SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL

PURPOSE:

To place an employee who has dissatisfactory work performance on a schedule of special evaluations as defined by regulations.

LEGAL BASIS:

Civil Service Rules, Section X.B., Employee Performance Evaluations -Special Evaluations

POLICY:

1. An employee with permanent status in his/her job class may be placed on special evaluations through memo by the operating department, with a copy to the Personnel Director.
   
   
2. An employee with permanent status in his/her job class who receives an annual performance evaluation with an overall rating which is less 
   than standard MUST be placed on special evaluation.
   
   
3. The memo to the employee which places the employee on special evaluation must include a statement of the special performance problems leading to the special evaluation request, the date that the performance problems were discussed with the employee, the type of performance improvements that is necessary, and the date that the special evaluation period is to begin.
   
   
4. When an employee is placed on special evaluation, s/he is to be evaluated at two-month intervals during the six month special evaluation 
   period. Employees who are unsuccessful in attaining an overall performance evaluation rating of standard or better during the continuous 
   six-month special evaluation rating period are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.
   
   
5. Placing an employee on special evaluation does not limit a department's right to take discipline, up to and including dismissal, at any 
   time, with or without a special evaluation. Evaluations are not to be used as discipline.
   
   
6. Departments may choose to evaluate an employee on a more frequent basis than the two-month intervals provided for special evaluations.
   
   They are required to evaluate the employee's performance at least every two months.
   
   
7. Performance evaluations received during a period of special evaluation are appealable, the same as any other evaluation. The appeal process is specified in Section X of the Civil Service Rules and on the back of performance evaluations forms.
   
   
   
8. Effect of Special Evaluation Upon Step Advancement.  Performance evaluations for step advancement ("step increase") are tied to hours of service at the present step. Eligibility for step advancement requires 2080 hours of service at the current step.  

   Should an employee be placed on special evaluation when an evaluation for step advancement is not required (e.g., three months before the evaluation for a step advancement is due), if the employee is still on special evaluation when the performance evaluation for step advancement is due, the performance evaluation for step advancement should be completed. In other words, the special evaluation process does not "preempt" the required review for step advancement.
   
   Should an employee receive a substandard overall rating on a performance evaluation for step advancement, the employee cannot receive a step advancement and must be placed on special evaluation. During the subsequent special evaluation process, if the employee attains an overall "meets job standards" or better evaluation or better, the employee is taken off special evaluation. The employee may or may not be granted a step advancement by the appointing authority, for two reasons. First, consideration for step advancement is not required until 2080 hours have passed since the previous performance evaluation for a step advancement. Second, evaluations completed during the special evaluation cycle are directed at correcting one or more specific problems, not step advancement.
   
   

9. Effect of Special Evaluation on Seniority.
   
   Under layoff provisions of MOUs, permanent employees in a class who have substandard (i.e., overall rating is less than "meets job standards") performance evaluations on their last two scheduled evaluations are laid off before other permanent employees in that class.  What constitutes the last two scheduled performance evaluations is based on the requirements of the Civil Service Rules. A "scheduled" performance evaluation includes only the following: a annual performance evaluation; a performance evaluation for step advancement; one (or more) of the bi-monthly special evaluations. Although a department may do performance evaluations more frequently than every two months during the special evaluation period, only the two, four and six month special evaluations specified under the rules apply for seniority purposes.
   

PROCEDURE:

1. Upon giving an employee with permanent status in his/her class an overall performance evaluation rating which is less than standard, or through memo only, the department prepares a memo to the employee concerning the special evaluation and forwards a copy to the Personnel Director. 
   
   
2. The Personnel Director, or his/her designee, reviews all memos placing employees on special evaluation and forwards these to the Records Unit in the Personnel Department.
   
   
3. Records Unit staff then:
   
   
   1. send a notice to the employee confirming the date that the employee was placed on special evaluation, with a copy to the supervisor and appointing authority;
      
      
   2. send the departmental payroll clerk three copies of the performance evaluation form for the two-month, four-month and six-month evaluations under the special evaluation process.
      

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County Personnel Department

NOTIFICATION OF SPECIAL EVALUATION


Our records indicate that you have been placed on special evaluation. You should be aware of the information below.

The following provision is found in Section X B of the Civil Service Rules: 

Special Evaluations. Permanent employees may be placed on a special two-month evaluation schedule at any time when performance problems exist. Permanent employees receiving an annual performance evaluation with an overall rating of unacceptable, or short of standard will be placed on a special two-month evaluation. The special evaluation will continue at two-month intervals until the employee has attained an overall performance rating of standard or is subject to discipline up to and including dismissal. Once the employee attains an overall performance rating of standard, he/she will be removed from special evaluation treatment. The maximum time period that an employee can remain on continuous special evaluation is six months. Employees who are unsuccessful in attaining an overall performance rating of standard or better during a continuous six-month special rating period will be subject to discipline up to and including dismissal from County employment, subject to the appeal rights regarding disciplinary actions specified elsewhere in these regulations.

The Personnel Department shall be notified in all cases where an employee is to be placed on special evaluation. Such notification shall consist of a copy of a memo to the employee which includes: a statement of the special performance problems leading to the special evaluation; the date that the performance problems were discussed with the employee; the type of performance improvement that is necessary; and the date that the special evaluation period is to begin. 

Should other performance issues arise during the special evaluation period, such issues should be addressed through other means.

This section does not limit the County's right to discipline, up to and including dismissal, an employee at any time, with or without a special evaluation.

Evaluations are not to be used as discipline.



cc: Department Head
Employee's Supervisor
Employee's Personnel File

PER1211 Reissued 9/94 PAM-VII4