The Commission shall adopt and enforce fair and reasonable regulations for appointment, promotion and demotion of its employees based upon ratings of efficiency and fitness. Such regulations shall provide:
- (1) For the establishment of a merit system council composed of three persons who do not hold political office, are not officers of a political party or organization, are of recognized standing and are in sympathy with the improvement of public administrations and the impartial selection of efficient government personnel on a merit basis, such council members to be selected for terms of five years, their initial appointment have been for terms of one, three and five years respectively, and to be removable only for cause;
- (2) That no employee of the Commission shall be dismissed except for good cause, that any employee who is dismissed may appeal to the merit system council and that the decision of the council as to whether or not the termination was for proper cause in accordance with the regulations prescribed under this section shall be binding upon the Commission except in cases of dismissal due to reduction of force or curtailment of funds;
- (3) For the holding of examinations to determine the qualification of applicants for vacancies in classified positions and that, except for temporary appointments not to exceed six months in duration, all personnel shall be appointed from registers set up as a result of such examinations; and
(4) That the merit system council shall be vested with the control of administration of merit examinations to determine fitness and efficiency and shall be charged with the selection and supervision of a supervisor of examinations to conduct actively and administer the merit system of personnel administration set up in accordance with the requirements of this section.
The provisions of this section relating to the merit system shall not operate to repeal any prior act of the General Assembly which may provide for a State personnel board or which may provide for a joint administration of the merit system for this Commission and any other department and agency of the State, and in so far as the provisions of this section are in conflict with any such act they shall be inoperative. The Commission shall not employ or pay any person who is an officer or committee member of any political party or organization.