133.09 PROMOTIONS.
(a) Method of Filling Vacancies. Vacancies in authorized positions above the lowest classifications in the classified service shall be filled, as far as practicable, by promotions. All promotional ranks within the Division of Police and Division of Fire shall be filled by promotion, except as otherwise provided in the Charter or these Codified Ordinances. In regard to all other positions, the Director of Administration shall in each case determine whether or not it is practicable to fill a position by promotion, and from what classification or classifications such promotion shall be made and the type of examination to be used for the promotion. The Director may authorize a single combined open and promotional examination for the same position.
Eligibility for a promotional examination shall be limited to permanent employees who have satisfactorily completed their probationary period in a designated class or classes, and have received a satisfactory rating average on the last two most recent evaluation reports.
However, when an open examination will be given for a promotion, employees serving their probationary year in another position may take the open examination. If such employee is certified and receives the promotion, the employee's probationary period in the new position shall be the greater of ninety days from the date of promotion, or the balance of the probationary year dated from the time of original appointment with the City.
When a vacancy in a promotional position has been announced, and an insufficient number of qualified applicants are available for either an open or promotional examination, then, with the approval of the Commission, such promotional position may be under filled by provisionally appointing to the position a City employee who has less than the minimum qualifications for the position. During the provisional period, the employee shall receive training for the position.
At the completion of the provisional period, the employee shall receive permanent promotion upon passing a promotional examination, or demonstrating to the satisfaction of the Commission, that the employee is qualified for the promotion.
(b) Promotional Examinations in Police and Fire Divisions. All regular sworn members of the Fire Division above the rank of firefighter, who have completed five years of service as a regular sworn members, may take the examination for Chief. All regular sworn members of the Police Division, in the job classifications of Lieutenant, Captain and Assistant Chief, may take the examination for Chief. In addition, the Mayor may nominate two additional candidates to take the examination for Chief in each division. Except for the position of Chief of each division, no position above the rank of firefighter and patrolman in their respective divisions shall be filled by original appointment.
(1) When a vacancy occurs among sworn officers in the Fire Division, it shall be filled by promotional examination which shall be open to persons employed within the division as follows: lieutenants with at least three years' service in addition to the required one year probationary period shall be eligible for the examination for assistant chief. Regular firefighters with at least five years' service in addition to the required one year probationary period shall be eligible for the examinations for assistant chief and/or captain. Regular firefighters with at least two years' service in addition to the required one year probationary period shall be eligible to take the examination for lieutenant. Whenever such promotional examinations are given, lieutenants shall be eligible to take the examination for captain; captains shall be eligible to take the examination for assistant chief.
(2) For the purpose of this section, two or more persons who are eligible are required to take the promotional examination for the examination to be deemed competitive.
When a vacancy occurs among sworn officers in the Police Division, it shall be filled by promotional examination which shall be open to persons employed within the Division.
Police officers, who have successfully completed the one year initial probationary period, shall be eligible to take the examination for sergeant. Police Officers and Sergeants, who have successfully completed the probationary period, shall be eligible to take the examination for Lieutenant. Police Officers, Sergeants and Lieutenants, who have successfully completed the probationary period, shall be eligible to take the examination for Captain. Captains and Lieutenants, who have successfully completed the probationary period, shall be eligible to take the examination for Assistant Chief.
(c) Unassembled Promotional Examinations. Whenever there are three or less eligible City employees to compete in a promotional examination, an unassembled examination may be given to the applicants to determine their ranking on the eligible list. In exceptional cases, the Commission may authorize the promotion of an eligible employee upon presentation of satisfactory evidence that competition is impractical.
Promotional examinations in the Police and Fire Division shall be conducted only according to Section 133.09(b).
(d) Grading of Promotional Examinations. Promotional examinations shall be graded in accordance with Section 133.04
(f). The candidate's final score shall be determined by adding seniority credit points and/ or higher education credits to the total examination score. No candidate shall receive more than a maximum of seven and one half points for higher education and/or senority credits combined.
(e) Seniority credit may be given at a rate of one half point credit for each year of continuous service with the City, up to a maximum of seven and one half points. In promotional examinations for sworn officers of the Police and Fire Divisions, credit for seniority shall be based only on service in the Police and Fire Divisions, respectively.
(f) Higher education credits for promotional candidates may be given at a rate of two and one half points credit for an Associate's Degree in a related field or five points credit for a Bachelor's Degree in a related field. For Police promotional candidates, higher education credits will only be considered after two years of full-time service.
Efficiency credit shall not be a factor in determining the final score, except that a satisfactory average of the two most recent evaluation reports in the employee's class is necessary to be eligible to take a promotional examination.
When a tie exists after calculation of the final score, including seniority and higher education credits, then seniority in the classification from which the promotion is sought shall determine the order of the scores. If a tie still exists, then the final score by which the applicants obtained the classification from which the promotion is sought shall determine the order of the scores.
(Ord. 2017-26. Passed 9-18-17.)