service. Promotional examinations may be held with the permission of the Civil Service Commission and opened exclusively within a department or citywide. With the approval of the Civil Service Commission, departmental examinations may be waived in the case where peculiar and exceptional qualifications are required.
(C) Only persons who have met all qualifications and whose applications are submitted and accepted in accordance with filing deadlines shall be admitted to participate in the examination.
(D) (1) The department head of any city department intending to conduct an examination pursuant to the direction of the Council or the Mayor shall be responsible for overseeing the administration, the integrity and the security of all examinations. Department heads may (with the written consent of the Civil Service Commission) employ the services of a professional in the testing field who may formulate, give and grade the examinations and who may otherwise be designated as Examination Manager. No candidate shall be allowed to take an examination other than at the time and place designated for such in advance, unless there are conditions which, in the opinion of the Civil Service Commission, or the Chairperson of the Commission, if the full Commission is not available, may justify otherwise.
(2) All examination materials shall be privileged and confidential and not available for public inspection. Any member of the classified service, city employee, employee of the Commission or Commission member who engages in an activity which destroys the integrity, confidentiality or security of the examination process, shall be subject to immediate dismissal or removal and, if warranted, criminal prosecution.
(3) Any and all examination processes, procedures and policies, concerning the administration of any examination, shall be submitted in writing by the department head or the Mayor to the Civil Service Commission not less than 30 days before the public announcement of an examination for the Commission’s written approval.
(4) The Commission shall review the intended procedure and provide its approval or an amended procedure within seven days after its regular meeting held the month prior to the public announcement of examination.
(5) Errors in grading an examination shall be corrected when they are discovered, as well as any error made in an eligibility list as a result; however, any such error shall not invalidate any appointment made prior to the discovery of the error. The Civil Service Commission may take such action as necessary to correct errors in grading.
(E) (1) Waiver. Upon approval by the Civil Service Commission, promotional examinations may be waived by the Mayor, or the Mayor’s designee, in the event that there are less than three qualified applicants. Candidates will be placed on the eligibility list in order of length of service. Such a waiver shall not be granted until after the application period for the position has closed.
(2) Notice.
(a) Notice shall be given at least 90 days before a promotional examination is conducted. Promotional tests shall be graded, as determined by the Commission, to include written, oral and/or other examination scores. The head of the department intending to engage in a promotional examination shall, with approval of the Mayor, develop an examination procedure and submit same to the Civil Service Commission not less than 120 days prior to the date which the department intends to conduct the examination. The Commission shall examine the procedure submitted and either approve, disapprove or amend the procedure as it deems appropriate within seven days after the regularly scheduled Civil Service Commission meeting conducted the month prior to the ninetieth day before the promotion exam is scheduled to take place.
(b) The departments shall, immediately upon the completion of the promotional examination, submit all the results of the promotional examinations to the Secretary (the City Clerk, or his or her designee). Upon completion of grading of examinations, candidates shall be informed of the final evaluated ratings attained and their individual ranking on the eligibility list. Promotional eligibility lists shall contain the names of the successful candidates in the order of their standing through the examination process. An individual’s results and ratings are subject to review by the individual candidate, but are otherwise confidential, and subject only by the Civil Service Commission, the Commission’s Secretary, the department head and the Mayor.
(c) Errors in grading an examination shall be corrected when they are discovered, as well as any error made in an eligibility list as a result; however, any such error shall not invalidate any appointment made prior to the discovery of the error. The Civil Service Commission may take such action as necessary to correct errors in grading examinations.
(F) (1) The Civil Service Commission may require stress and medical examinations for classifications requiring medical and physical standards. In the event that such examinations are required, they shall be conducted by a designated medical examiner, designated by the Civil Service Commission, and paid by the city.
(2) Performance on the stress and medical examinations shall be reported on a pass/fail basis.
(G) (1) Prior to the scheduling of an examination, the department head shall determine, with approval of the Board, the weights to be assigned to the various qualifying elements comprising the total grade or rating through which an applicant may earn placement on the eligibility list. Such weights shall apply to subsequent examinations for the same classification, unless changed with the approval of the Civil Service Commission. Failure in one phase of an examination shall be grounds for the applicants failing the entire examination. A scaled score of 70 shall be the minimum rating through which eligibility on an employment list may be earned. This score shall be derived by equating the cut-off point to a score of 70, and the highest possible score to a score of 100. All other raw scores between these two scores shall be converted to the scale in even increments.
(2) On every competitive promotional and original appointment list, the eligible persons shall be ranked in the order of their ratings earned in the examination given for the purpose of establishing the list. When it is necessary to certify the rank consisting of tied scores, all candidates having tied scores shall be certified. The department head may determine that ratings earned in the examination process shall be divided into bands.
(3) All scores falling within a given band shall be considered tied.
(Ord. 013-145, passed 9-23-2013)