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45. AMENDMENT TO MARICOPA COUNTY EMPLOYEE MERIT SYSTEM RULE 10.07 Amend Employee Merit System Rule 10.07 as follows: "Each party will have a maximum of three and one-half (3.5) hours to present the case including opening statement; direct exam, cross exam, and re-direct/re-cross of witnesses; objections; and closing argument. Time spent on cross examination and re-cross counts against the total time allotted to the party conducting the examination. The Hearing Officer shall have the authority to grant up to an additional 7 hours (total) of testimony. The Hearing Officer shall not allow testimony beyond 14 hours total without prior approval from the Employee Merit System Commission chairman or designee." The Maricopa County Employee Merit System Commission recommends that the Board of Supervisors amend Rule 10.07 to define a stated amount of time for each party to represent their side of the case in a merit appeal hearing, as well as limit the Hearing Officer’s authority to grant additional time for testimony. This proposal arises from the fact that Rule 10.07 currently does not dictate a time limit for merit appeal hearings. Without specific time limits, it is difficult for the Human Resources Department to plan and budget for hearing costs, especially in instances where hearings extend into days and weeks in length. Additionally, Rule 10.07 currently does not define the Hearing Officer’s authority when determining the length of a hearing. While the proposed amendment includes specific timeframes, it is acknowledged that some hearings may require more time than others due to the scope and complexity of the appeal. In these rare instances, the Commission chairman or designee will have the authority to allow for additional time if requested by the Hearing Officer. (C-31-13-002-6-00)