1. (a) The Montgomery County Commission shall establish a merit based personnel system for classified employees of the county. The department shall adopt rules, policies, and procedures necessary to implement a merit based personnel system based on the following principles:

   1. (1) Recruiting, selecting, and advancing employees based on their ability, knowledge, and skills, including the open competition of qualified applicants for initial appointment.
   2. (2) Establishing pay rates consistent with the principle of comparable pay for comparable jobs.
   3. (3) Training employees, as needed, to assure quality job performance.
   4. (4) Retaining employees on the basis of county needs, adequacy of performance, correcting inadequate performance when possible, and separating employees whose continued employment is not in the best interests of the county.
   5. (5) Assuring fair treatment of applicants and employees in all aspects of personnel administration without regard to political affiliation, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, or age.
   6. (6) Providing all classified employees who have been disciplined or who have grievances, or both, a fair and impartial hearing and a resolution of the disciplinary action and grievances.
2. (b) All employees of the county on January 1, 2025, shall remain employees of the county under the jurisdiction of the merit based personnel system.

(Act 2024-337, §13.