ARTICLE 3.        CLASSIFICATION AND                            EFFECTIVE DATE:  05/04/98
                              COMPENSATION                                      REVISED DATE:
RULE 301.           CLASSIFICATION                         


A.    NATURE OF PLAN: The Court's classification plan, as approved by the Presiding Judge, is a 
        system that provides an inventory of classified positions. The system standardizes job titles and 
        descriptions, each of which indicates a range of duties and responsibilities. The Court Administrator 
        shall maintain the official classification specifications in the Classification Plan. The Presiding Judge may 
        establish new classifications and divide, combine, alter or abolish existing classifications. Revisions to a 
        classification specification or job description may be approved by the Court Administrator.

B.    INTERPRETATION OF CLASSIFICATION SPECIFICATION:

        1.    NATURE AND INTERPRETATION OF CLASSIFICATION SPECIFICATIONS:  
               Classification specifications are descriptive and explanatory and are not restrictive. The language 
                of classification specifications is not all inclusive and shall not be construed as limiting or modifying 
                the authority which Division Heads have to add or delete duties and responsibilities, so long as 
                such changes fall within the general guidelines of the classification of the position involved. Changes 
                of a material and lasting nature in the duties and responsibilities of a position which are not within 
                the general guidelines of the classification must be reported to the Court Administrator by the 
                Division Head.

        2.    CLASSIFICATION TITLE: The classification specification title of a position shall be used in 
                all financial and personnel documents.

        3.    ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

                a.    Acceptable qualifications are statements of the acceptable background as to education, 
                       experience, and other qualifications which may be required in all cases as evidence of an 
                       appointee's potential to perform the work properly.

                b.    When acceptable qualifications are increased, the educational requirements for such 
                        classification may not act against incumbents in the classification as to their eligibility for 
                        continued employment in the class. All subsequent applicants for the classification must 
                        qualify under the changed acceptable qualifications.

                c.    Although not expressed in the classification specifications, all persons applying for or holding 
                       any position in the classified service shall be required to meet the following general 
                       qualifications: integrity, honesty, dependability, industry, thoroughness, accuracy, good 
                       judgment, initiative, resourcefulness, courtesy, ability to work cooperatively with others, 
                       willingness and ability to assume and fulfill the responsibilities for employment, health and 
                       physical and mental abilities compatible with the work assignment. The foregoing general 
                       qualifications shall be deemed to be part of the acceptable qualifications of each classification 
                       specification and need not be specifically set forth therein.

                d.    Where the position requires the driving of a motor vehicle, the applicant or employee is 
                        expected to obtain and maintain an appropriate and valid Driver's License. The employee 
                        is also expected to operate any motor vehicle safely. The foregoing qualifications shall be 
                        part of the acceptable qualifications of the classification specification and need not be
                        specifically set forth therein.

C.    CLASSIFICATION ADMINISTRATION:

        1.    ALLOCATION FACTORS: Every position in the classified service shall be allocated by the 
               Court Administrator, upon approval of the Presiding Judge, after consultation with the Division 
               Head, to the appropriate classification in the Classi- fication Plan. The allocation of a position to
                a classification shall be determined by the duties and responsibilities of the position. Positions shall 
                be allocated to the same classification if they meet the following requirements:


                a.    Sufficient similarity with respect to duties and responsibilities;

                b.    Substantially the same requirements as to training and experience, knowledge and ability;

                c.    Substantially the same test of fitness; and

                d.    The same schedule of compensation.

        2.    OFFICIAL POSITION REVIEW REQUESTS:

                An employee who thinks he or she is being worked out of classification may file a written 
                request for  a review with their Division Head who shall investigate the situation and take the 
                following action:

                a.    Resolve the concern through informal discussion with the employee and document the 
                       material resolution. Consultation with the Court Administrator or representative, may be 
                       necessary for clarification of the classification. It is the responsibility of the Division Head 
                       to consider all possible options to resolve the situation without working the employee out 
                       of classification.

                b.    If the Division Head believes that there is sufficient justification, he or she may request an 
                       official position review by the Court Administrator. Documentation supporting the request 
                       shall be forwarded to the Court Administrator.

        3.    POSITION REVIEWS AND REALLOCATION OF EXISTING POSITIONS:

                a.    Upon a written request from a Division Head for an official position review, the Court 
                        Administrator shall review the request to determine whether a material and lasting change 
                        in the duties or responsibilities of a budgeted position has occurred. The Court Administrator 
                        may schedule and conduct an official position review. The Presiding Judge shall determine 
                        whether to reallocate a budgeted position and then shall take appropriate action, including 
                        determining appropriate adjustments to salary.

                b.    A position shall have been allocated to a specific classification before an appointment, 
                        transfer, promotion, demotion or change in compensation rate or payment in salary with 
                        respect to that position can be made.

                c.    Upon formal action of a reallocation request, additional official review requests on the same 
                        position may not be submitted for at least a six (6) month period from the date of action.

        4.    EFFECTIVE DATE: The effective date of all classification actions shall be the first day of the 
               pay period following approval by the Presiding Judge.