It is the policy of this state that each county may establish a personnel system administered in a manner that will provide for the effective implementation of the following merit principles:

1. (1) recruiting, selecting, and advancing county employees on the basis of relative ability, knowledge, and skills, including open consideration of qualified applicants for employment for initial appointment;
2. (2) providing equitable and adequate compensation to county employees;
3. (3) training county employees as needed to assure high-quality performance;
4. (4) retaining county employees on the basis of the adequacy of the county employee's performance;
5. (5) separating from county employees whose inadequate performance cannot be corrected;

6. (6) treating applicants for employment and county employees fairly in all aspects of personnel administration without regard to:

   1. (a) race;
   2. (b) color;
   3. (c) religion;
   4. (d) sex;
   5. (e) national origin;
   6. (f) political affiliation;
   7. (g) age; or
   8. (h) disability;
7. (7) having proper regard for each county employee's privacy and constitutional rights as citizens;
8. (8) providing county employees information regarding a county employee's political rights and prohibited practices under the Hatch Act; and

9. (9) providing a formal procedure for processing a county employee's appeals and grievances without:

   1. (a) discrimination;
   2. (b) coercion;
   3. (c) restraint; or
   4. (d) retaliation.

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 14, 2025 Special Session 1