THE MERIT SYSTEM
California Assembly Bill 999, known as the Merit System, was established and enacted into law in 1935. Its purpose was to provide statutory protection to classified employees, through the Education Code, against politically or personally motivated employment, promotion, discipline, or dismissal actions.
The Santa Clara County Office of Education's Merit System and its Personnel Commission were established on July 1, 1973 when the County Office of Education formally separated from the County Board of Supervisors and the County of Santa Clara.
The Merit System is a personnel system of rules and procedures administered by the Personnel Commission. Education Code 45260 states that the rules and regulations adopted by the Personnel Commission shall be binding on all classified employees and provides procedures to be followed by the Governing Board as they pertain to the classified staff.
The Merit System ensures fair and equitable treatment in all personnel management matters without regard to politics, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, martial status, age, or disabling condition and with proper regard for individual privacy and constitutional rights.
The Personnel Commission prescribes, amends and interprets rules and regulations to ensure the efficiency of the classified service; conducts recruitment from all segments of society; and supports advancement on the basis of relative ability, knowledge, and skill. It provides for the selection and retention of classified employees upon a basis of merit and fitness, and maintains a classification plan that allocates positions into classes on the basis of duties and responsibilities assigned by the County Superintendent of Schools.
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Merit System Rules of the Personnel Commission, SCCOE |
- Ensure employees are hired in accordance with Commission rules and Merit System law based on merit and fitness, without favoritism.
- Protect applicants and employees from discriminatory job requirements.
- Ensure objective, job-related tests.
- Provide for the establishment of eligibility lists.
- Provide for announcement of job vacancies to employees and the public.
- Classify or reclassify positions.
- Recommend salary schedules consistent with the principle of like pay for like service.
- Investigate and hear appeals of permanent employees who have been suspended, demoted, or dismissed.
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