SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL

PURPOSE:

To define the in-processing requirements for extra-help appointments.

LEGAL BASIS:

County Code Section 3.28.101 (4.15.020) - Appointments

CROSS REFERENCE:

Section IV.8. Background Investigations
Section V. Appointments
Section VI.1. Physical Job Requirements/Physical Screening and Examination
Section IX.1. Advance Step Appointments

POLICY:

1. In-processing must be completed prior to the first day worked for all appointments. Completion of processing includes clearing the pre-employment physical examination and background check if required of the position or job class. Processing will occur for:
   1. New hires.

   2. Appointments where the employee moves into a new representation unit. 

   3. Appointments where the employee must be fingerprinted or take a pre-employment medical examination because their current position or class does not have the same requirements as their new position or class.

2. Extra-help appointees must meet all of the following requirements of the position or job class which are appropriate:
   1. Minimum requirements of the job class through appointment from an eligible list (See Section V.3.B. Extra-help Certification) or a provisional appointment where the analyst verifies that the employee meets the minimum requirements (See Section V.1.B.2 Provisional Appointments).

   2. Pre-employment physical requirements of the position or job class (See Section VI.1. Physical Job Requirements/Physical Screening and Examination) through passing a pre-employment medical examination conducted by the County's Occupational Health physician and any other designated medical examiners coordinated by the OH physician.

   3. Background Investigation requirements of the position or job class (See Section IV.8. Background Investigations) through passing a fingerprint check as required. Fingerprints are taken by Records Unit staff and sent to the California Department of Justice for processing. Any Department of Justice or FBI records for the individual are returned to Personnel which checks to verify that the employee indicated that this record existed and then checks as to the job relatedness of the record.

      Since this verification occurs AFTER the person starts to work, an employee may be discharged if either:

      1. They did not indicate there had been convictions on their application,

         OR

      2. They have a job related conviction.

   4. New extra-help appointees must bring with them to processing:
      1. Original Social Security card.

      2. Documentation of Employment Eligibility (See attached PER1022)

      3. Completed Health Questionnaire (PER1025) and, if the appointee is under age 18, a parental release form (PER1025A)

      4. California Driver's License if required to drive on County business.

   5. Documents which must be completed during processing include:
      1. Oath of Office - CLK-SS 114 - This must be administered by an individual sworn as a Deputy Clerk by the County Clerks Office. All Records Unit staff are sworn Deputy Clerks.

      2. Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9's) - employees must bring to processing the appropriate form of identification to prove employment eligibility (see attached PER1022).

      3. IRS Form W-4- Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate

      4. County of Santa Cruz Applicant Characteristics Questionnaire (PER4005)

      5. Emergency Notification Form (PER1052)

      6. Fair Labor Standards Act Policy Sheet (PER1053)-signed by and copy to employee

      7. Extra-help Employment Information Sheet (PER1054)

      8. Notification of Policies Sheet (PER1063) signed by employee

      9. Fingerprint Card and CA - DOJ No Longer Interested Form as appropriate.

   6. Employees are given informational copies of the following:
      1. Sample Employee's Claim for Workers' Compensation Benefits form

      2. County of Santa Cruz Drug-Fee Workplace Policy

      3. County of Santa Cruz Smoking Policy

      4. County of Santa Cruz Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Policy

      5. DFEH Sexual Harassment brochure

      6. Workers' Compensation brochure

      PROCEDURE:

      1. Departments make a job offer and provide the extra-help applicant with the New Extra-help Employee In-processing Handout Packet which includes:
         1. Draft welcome/notice letter regarding in-processing (Sample letter PER1020B)

         2. Documents to Bring to In-processing (PER1021B)

         3. Documentation of Employment Eligibility (PER1022) I-9 Information

         4. Medical History Form (PER1025)and parental release form (PER1025A) if under age 18

         5. New Employee Status & Information Summary (PER1040)

   7. Departments complete the necessary action forms and documentation required e.g. a memo if requesting advance step appointment (See Section IX.1. Advance Step Appointments)

   8. Personnel Record Unit staff review the paperwork for appropriateness and completeness; contact the department if any additional information is needed and gain necessary Personnel approvals. Once complete, they contact the department with the date of the physical and processing appointments and assign an employee number.

   9. Departments contact the employee to inform them of the physical and processing appointment date, time and place.

   10. The extra-help applicant is given a pre-employment physical or screening as dictated by the job class or position's physical abilities requirements.

   11. Personnel Records Unit/Benefit Administration staff conduct the second part of in-processing which includes the following:
       1. Personnel provides general information: Parking permits, carpooling, bus passes, bicycle lockers and shower accessibility. 

       2. New appointee reviews general personnel information such as SS#, starting wage rate, starting date and birth date.
          1. If applicant does not provide required documentation of eligibility for employment, Personnel gives applicant notice with deadline for providing information. 

       3. New appointee completes Verification of Employment Eligibility (I-9 Form), Applicant Characteristic Questionnaire (PER4005), W-4 Form, Emergency Notification Form (PER1052), Fair Labor Standards Act Policy Sheet (PER1053), Oath of Office (CLK-SS114 ).
          1. Employee is given a copy of Fair Labor Standards Act Policy form.

          2. Both copies of the Oath of Office are retained by Personnel.

          3. W-4 Form is forwarded to Auditor-Payroll with Action Form. 

       4. Employee is given a copy of the Extra-help Employment Information Sheet (PER1054)

       5. Personnel assures that the appointee has received a copy of the following handouts and has the appointee sign form PER1063 (Notifications of Policies Sheet) to acknowledge receipt: 
          1. County of Santa Cruz EEO Policy brochure
             
          2. DFEH Sexual Harassment brochure
             
          3. Drug Free Workplace Policy
             

       6. Appointee is given copies of the following with an explanation regarding the procedure for reporting a job-related injury or illness:
          
          1. County Smoking Policy
             
          2. Sample Workers' Compensation Claim Form
             
          3. Workers' Compensation informational brochure
             
          4. FMLA Notice applicable to benefit status (PER1056-PER1062)
             

   12. The department may not allow the person to start work until all ap provals have been made and the physical is cleared by the County Occupational Health Physician. This could be a week or more after the processing appointment depending on the job class.
       
       
   13. If the new appointee needs to bring any additional documentation or
       information to Personnel, they are informed during the processing appointment. If there are any problems with a pre-employment medical examination, Personnel will communicate with the department, which will then inform the applicant. 
       
       
   14. Once all appointment processes are complete, the employee may start
       work and the Records Unit staff will input the required information into the Personnel/Payroll system.