SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL

PURPOSE:

To identify laws and procedures related to medical examinations for California driver's licenses required for operation of County vehicles

LEGAL BASIS:

County Code Section 2.32.230 provides that employees must have valid driver's licenses for operation of County vehicles, and a County driver's permit issued by the County Administrative Office.

County Code Section 2.32.240 provides that no employee should be issued a County driver's permit unless the employee has a valid California driver's license.

Civil Service Rules Section IV, Standards and Qualifications for Employment, provides that employees must meet the employment standards for their class, which would include a valid California driver's license if one is required for that job class.

Vehicle Code Section 12500 provides that it is unlawful to drive a vehicle unless properly licensed to drive that vehicle.

Vehicle Code Section 12804 provides that exams for class A or B (old Class I or Class II) license shall include a medical exam reported on a prescribed form.

Vehicle Code Section 14606 provides for penalties for permitting an employee to drive a vehicle for which the employee is not licensed; it also requires the employer to verify that the employee has a current medical certificate (issued within the last two years) for a Class A or B license.

Labor Code Section 231 provides that the employer who requires an employee to have a driver's license as a condition of employment, must pay for the medical examination required to obtain or renew the driver's license.

CROSS REFERENCE:

See Pre-employment Medical Examination - VI.1.


POLICY:

Each operating department is responsible for maintaining a tickler system to ensure that the employee's required to maintain a Class A or Class B license are scheduled and receive DMV medical exam. Operating departments schedule and pay for the cost of these medical examinations.

PROCEDURE:

1. Medical examinations necessary for renewal of an employee's Class A or Class B driver's license(s) required for operation of County vehicles are administered by the Health Services Agency (HSA).
   
   
2. If the employee who needs a DMV medical exam is in a job class which requires an annual or biannual "follow up" exam, the DMV and the "follow up" exam should be scheduled for the same time, to minimize exam costs and lost work time.
   
   
3. Each operating department is responsible for scheduling DMV medical exams directly with HSA Clinic staff. These will be scheduled so as not to conflict with pre-employment medical exams. Normally, DMV medical exams, "baseline exams", and "follow up exams" will be scheduled on an set day of the week. HSA will need the following information to schedule the exam: employee's name and birth date, job class, department, budget and account number for billing; and the purpose of the exam (e.g. DMV medical exam, hearing test as a "follow up exam").
   
   
4. Each employee with a Class A or Class B driver's license required for County employment is responsible for obtaining the necessary forms for administering the DMV medical exam and presenting the forms to HSA at the time that the exam is administered.
   
   
5. HSA will bill the appropriate operating department for the costs of the DMV medical exam.