(a) Personnel system. — The County Administrator is responsible for administering the personnel system of Sussex County.
All appointments and promotions of county officers and employees under the direction of the County Administrator shall be made solely on the basis of merit and fitness demonstrated by examination or other evidence of competence.
(b) Personnel Board. — There shall be a Personnel Board consisting of 3 members appointed by the county government for terms of 3 years from among the qualified voters of the County. Members of the Board shall hold no other county office. The County Administrator shall provide necessary staff assistance for the Personnel Board.
(c) Personnel rules. — The County Administrator shall prepare personnel rules and amendments thereto. The County Administrator shall refer such proposed rules to the Personnel Board which shall report to the Administrator its recommendations thereon. When approved by the Administrator, the rules shall be proposed to the county government, and the county government may by ordinance adopt them with or without amendment. These rules shall provide for:
(1) The classification of all county positions, based on the duties, authority and responsibility of each position, with adequate provision for reclassification of any position, whenever warranted by changed circumstances;
(2) A pay plan for all county positions;
(3) Methods for determining the merit and fitness of candidates for appointment or promotion;
(4) The policies and procedures regulating reduction in force and removal of employees;
(5) The hours of work, attendance regulations and provisions for sick and vacation leave;
(6) The policies and procedures governing persons holding provisional appointments;
(7) The policies and procedures governing relationships with employee organizations;
(8) Grievance procedures, including procedures for the hearing of grievances by the Personnel Board, which may render advisory opinions based on its findings to the County Administrator with a copy to the aggrieved employee; and
(9) Other practices and procedures necessary to the administration of the county personnel system.
Employment or dismissal of county employees shall be subject to the approval of the county government, in its discretion.