Louisiana § RS 33:2418 - Service standards and ratings

§ RS 33:2418. Service standards and ratings

The director shall, in cooperation with appointing authorities, provide and recommend to the commission for approval, a system of standards of performance in positions throughout the classified service, and methods of rating the service of the individual employees.  Such a system when adopted by the commission shall be incorporated, in its essentials, by amendment in the rules, and shall be placed in effect by the director.  The standards of performance to be recommended as the bases of service ratings shall have reference to the quality and quantity of work done, the manner in which the service is rendered, the conduct of employees and their faithfulness to their duties, and such other characteristics as, in the opinion of the director, will measure the value of employees to the service.  The system shall provide for the manner and extent of use of the service ratings as a factor:

(1)  In making pay adjustments upward or downward within the limits of the scales of pay for the various classes of positions, and shall set forth the standards to be used in determining whether the services of any officer or employee are such as to warrant an increase in pay, no change in pay, a decrease in pay, or demotion.

(2)  In ascertaining whether the value of individual officers and employees, from the view of the city as an employer, is increasing or decreasing.

(3)  In providing means by which individual officers and employees may be made acquainted with their good points and their shortcomings as viewed by their superiors.

(4)  In determining what officers and employees are to be considered for promotion in higher positions.

(5)  In measuring the efficacy of the recruiting procedures used in filling city positions.

(6)  In discovering officers and employees whose conduct and performance are such that they should be promoted, demoted, transferred, or removed and providing for the action so indicated.

(7)  For such other purposes helpful in the administration of this Part and the rules.

The rules shall provide a "meritorious" rating standard which any employee must meet or exceed to qualify for increase in pay at normally frequent intervals or promotion and a "satisfactory" rating standard on falling below which an employee shall be subject to action for decrease in pay, demotion, or removal.

When a service rating system has been adopted by the commission as provided, the director shall provide for the necessary forms, procedures, and records.  He shall see to the designation of appropriate rating officers and instruct them in their duties.  He may investigate the accuracy of reports of ratings under the system adopted, and may adjust the ratings to conform to the facts as ascertained.  He shall provide for uniformity, fairness, and equity in the application of the standards by different rating officers.  The director shall evaluate the ratings of employees in accordance with the procedures established in such ways as to provide clear records expressing, as fairly as possible, the relative value of the service of each employee to the city in a position of the class to which his position is allocated and shall maintain systematic records of the ratings for all positions, under the standards and methods prescribed.  Each employee shall be notified of his service ratings from period to period with a view of his being afforded opportunity for correcting his obvious weaknesses.  The reports and records of the ratings of each employee may be inspected by him or his duly authorized representative, by his appointing authority, and, in the discretion of the director, by any other appointing authority who is considering a transfer of the employee to his own jurisdiction.  The ratings, reports, and records shall not be open to inspection of any other person outside the department of city civil service.