Section 24Sec./Art. 24

Personnel Actions and Employment Status. Whenever used with reference to this Act, any action denoting the movement and progress of personnel in the civil service shall be known as a personnel action. Such an action shall included appointment, promotion, transfer, demotion, separation and reinstatement.

(a) Appointment in the Civil Service. Appointment in the civil service shall be either permanent, provincial or temporary.

(b) Permanent Appointment. A permanent appointment shall be issued to a person who has met all the requirements of the position to which he seeks appointment in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the rules and standards promulgated in pursuance thereto. All such persons must serve a probationary period of six months following their original appointment and shall undergo a thorough character investigation in order to acquire permanent civil service status. A probationer may be dropped from the service for unsatisfactory conduct or want of capacity any time before the expiration of the probationary period: Provided, That such action is appealable to the Commissioner of Civil Service under section sixteen, paragraph (j) of this Act.

(c) Provisional Appointment. A provisional appointment may be issued upon the prior authorization of the Commissioner in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the rules and standards promulgated in pursuance thereto to a person who has not qualified in an appropriate examination but who otherwise meets the requirements for appointment to a regular position in the competitive service, whenever a vacancy occurs and the filling thereof is necessary in the interest of the service and there is no appropriate register of eligibles at the time of appointment.

(d) Temporary Appointment. A person may receive a temporary appointment to a position needed only for a limited period not exceeding six months, provided that preference in filling such position be given to persons on appropriate eligible lists.

(e) Other Personnel Actions. Promotions, transfer, demotion, separation and/or reinstatement of employees in the service shall be reported to the Commission in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the rules promulgated pursuant thereto.

(f) Limitation on Employment of Persons in the Non-Competitive of Unclassified Service. No person appointed to a position in the non-competitive or unclassified service shall perform the duties properly belonging to any position in the competitive service.

(g) Reduction in Force. Whenever it becomes necessary because of lack of work or funds or due to a necessary change in the scope or nature of an agency's program. or whenever it is advisable in the interest of economy to reduce the staff of any department, office, bureau, or agency, those in the same group or class of position in one or more bureaus or offices within the particular Department wherein the reduction is to be effected, shall be reasonably compared in terms of relative fitness, efficiency and length of service, and those found to be least qualified for the remaining positions shall be laid off. The Commissioner of Civil Service shall promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this subsection.