MERIT SYSTEM ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES (JUNE 2018).DOCX

Maricopa County
Human Resources Department
EMPLOYEE MERIT SYSTEM ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES
June 27, 2018
MARICOPA COUNTY EMPLOYEE MERIT SYSTEM ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES
Action Requested
Approve the use of existing guidelines for determining which positions will and will not be covered by the
County’s Employee Merit System in compliance with changes to A.R.S. §11-352 which go into effect on
July 3, 2015.
A.R.S. §11-352, as revised, no longer specifies positions which may be removed from a board adopted
employee merit system. That authority transfers to the Board of Supervisors and therefore a
determination regarding employee merit system coverage should be clarified when the new law goes into
effect. Pending the creation and adoption of the new guidelines by the board, the guidelines currently in
use shall apply with the following positions eligible for removal from the Maricopa County Employee Merit
System:
 County Manager, Deputy County Managers, and Assistant County Managers
 Chief Deputies of Elected Officials
 Department Directors and Deputy Directors
 One position in each department that reports to the Director or Deputy Director
 Certain FLSA exempt level administrative positions (the level and type of administrative positions
currently removed from coverage will apply pending new board guidelines, however, the 10
percent cap previously found in A.R.S. §11-352 is removed) (later clarified to include 1)
Managers, 2) Deputy Constables and 3) Personal staff of elected officials, executive county
management and department directors)
 Contract and temporary positions
These guidelines apply to all County Elected Offices and appointed departments as well as the Flood
Control District, the Library District, and the Stadium District. This agenda item does not impact elected
officers, employees who are covered under the Law Enforcement Officers Merit System or those in the
Judicial Branch.
Additional actions taken to add additional positions since the initial approval include:
Action Requested:
1) Modify the Maricopa County Employee Merit System Eligibility Guidelines approved by the Board
June 24, 2015 by adding an additional guideline; “Other positions as approved by the Board.”
2) Allow Appraiser Supervisor position to be excluded from the County’s Employee Merit System.
These changes were effective April 24, 2017. The Merit System Eligibility Guidelines were originally
approved by the Board on June 24, 2015 (C-31-15-042-6-00).
Action Requested:
Expand the guidelines for determining which position will and will not be covered by the County’s
Employee Merit System in compliance with A.R.S. §11-352 to include:

 Supervisors
 Professionals and above (typically requires a bachelor’s degree or higher)
These changes were effective February 12, 2018. The Merit System Eligibility Guidelines were originally
approved by the Board on June 24, 2015 (C-31-15-042-6-00) and revised on April 26, 2017 (C-31-15-
042-6-01).
Current Action Requested:
Approve amended guidelines to add to the positions that will no longer be covered by the merit rules to
include:
 All non-sworn and non-detention positions
The Merit System Eligibility Guidelines were originally approved by the Board on June 24, 2015 (C-31-
15-042-6-00) and revised on April 26, 2017 (C-31-15-042-6-01) and February 7, 2018 (C-31-15-042-6-
02).