The purpose of this policy is to establish a
system of personnel administration governing employment within the
Town of Blackstone based upon sound concepts of personnel management
and merit principles which ensure that the recruitment, selection
and advancement of personnel shall be based on ability, knowledge,
education and skill under fair and open competition. The personnel
system shall be administered without regard to race, color, religion,
sex, national origin, political affiliation, age as defined by law,
sexual orientation, or handicap.
All Town departments and positions are subject
to the provisions of this policy in its generality, excluding employees
of the School Department. No vendor, independent contractor or consultant
employed from time to time to provide limited services shall be entitled
to any rights or benefits provided under this personnel policy.
The Town retains the exclusive right to determine
what departments, division and job classification are to exist, whether
to lay off employees, to determine the existence or nonexistence of
a vacancy, and whether and by whom any vacancy will be filled. The
Town shall have the exclusive discretion to determine whether there
is to be and how to implement a reduction in force or elimination
of any job classification.
As used in this policy, the following words
and phrases shall have the following meanings, unless a different
construction is clearly required by the context or by the laws of
the commonwealth.
APPOINTING AUTHORITY
The elected official or board or the appointed official having
jurisdiction over a function or activity.
BASE WEEKLY SALARY
The amount derived by dividing the amount appropriated for
a position by the necessary number of pay periods for that particular
year.
CASUAL SERVICE
Service rendered by an employee in a position calling for
part-time employment, which service does not constitute continuous
employment. This service is rendered occasionally and without regularity
according to the demands therefor.
CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT
Employment uninterrupted except for required military service
and for authorized vacation leave, sick leave, bereavement leave,
court leave or other leave of absence.
DEPARTMENT
Any department, board, committee, commission or other agency
of the Town subject to this chapter.
DEPARTMENT HEAD
The officer, board or other body having immediate supervision
and control of a department.
FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT
Employment for not less than 32 1/2 hours per week for 52
weeks per annum, minus legal holidays and authorized military leave,
vacation leave, sick leave, bereavement leave, court leave and leave
of absence.
PERMANENT POSITION
Any position in the Town service which has required or which
is likely to require the services of an incumbent without interruption
for a period of more than six calendar months.
PROBATION PERIOD
The first six months of service shall be considered to be
a probation period.
TOWN
The Town of Blackstone.