Personnel Management - General

Utah Code tit. 17, ch. 17-75, pt. 17-75-P4

in effect

Utah Code § 17-75-401 Establishment of merit system -- Separate systems for peace officers and firemen recognized -- Options of small counties.

17-75-401. Establishment of merit system -- Separate systems for peace officers and firemen recognized -- Options of small counties. (1) A merit system of personnel administration for the counties of the state of Utah, county departments, county offices, and county agencies, except as otherwise specifically provided, is established. (2) (a) This part recognizes the existence of the merit systems for: (i) county law enforcement officers as provided in Chapter 76, Part 2, Deputy Sheriff Merit System, and Chapter 76, Part 3, Peace Officer Merit System in Counties of the First Class; and (ii) county firefighters, as provided in Chapter 76, Part 5, Firefighters' Civil Service Commission. (b) The intent of this part, Part 5, Career Service, and Part 6, Office of Personnel Management, is to give counties the option to use: (i) a single merit system for all county employees; or (ii) a merit system in combination with the existing systems described in Subsection (2)(a). (3) A county that has fewer than 200 employees not covered by other merit systems or not exempt under Section 17-75-502 may comply with the merit system provisions of this chapter. (4) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection (3), any county that complied with the merit system provisions of this chapter prior to May 6, 2002, shall continue to comply with the merit system provisions of this chapter even though the county may not thereafter meet or exceed the threshold requirements of Subsection (3). Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 14, 2025 Special Session 1

Utah Code § 17-75-402 Merit principles.

17-75-402. Merit principles. It is the policy of this state that each county may establish a personnel system administered in a manner that will provide for the effective implementation of the following merit principles: (1) recruiting, selecting, and advancing county employees on the basis of relative ability, knowledge, and skills, including open consideration of qualified applicants for employment for initial appointment; (2) providing equitable and adequate compensation to county employees; (3) training county employees as needed to assure high-quality performance; (4) retaining county employees on the basis of the adequacy of the county employee's performance; (5) separating from county employees whose inadequate performance cannot be corrected; (6) treating applicants for employment and county employees fairly in all aspects of personnel administration without regard to: (a) race; (b) color; (c) religion; (d) sex; (e) national origin; (f) political affiliation; (g) age; or (h) disability; (7) having proper regard for each county employee's privacy and constitutional rights as citizens; (8) providing county employees information regarding a county employee's political rights and prohibited practices under the Hatch Act; and (9) providing a formal procedure for processing a county employee's appeals and grievances without: (a) discrimination; (b) coercion; (c) restraint; or (d) retaliation. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 14, 2025 Special Session 1

Utah Code § 17-75-403 Grievance and appeals procedure -- Employees' complaints of discriminatory employment practice.

17-75-403. Grievance and appeals procedure -- Employees' complaints of discriminatory employment practice. (1) (a) Any county to which the provisions of Part 5, Career Service, and Part 6, Office of Personnel Management, apply shall establish in the county's personnel rules a grievance and appeals procedure. (b) A grievance and appeals procedure shall be used to resolve disputes arising from grievances as defined in the personnel rules, including acts of discrimination. (c) County employees may use the grievance and appeals procedure if the county employee is: (i) dismissed; (ii) demoted; (iii) suspended; or (iv) transferred. (2) (a) A county career service employee that accuses a county of discriminatory or prohibited employment practice as prohibited by Section 34A-5-106, may file a complaint with the Division of Antidiscrimination and Labor created in Section 34A-1-202. (b) A county employee that files a complaint with the Division of Antidiscrimination and Labor shall file the complaint within 30 days after the day on which the body that heard the grievance and appeal issues a written decision on the county employee's grievance or appeal. Amended by Chapter 105, 2026 General Session

Source: Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (le.utah.gov)URL: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title17/Chapter75/17-75-P4.html?v=C17-75-P4_2025110620251206Fetched: 10/26/2026