PRINTER'S NO. 2579

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 2040 Session of 1979


        INTRODUCED BY ALDEN, MILLER, BRANDT, BOWSER, PETRARCA, REED,
           ZELLER, SALVATORE, GIAMMARCO, ARTY, CALTAGIRONE AND GLADECK,
           DECEMBER 3, 1979

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, DECEMBER 3, 1979

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of August 5, 1941 (P.L.752, No.286), entitled
     2     "An act regulating and improving the civil service of certain
     3     departments and agencies of the Commonwealth; vesting in the
     4     State Civil Service Commission and a Personnel Director
     5     certain powers and duties; providing for classification of
     6     positions, adoption of compensation schedules and
     7     certification of payrolls; imposing duties upon certain
     8     officers and employes of the Commonwealth; authorizing
     9     service to other State departments or agencies and political
    10     subdivisions of the Commonwealth in matters relating to civil
    11     service; defining certain crimes and misdemeanors; imposing
    12     penalties; making certain appropriations, and repealing
    13     certain acts and parts thereof," further providing for
    14     certification and appointment.

    15     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    16  hereby enacts as follows:
    17     Section 1.  Sections 601 and 602, act of August 5, 1941
    18  (P.L.752, No.286), known as the "Civil Service Act," amended
    19  October 7, 1974 (P.L.676, No.226), are amended to read:
    20     Section 601.  Certification.--Whenever a vacancy is likely to
    21  occur or is to be filled in a permanent position in the
    22  classified service, the appointing authority shall submit to the
    23  director a statement indicating the position to be filled.


     1  Unless the appointing authority elects to follow one of the
     2  alternative provisions of section five hundred one, or unless
     3  there is in existence a labor agreement covering promotions in
     4  permanent positions in the classified service, in which case the
     5  terms and procedures of such labor agreement relative to the
     6  procedures for promotions shall be controlling, the director
     7  shall thereupon certify to the appointing authority the names of
     8  the three eligibles willing to accept appointment who are
     9  highest on the appropriate promotion list or employment list,
    10  and the names of all handicapped persons willing to accept
    11  appointment who have scored within the top twenty on the
    12  appropriate promotion or appointment list, whichever is in
    13  existence, or from the one, which under the rules of the
    14  commission, has priority. If the appropriate list contains less
    15  than three eligibles who are willing to accept appointment, the
    16  names certified may be taken from the other appropriate list to
    17  make a certification of at least three eligibles. If there are
    18  less than three eligibles on appropriate eligible lists who are
    19  willing to accept appointment, the director shall certify all
    20  the names on these lists. If there is no appropriate eligible
    21  list, the director may certify from such other list or lists as
    22  he deems the next most nearly appropriate. If upon inquiry by
    23  the director any person on any promotion or employment list is
    24  found to be not available for promotion or appointment, his name
    25  shall not for the time being be considered among the names from
    26  which a promotion or appointment is to be made.
    27     Section 602.  Selection and Appointment of Eligibles.--Unless
    28  it is found to be in the interest of the service of the
    29  Commonwealth not to fill a vacant position, or unless the terms
    30  of a collective bargaining agreement in existence provide
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     1  alternative promotion filling procedures, in which case the
     2  terms of such labor agreement shall be controlling, the
     3  appointing authority, within thirty days, shall appoint the
     4  person whose name is, or one of the persons whose names are,
     5  certified by the director. If the vacant position is to be
     6  filled from among the names of employes on the appropriate
     7  promotion list which have been submitted to the appointing
     8  authority, he shall select a person, provided he is among the
     9  three highest ranking persons on such list, [or] that his final
    10  mark or grade is not more than one point below the mark or grade
    11  of the person ranking highest on such list or that he is
    12  handicapped and has scored within the top twenty of such list
    13  unless there is in existence a labor agreement covering
    14  promotions in which case the terms of such labor agreement shall
    15  be controlling. In making the second, third and any additional
    16  promotion in the same class of position, the appointing
    17  authority in like manner shall select a person from among the
    18  three highest ranking persons remaining on such list, or he
    19  shall select a person whose final mark or grade is not more than
    20  one point below the mark or grade of the highest ranking person
    21  remaining on such list, or he shall select a handicapped person
    22  who has scored within the top twenty on such list, except where
    23  the terms of a collective bargaining agreement in existence
    24  provide otherwise, in which case the terms of the collective
    25  bargaining agreement shall be controlling. If the vacant
    26  position is to be filled from among the names of persons
    27  certified from the employment list by the director to the
    28  appointing authority, he shall select a person from among the
    29  three highest ranking persons for the class of position to be
    30  filled, or he shall select a person from among those handicapped
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     1  persons who have scored within the top twenty on the employment
     2  list, unless there is in existence a labor agreement covering
     3  promotions in which case the terms of such labor agreement shall
     4  be controlling. For the second, third, and any additional
     5  vacancy in the same class of position the appointing authority
     6  shall make selection from among the three highest ranking
     7  persons remaining on such list who have not been within his
     8  reach for three separate vacancies or he shall make selection
     9  from among those handicapped persons who have scored within the
    10  top twenty on the employment list. After a name has been
    11  rejected three times by an appointing authority in favor of
    12  others on the same eligible list, such name shall not again be
    13  certified to that appointing authority, except upon written
    14  request from the appointing authority. Appointing authorities
    15  shall promptly report to the director the selection and
    16  appointment of eligibles whose names have been certified. If an
    17  eligible whose name has been certified shall refuse to accept an
    18  appointment offered to him, such refusal shall be promptly
    19  investigated by the director and, if it be found that the
    20  refusal has been made for improper or insufficient reasons, the
    21  director shall after giving ten days' notice to such person
    22  remove his name from the list.
    23     Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.





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