J. MILLARD TAWES, GOVERNOR                          1123

increments based on term of service for each classified position.
Once adopted, such salary scales shall not be decreased.

(c)  The employment of employees of the classified service, which
rules and regulations shall provide a schedule of hours of employ-
ment, holidays, sick leaves and vacations, and which rules and regu-
lations may be amended or added to by the County Commissioners.

(d)  The method of selection of new employees, including suitable
provision for competitive examinations and notice of vacancies.

233F. Upon the adoption of classifications and salary schedules
for each position in the Classified Service, the employee then filling
the respective positions shall BE ON PROBATION FOR SIX
MONTHS, AND AT THE END OF SIX MONTHS SHALL auto-
matically and without examination, become a classified employee of
the classified system, subject to all of the provisions hereunder; pro-
vided that an employee receiving a higher salary than that provided
in the salary schedule shall not have his or her salary decreased, or
increased, until adjustments for increments to which he or she is
entitled shall have exceeded the salary being received.

233G. The County Commissioners, when an emergency arises and
time will not permit compliance with the provisions of this subtitle
or any regulation adopted thereunder, may make an emergency
appointment for a period not to exceed four months, and such
employee shall be known as an emergency employee and have no
status as a classified employee.

233H. The County Commissioners shall by rule prescribe stand-
ards of performance for any positions or classes of positions, and
the County Commissioners shall have authority to provide facilities
for special training to increase the efficiency of new and old
employees.

233-I. (a) An employee may be permanently separated from the
Classified Service through resignation, rejection on probation or
removal for cause, and may be temporarily separated through sus-
pension pending charges, or leave of absence granted at the request
of the employee.

(b)   The County Commissioners may at any time before the
expiration of a SIX-MONTH probationary period, to be prescribed
by rule, which in no event shall exceed six (6) months, discharge any
person appointed to a classified position. THE COUNTY COMMIS-
SIONERS MAY EXTEND THE PROBATIONARY PERIOD AN
ADDITIONAL SIX MONTHS WHEN IT DEEMS AN EXTEN-
SION NECESSARY. The employee so discharged shall be considered
permanently separated from such position.

(c)  No employee who has completed his or her probation may
have his position abolished. No employee may be permanently re-
moved from the Classified Service except for cause, upon written
charges and after an opportunity to be heard in his own defense.
Charges shall be filed by the County Commissioners, and within
thirty (30) days after such filing, and notice thereof to the employee
by mailing a copy of said charge addressed to the employee at his
or her address carried in the records of the Classified Service, shall