Nebraska § 23-2522 - Personnel policy board; powers; duties.

§ 23-2522. Personnel policy board; powers; duties.

The powers and duties of the personnel policy board shall be:

(1) To review and make recommendations to the board of county commissioners on the personnel rules and regulations and any amendments thereto prior to the approval by the commissioners;

(2) To advise and assist the personnel officer on matters of personnel policy, administration, and practice;

(3) To cooperate with and advise the personnel officer in fostering interest and cooperation of institutions of learning and civic, professional, and employee organizations in the improvement of personnel standards and the development of high public regard for the county as an employer and for careers in the county service;

(4) To require the personnel officer to make or to make on its own initiative any investigation which it may consider necessary concerning the management of personnel in the county service;

(5) To review any grievance or case of disciplinary action of a classified service employee when appealed by such employee in accordance with approved personnel rules and regulations and issue a determination that is binding on all parties concerned;

(6) To issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of county employees as witnesses and the production of documents and to administer oaths, take testimony, hear proofs, and receive exhibits in evidence in connection with any of the powers and duties of such board. In case of a refusal to obey a subpoena issued to any county employee, the personnel policy board on its own motion, or a party to the proceedings, may make application to the district court of Lancaster County for an enforcement order, and any failure to obey such order may be punished by such court as contempt thereof;

(7) To make annual reports and recommendations to the board of county commissioners; and

(8) To perform such other duties as may be expressly set forth in the County Civil Service Act and in the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

A personnel policy board is an administrative agency performing quasi-judicial functions when it reviews a grievance of, or disciplinary action against, a classified service employee. Blakely v. Lancaster County, 284 Neb. 659, 825 N.W.2d 149 (2012).