This category includes mayor's policies, administrative procedures, executive orders, and local statutes that encompass various conditions of employment ranging from probationary status to employee performance evaluations.
101 - EMPLOYMENT
This policy discusses various personnel actions such as hiring/selection, terminations, transfers, promotions, and layoffs. It emphasizes that the Human Resources Department reserves the right to establish minimum qualifications for positions, and briefly discusses other responsibilities of Human Resources and other departments.
102 - AFFIRMATIVE ACTION / EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
This policy discusses the establishment of an Affirmative Action program of non-discrimination and covers various facets of employment including, but not limited to, recruitment, selection, compensation, promotion, layoff, and training/educational opportunities.
82-1 - COUNCIL RESOLUTION (link coming soon)
This resolution establishes the city's Affirmative Action program for equal employment and economic opportunity in compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The resolution also establishes the Affirmative Action Advisory Commission.
103 - PROBATION
This policy explains the 12-month probationary period required for full time Civil Service-protected employees and discusses other topics related to probation, including terminations during the probationary period. CHAPTER 14, SECTIONS 122 through 125 -- These sections of Chapter 14 generally cover the same probationary rules explained in Mayor's Policy 103, which include duration of probationary periods, extension of probationary periods due to unpaid absences, and probationary terminations.
104 - HIRING OF RELATIVES
This policy covers restrictions imposed on the hiring or placement of relatives of current city employees and provides a definition of “relative.”
105 - EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND HEALTH
This policy explains that the city provides a safe and healthy work environment for all employees, and discusses various responsibilities of the Human Resources Department as well as administration of safety and health violations.
2-21 - EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND HEALTH
This Administrative Procedure seeks to establish a safe and healthful workplace for city employees in accordance with applicable statutes through the reduction or elimination of unsafe acts and unsafe conditions.
106 - CODE OF EMPLOYER - EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
This policy emphasizes the importance of management and employees following the fundamental principles of the employee-employer relationship, and explains in detail what is expected from employees and what the city pledges to do with respect to this policy.
107 - ORIENTATION AND TRAINING
This policy discusses orientation and training programs which are necessary to familiarize new employees with the City of Houston and to develop the job skills necessary for efficient job performance.
108 - OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT
This policy explains that city employees may hold outside jobs or conduct income-producing activity if approved by their department director, and provides examples of outside employment which may pose a conflict of interest or other issues with respect to an individual's city position. CHAPTER 14, SECTIONS 173 -- This statute requires employees to obtain authorization from their department directors regarding working extra employment.
109 - RELOCATION EXPENSES
This policy covers the reimbursement of advanced level employees who are newly hired by the city and (at the time of hire) reside more than 100 miles from the city of Houston. The policy includes reimbursement for meals, travel, and moving. CHAPTER 2, SECTION 33 -- This statute requires that duplicate copies of travel expense reports and travel-related logs be filed with the City Secretary for retention.
110 - SEEKING ELECTIVE OFFICE
This policy requires employees who are candidates for elective office to provide a written notice of the candidacy to the Human Resources Director. It directs the Human Resources Department to reach a determination as to whether or not the candidacy might present any conflicts of interest. CHAPTER 14, SECTION 156 -- This statute requires that employees who are candidates for any elective office notify the Human Resources Director in writing, who will then determine if a conflict of interest may exist with the individual's city employment.
111 - TEMPORARY APPOINTMENTS
This policy enables city departments to make temporary appointments to meet the needs of their operations. It limits temporary appointments to a 90-day period that may be extended. CHAPTER 14, SECTION 113 -- This statute enables departments to appoint individuals on a temporary basis for the necessary duration of a special project or due to a temporary increase in workload, or due to the absence of a regular employee. It states that such appointments may be no longer than three months, but may be extended.
113 - SEXUAL HARASSMENT
This policy prohibits sexual harassment of its employees in the workplace. It offers some examples of inappropriate conduct that would be construed as sexual harassment.
114 - PROHIBITION OF DISCRIMATION IN EMPLOYMENT AGAINST PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
This policy prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of disability. It cites the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits certain employers from engaging in such discrimination and lists various actions the city can and cannot take under the Act.
115 - EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PROCESS
This policy establishes a meaningful employee performance evaluation system which requires that reviews be given to employees during the fifth and eleventh month of employment and annually thereafter. The policy encourages on-going communication between employee and supervisor regarding the employee's performance and provides for a predefined set of job duties and expectations to be shared with the employee at the beginning of each evaluation period. CHAPTER 14, SECTION 34 (5) -- This statute calls for the provision of a “modern, comprehensive efficiency rating system.”
201 - TRANSFERS
This policy explains how employees may transfer from one department to another, and details the different types of transfers that an employee might be subject to. CHAPTER 14, SECTIONS 11, 115, 143 -- These statutes cover various provisions relating to employee transfers and layoff situations.
202 - PROMOTION
This policy explains when a probationary employee becomes eligible for a promotion. CHAPTER 14, SECTION 122 -- This statute indicates probationary periods for a newly hired or rehired employee (12 months) and a promoted employee (six months).
203 - DEMOTIONS
This policy explains the process involved in demoting an employee and further discusses the justification for such a measure. CHAPTER 14, SECTIONS 115 and 182 -- These statutes offer a definition of “demotion” and explain disciplinary measures departments may take, including demotions.
204 - RECORDS
This policy requires that the City of Houston Human Resources Department maintain one official personnel file on each of its employees, and indicates that employment verification requests must be directed to the Human Resources Department’s Records Section. CHAPTER 14, SECTIONS 202 and 203 -- These statutes provide that the city maintain one official personnel file for each employee, that these files be maintained within the Human Resources Department, and establishes guidelines for access to these files.
205 - SERVICE AWARDS
This policy calls for recognizing employees’ city service by presenting service awards to eligible employees in accordance with established guidelines.
1-8 - PROHIBITION OF DISCRIMINATION BASED UPON SEXUAL ORIENTATION
This Executive Order prohibits discrimination or retaliation based upon sexual orientation and also indicates that the Office of the Inspector General shall investigate all reports of such alleged actions.
1-12 - DRUG DETECTION AND DETERRENCE POLICY
This Executive Order provides procedures for implementation of the Mayor's Amended Drug Detection and Deterrence Policy. It establishes a “zero tolerance” approach for employees who are in violation of the Policy.
1-31 - DRUG POLICY FOR CONTRACTORS
This Executive Order provides procedures for the implementation of the Mayor's Drug Detection and Deterrence Policy as applicable to contractors who conduct business with the City of Houston.
1-20 - RACIAL, ETHNIC, GENDER SLURS
This Executive Order strives to provide a safe and equitable work environment for all employees. It prohibits racial, gender, and ethnic slurs at the workplace.
1-28 - GIFTS
This Executive Order prohibits city employees from receiving gifts and encompasses state and federal laws and city ordinances. CHAPTER 14, SECTION 183 -- This statute describes various standards of conduct and violations which may result in disciplinary action being taken. These standards include acceptance of gifts and solicitation.
3-3 - PROCESSING OF CERTAIN PERSONNEL ACTIONS
This Procedure discusses the certifying and distribution of payroll warrants. It seeks to facilitate the timely filling of vacancies and the processing of certain personnel actions.
This category includes mayor's policies, administrative procedures, executive orders, and local statutes that encompass various conditions of employment ranging from probationary status to employee performance evaluations.