PPMR 08-06 Section 6, Probationary Periods- Number: 08-06
Subject: Probationary
~~~ ~~' Periods
~~`~ `~~ Villa a of North Palm Beach
~~ ~ ~~~ g Date: December 24 2008
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Revised: Section 6, NPB
Policy Manual
POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL REVISION
6.0 PROBATIONARY PERIODS
6.1 Objective: The probationary or working test period shall be regarded as an extension of the
evaluation process and shall be utilized by supervisors and department heads for closely
observing the employee's work, and for rejecting any employee whose performance does not
meet the required work standards.
6.2 Duration: Every person appointed, promoted or transferred to a regular vacant position shall
be required to successfully complete a probationary period. The probationary period is a trial
period for management to observe an employee's work and ability to fit within the
organization. This period is essential to successful operations and vital to management's
ability to successfully staff all areas of the organization. At no time does the use of a
probationary or trial period by management. guarantee continued employment for any
candidate. The probationary period shall begin immediately upon appointment and shall
continue for three hundred and sixty-five (365) calendar days unless specifically defined
differently by an applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement. Due to extenuating
circumstances, the probationary period may be extended or shortened based upon the
individual's performance as recommended by Department Heads and approved by the
Village Manager.
6.3 Evaluation of Performance: The employee's supervisor shall prepare probationary reports
as required by the Village Manager.
6.4 Successful Completion of ProbaHonarv Period: When an employee's performance merits,
one week prior to the end of the probationary period his/her supervisor shall make a
recommendation (in memo form) to the Department Head to move the employee off of
probation and into a regular status. Such recommendations shall be reviewed by the
Department Head and then if approved forwarded to the Village Manager for his/her review
and approval/denial. Upon successful approvals at all levels, the document shall be
forwarded to the Human Resources Department for inclusion in the employee's personnel
file and he/she shall be removed from probationary status. The supervisor or Department
Head shall inform the employee of his/her change of status.
6.5 Extension of Probation: When deemed necessary by the supervisor the employee's
probation may be extended with the appropriate approvals from the Department Head and
Village Manager.
A. Such extensions shall be reserved for cases when minor and correctable deficiencies exist
and/or the employee has not yet had enough time to demonstrate a firm grasp of or ability
for essential job functions. In such cases the supervisor and Department Head shall
request an extension in writing and forward the request to the Village Manager for review
and approval/denial.
• B. A copy of the request and Village Manager's decision shall be forwarded to the Human
Resources Department for inclusion in the employee's personnel file. In cases where the
requests for extension is approved, the employee shall be notified in writing by the
Department Head of:
1. The reasons for the extension
2. The length of time the probation shall be extended
3. The areas and means of improvement the employee shall take in order to successfully
complete probation.
B. Whenever possible, requests for extension of probation shall be processed more than
thirty (30) days prior to the end of the employee's normal probationary period.
Extensions may be no more than ninety (90) days in length.
6.6 Termination: With the approval of the Village Manager, the Department Head may
terminate the probationary employee anytime during the probationary period if in the
Department Head's opinion the working test indicates that the employee is unable or
unwilling to perform the duties of the position satisfactorily or that his/her habits and
dependability do not merit continuance in the position.
APPROVED
Jimmy Knight
Village Manager