II Promotional Process - Sworn Public Safety Employees | West Valley City Personnel Policies and Procedures

II Promotional Process - Sworn Public Safety Employees

1. The City shall provide for promotion to Sworn Public Safety Employees, excluding any position not considered a merit employee under West Valley City Code 3-11-102, on the basis of ascertained merit, seniority in service, and standing obtained by competitive examination.

2. The City shall provide, when possible, that vacancies be filled by promotion from the members of the next lower rank who submit themselves for examination and promotion. For each promotion, the Human Resource Office shall certify to the Chief the names of not more than five (5) applicants having the highest rating on the promotional roster.

1. The Human Resource Office, in consultation with the Police administration shall post notices of all promotional testing at least 30 days prior to the commencement of the process. No special testing arrangements or make-up tests will be allowed.

2. The notice of a promotional testing process shall contain the following:

a. The date of posting;

b. The dates of each part of the testing process;

c. The location of each part of the testing process;

d. The deadline to file an application to participate in the testing process, the deadline shall be not less than five (5) days after posting of the notice;

e. Requirements necessary to be eligible to compete for the promotion;

f. The deadline to submit any required materials, such as certifications, transcripts, diplomas, etc.; and

g. The date examination scores are considered final.

Each Sworn Public Safety Employee desiring to compete for promotion must apply using the appropriate application provided by the Human Resource Office. The Human Resource Office must receive the application prior to the deadline. Applicants who do not meet minimum qualifications will be disqualified from the testing process.

All promotional testing materials will be kept in a secure location by the Human Resource Office. The departments may not participate in the final compilation of scoring of any examinations. All final compilation of scoring shall be by the Human Resource Office. The names shall appear on the promotional roster in order, with the candidate having the highest combined score at the top of the list. Candidates with equal scores shall be listed in order of seniority.

1. It is the responsibility of the candidate to raise any concerns they may have regarding a promotional process immediately.

2. All examiners, interviewers, assessors, etc., shall be under the supervision of the Human Resource Office and must participate in the process in accordance with these rules. All testing shall be impartial, fair, and practical and designed to test the relative qualifications of candidates to perform the essential functions of the particular position to which they seek to be promoted.

1. The Human Resource Office may disqualify a candidate for any of the following reasons:

a. Possession during an examination of any paper, book, memorandum, or any other item that could be of use or assistance in the examination, other than as permitted by the Human Resource Office. The candidate shall surrender such items to the examiner in charge prior to the start of the examination.

b. Willfully copying, looking over the work of another candidate, attempting to do so, or permitting any candidate to copy or look over any examination sheets or material in possession of a candidate.

c. Tardiness in reporting for the examination or failure to appear at a scheduled examination.

2. Disqualified candidates may appeal in accordance with West Valley City Municipal Code Section 3-11-102. Any Sworn Public Safety Employee disqualified for reasons a or b listed in this section is subject to disciplinary action by the department.

1. Candidates should request an informal meeting with Human Resources to review examination questions or processes and to discuss any concerns prior to the posted deadline. As part of this meeting, Human Resources may release with the limits of exam security:

a. General information regarding examination development, content, and weights.

b. The candidates own raw scores and rating information.

c. Average scores of a panel or examiners, including average scores on each factor.

i. Scores of single examiners shall not be released.

d. Exam statistics such as range and median to enable candidates to compare scores to the distribution of scores.

i. Scores of other candidates shall not be released.

2. A candidate who is not contesting the examination but wishes to review the exam for personal development, may request a meeting with Human Resources. This meeting shall be scheduled only if another promotional process for the same position has not been posted.

1. Any candidate who wishes to contest a score for the examination or part of the examination must submit a request for review to the Human Resource Office prior to the posted deadline. The Human Resource Office shall investigate the contested score and report the results of the investigation to the candidate. If the Human Resource Office determines the candidate’s challenge or request for review is valid, the Human Resource Office may take any action as it deems appropriate, including, but not limited to, re-testing, modifying test results, removing test questions from final compilation, or re-posting of the roster. If the Human Resource Office determines the candidate’s challenge or request for review is not valid, the Human Resource Office’s decision shall be considered the final decision of the City.

2. The candidate may appeal this final decision to the Employee Discipline Hearing Officer pursuant to West Valley City Code 3-11. Corrections of clerical errors, however discovered, may be made at any time.

At the conclusion of testing, the Human Resource Office shall prepare and maintain a promotional roster of eligible candidates for the position. The winner of a tie will be determined as the person with the most seniority within their current rank. The Human Resource Office shall distribute the promotional roster to the Chief and all candidates who scored high enough to be placed on the roster. Amended 05/25/21 EO 21-151

Promotional rosters expire upon the date stated on the promotional posting, or at such other time as Human Resources shall direct; provided however, that no list shall remain in effect longer than two (2) years from the date approved.

1. The Human Resource Office shall have the power at any time to amend the promotional roster by correction, revision, or the removal of names, when, in its judgment, the best interests of a particular Department or the public will be served. Prior to the Human Resource Office removing any name from the promotional roster pursuant to this section, the Department proposing the removal, or the Human Resource Office, must give reasonable notification of the proposed action to the person whose name is to be removed. Reasonable notification shall mean personal service or written notice.

2. The Human Resource Office may also remove the name of an eligible candidate from a promotional roster for any of the following reasons:

a. Certification for appointment to a vacancy five times without appointment.

b. Written request from candidate.

c. Refusing a promotion to the position.

d. Termination of employment with the City.

e. The Chief submits a statement of rejection to Human Resources.

1. The Human Resource Office shall certify to the Chief the names of not more than five (5) applicants having the highest rating on the promotional roster.

2. The Chief will work with the Human Resource Office to determine the effective date of the promotion.