SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL

PURPOSE:

To provide clear and consistent policy on the make-up of examination boards (oral boards and rating panels) and to assist in accomplishing this process in the most efficient way possible.

LEGAL BASIS:

Civil Service Rules 130 V.O. Oral Examination

POLICY:

1. Civil Service Rule 130.V.O. states "When an oral examination forms part of a total examination, the Personnel Director shall appoint an examination board, which shall consist of three or more persons, of which at least one shall be familiar with the requirements of the job or character of work in the class examined. In the event of last minute circumstances, beyond the control of the Personnel Director, an oral board of two members may render an official rating. Appointing authorities may observe oral examinations but shall not serve as raters for positions for which they are the appointing authority.

2. It is the policy of the Personnel Department that the following criteria are used in selecting members of an examination board:
   1. The board should reflect the ethnicity and sex of the candidate population.

   2. The board should consist of job experts in the same or a higher level than the class.

   3. The board should consist of persons who are bias-free regarding the candidates.

   4. The board should consist of persons with good judgment and skill at observing and rating behavior.

3. To achieve this goal, our policy is to make reasonable efforts in seeking examination board members to include:
   1. Ethnic minorities, females and males, if these groups are present in the candidate pool.

   2. When County employees are used in an examination board, there should not be more than one from the same department. If this is necessary, they should not be from the same division of the department.

   3. Whenever possible, the Personnel Department should locate outside examination board members who are either job knowledge experts or receive services from the class served. (This is especially important when the candidate pool consists largely of County employees.)

4. The Personnel Department will use all known resources for convening an examination panel including department recommendations; Equal Employment Opportunity Office referrals; and previous examination board members identified and trained that will be documented in an Oral Board Resource Pool.

5. The convening of an examination panel will not delay the recruitment and examination process. After a reasonable effort has been made to meet the above criteria without success, members will be selected using criteria II.B, C and D above.

1. Efforts to obtain examination board members consistent with the criteria of this policy will be documented in the recruitment folder, particularly when the examination board does not meet the criteria. The Equal Employment Opportunity Officer will be informed of cases where it has not been possible to meet this criteria.