Columbia Employee placements ordinance (§ 19-157)

(a) The city manager, the municipal judge, the city clerk and all classified and unclassified employees hired into permanent employee positions are entitled to all city employment benefits; however, those hired into part-time permanent positions shall be eligible for fringe benefits according to groups established by the director.

(b) Employees hired into temporary positions, whether full- or part-time, are not eligible for fringe benefits except as required by law and LAGERS retirement benefits as provided for in this chapter. If a temporary employee is appointed to a permanent position, a probationary period and fringe benefits will be computed from the effective date of initial appointment to the permanent position.

(c) The city manager may fill any employee position vacated by military leave or as a result of the induction or enlistment of a city employee into the Armed Forces of the United States by special appointment. Such special appointment shall only be effective for the duration of the absent employee's military service and shall be subject to all terms of the City Personnel Policies, Rules and Regulations. Special appointments will terminate and expire when the absent employee is released from military service and returns to city employment as required by city ordinance. Those persons with special appointments shall have no further rights to any city employment. While employed in a special appointment the employee shall have those benefits which are attendant to the position the employee fills.

(d) When sufficient appropriated funds are available, the city manager may hire or promote an employee to a position currently occupied by another for the purpose of training the newly hired or promoted employee; provided that no position shall be so overfilled for more than six (6) months.

(e) When sufficient appropriated funds are available, the city manager may hire or promote an employee to a position currently occupied by an employee on extended leave because of illness or injury.

(f) All city employees requiring a Commercial Driver's License (CDL), except city transit employees, to perform the duties of their position shall be subject to the rules of the Federal Highway Administration governing drug and alcohol testing (49 CFR 382). City transit employees employed to operate a revenue service vehicle, control the dispatch or movement of a revenue service vehicle, or maintain a revenue service vehicle shall be subject to the rules of the Federal Transit Administration governing drug and alcohol testing (49 CFR 655).

(g) All permanent employees (as well as temporary employees requiring a Commercial Driver's License to perform the duties of their position) must pass the appropriate pre-employment testing for drugs and alcohol established by administrative rules promulgated by the city manager.