CIVIL SERVICE

Jacksonville Charter pt. A, art. 17

in effect

Jacksonville Charter, art. 17, § 17.01 Civil service system established.

Section 17.01. - Civil service system established. There shall be a civil service system for the employees of the consolidated government which shall promote the effective, efficient, and fair conduct of the public business. The council shall have authority to enact such ordinances as are necessary to further implement the civil service system so long as such ordinances are not inconsistent with the provisions of this charter. (Laws of Fla., Ch. 81-402, §§ 7, 12; Laws of Fla., Ch. 82-292, § 1; Ord. 84-1307-754, § 15; Laws of Fla., Ch. 92-341, § 1)

Jacksonville Charter, art. 17, § 17.02 Civil service board.

Section 17.02. - Civil service board. (a) There shall be a civil service board of the consolidated government which shall consist of nine members. Each member shall be a resident and qualified elector of the City of Jacksonville. (b) The members of the board shall serve without compensation and shall be appointed for 3-year overlapping terms. Five members shall be appointed by the Mayor, one of whom shall be a member of a union, two members shall be appointed by JEA, one member shall be appointed by the Duval County School Board, and the ninth member shall be chosen by the other eight, with all appointments subject to confirmation by the City Council. Members shall be appointed for staggered terms. The board shall elect annually one of its members as chair and one as vice chair. Five members of the board shall constitute a quorum. (c) No member of the Civil Service Board shall be an agent of or employed by the City of Jacksonville, the JEA, the Duval County School Board, or any collective bargaining organization representing employees of the City of Jacksonville, the JEA, or the Duval County School Board. (d) Each member of the board shall continue to hold office until the member's successor is chosen and qualified. The office of a board member shall become vacant upon the member's death, resignation, relocating outside the boundaries of the City of Jacksonville, or removal from office in any manner provided by law. If any member of the board fails to attend three consecutive meetings or fails to attend 50 percent of the meetings in a calendar year, the chair shall make a recommendation of retention or removal to the Mayor, who may declare the member's office vacant and notify the appointing body of the Mayor's recommendation. The vacancy shall be filled as provided in this act. The City Council shall also be empowered to remove members of the board for cause under due process of law. (e) A board member appointed before or on the effective date of this act shall serve through the end of his or her respective term. Thereafter, the first two of the current positions appointed by the Duval County School Board to become vacant shall be filled by the Mayor and the JEA, respectively, and confirmed by the City Council. The Mayor and JEA shall each immediately appoint a member to one of the two new positions created by this act, whose terms shall expire on June 30, 2005, and June 30, 2006, respectively. Thereafter, all vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as provided in this act. (Laws of Fla., Ch. 72-572; Laws of Fla., Ch. 74-513; Laws of Fla., Ch. 77-583; Ord. 79-821-516, § 8; Laws of Fla., Ch. 80-514, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 81-402, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 84-455, § 1; Ord. 84-1307-754, § 15; Laws of Fla., Ch. 92-341, § 1; Ref. of 5-9-95; Laws of Fla., Ch. 2004-437, § 1)

Jacksonville Charter, art. 17, § 17.03 Employment policy.

Section 17.03. - Employment policy. The personnel department shall prescribe qualifications and certify personnel for employment, promotion, demotion, transferal, dismissal, and compensation solely on the basis of merit and qualification, without regard to race, color, religion, political affiliation, sex, national origin, or any other circumstances than merit and qualification. The civil service board of the consolidated government shall ensure the enforcement of this employment policy. (Ord. 84-1307-754, § 15; Laws of Fla., Ch. 92-341, § 1)

Jacksonville Charter, art. 17, § 17.04 Duties of civil service board.

Section 17.04. - Duties of civil service board. The civil service board shall: (a) Periodically review the operation and effect of the personnel provisions of this charter, the classification plan, and the pay plan, and report their findings to the council and the mayor. (b) Hear and determine appeals initiated by any permanent employee covered by the civil service rules and regulations who is charged with violations of the personnel provisions of the civil service rules and regulations authorized by ordinance or civil service rules adopted pursuant to section 17.05. If after review the civil service board determines that the disciplinary action violates such rules or regulations, or concludes that the disciplinary action is manifestly unjust under the circumstances, it shall order the reduction or increase of the disciplinary action or provide such other action as it deems appropriate. Should the board order a reduction, increase, or other action with respect to the disciplinary action, then the specific reasons for the board's actions shall be set forth in the board's final order rendered at the appeal hearing. (c) Hear and determine complaints initiated by any person covered by the civil service rules and regulations concerning alleged violations of grievable civil service rules or regulations authorized by ordinance or civil service rules adopted pursuant to section 17.05. If after review the civil service board determines that such a violation exists, it shall order such action as it deems appropriate in order to ensure compliance with grievable rules or regulations. (d) Hear and determine the grievance authorized by ordinance or civil service rules adopted pursuant to section 17.05 which was initiated by any person covered by the civil service rules or regulations concerning any action taken in the administration of grievable rules and regulations which pertain to his or her employment or employment rights, including hiring and promotions. If after review the civil service board determines the action taken to be inconsistent with the grievable rules or regulations, it shall order the modification of the action taken by the appropriate office, department, board, or independent agency in order to ensure consistency and compliance with such grievable rules and regulations. (e) Issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, papers, and records at hearings before the Civil Service Board. By Civil Service Board procedure, the Board may delegate the power to issue subpoenas to the Chairperson of the Civil Service Board, the Chief Administrative Officer or other such Civil Service Board employee as the Board may specifically designate. (f) Perform such further duties and responsibilities as may be hereafter prescribed by ordinance. (Laws of Fla., Ch. 70-743; Ord. 70-959-428; Laws of Fla., Ch. 81-402, § 3; Laws of Fla., Ch. 84-455, § 2; Ord. 84-1307-754, § 15; Ord. 98-956-E, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 2015-184, § 1)

Jacksonville Charter, art. 17, § 17.05 Duties of personnel department.

Section 17.05. - Duties of personnel department. The personnel department, or its successor shall: (a) Alter, amend, modify, or adopt in total or in part the job classification plan for the consolidated government, including job specifications for positions under civil service. (b) Provide for a career system based on merit and qualification, including, but not limited to, the following factors: written examination, job performance evaluations of employees, tests of physical fitness, where appropriate, and interview evaluations of prospective employees, where appropriate. (c) Certify persons as qualified for hiring or promotion when they meet the qualification requirements, with provisions for probationary hiring or promotions for a period of not less than 6 months nor more than 1 year to afford the employing department an opportunity to determine if the employee can adequately perform the duties of his employment, as specified in the rules or regulations adopted by the personnel department. (d) Establish the personnel policy of the consolidated government by civil service and personnel rules and regulations adopted by the personnel department in accordance with this charter and the ordinances of the city. The personnel department shall forward all proposed rules and regulations before they take effect to the civil service board for review and comment. The civil service board shall have a period of 30 days within which to review and comment upon a proposed rule or regulation and either approve or object to it. If approved, the rule or regulation shall take effect on the date of board approval, unless it takes effect at a later date according to its own provisions. If the civil service board objects to the proposed rule or regulation, the rule or regulation and the objection shall be transmitted to the council, which shall either approve or disapprove the proposed rule or regulation within 60 days following the date of receipt from the civil service board. If the rule or regulation is approved, it shall take effect on the date of approval, unless it takes effect at a later date according to its own provisions; if the proposed rule or regulation is disapproved, by the council, it shall not become effective. (e) Develop and implement a performance evaluation system to be used in evaluating employee performance and in making employment decisions, which system shall be adopted by the department and shall be required to be used by the consolidated government within 2 years from the effective date of this section. The system shall include mandatory annual performance evaluations of all civil service employees. A copy of the written performance evaluation shall be provided to each employee and discussed with the employee. The employee may make any written comments concerning the evaluation and the comments shall be made part of the employee's employment record. The Duval County School Board is exempted from this subsection. The Duval County School Board shall be responsible for developing and implementing its own performance evaluation system for its employees. (f) Perform such other duties and responsibilities as may be hereafter prescribed by ordinance. (Laws of Fla., Ch. 81-402, § 4; Laws of Fla., 88-490, § 1; Ord. 84-1307-754, § 15; Laws of Fla., Ch. 92-341, § 1)

Jacksonville Charter, art. 17, § 17.06 Applicability of civil service system to employees of consolidated government.

Section 17.06. - Applicability of civil service system to employees of consolidated government. The civil service provisions of this charter shall be applicable to all employees of the consolidated government except: (a) Officers elected by popular vote and persons appointed to fill vacancies in such elected offices. (b) Directors of departments, deputy directors, chiefs of divisions, managers of departments or divisions as defined by ordinance, the chief administrative officer, the undersheriff, and the council auditor. (c) Members of boards and commissions. (d) The following persons employed by the Duval County School Board, provided that those persons holding these positions on the effective date of this act shall continue under the civil service system until removed in accordance with the law and applicable civil service regulations: (1) Superintendent of schools, chief of staff, regional superintendents, associate and assistant superintendents, chief information officer, administrative assistants to the superintendent, directors, supervisors and coordinators, specialists in administrative or educational services, and secretary to superintendent. (2) All persons employed in positions which are required under general state law and implementing regulations which apply uniformly throughout the state to be filled by persons holding a teacher's certificate. (3) Teachers aides as defined by s. 231.141, Florida Statutes, or as they may hereafter be defined, and who are employed by the Duval County School Board. (4) Certified public accountants, and employees of the Duval County School Board divisions of finance or business affairs who are accountants holding a college degree or equivalent certificate in accounting, unless otherwise requested by such employee. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (d), employees subject to this paragraph on the effective date of this act may elect to discontinue their civil service status, without prejudice to requesting reinstatement at a later date. (e) Persons employed to conduct special inquiries or surveys or to perform special services. (f) Part-time and temporary employees. (g) The following persons employed within the Jacksonville Human Rights Commission and Equal Opportunity/Equal Access Office: (1) Executive director of the Commission on Human Rights and Equal Opportunity/Equal Access. (2) Community Outreach Officer. (h) Doctors, lawyers, legal assistants, administrators and investigators employed in the Office of General Counsel. Doctors, lawyers, legal assistants, and investigators shall receive protection from dismissal without cause as provided in the civil service and personnel rules and regulations at the request of the employee and if approved by the Civil Service Board. Upon approval of the request such employees are required to apply for membership in the city's pension plan. (i) The chief administrative officer of the Civil Service Board. (j) Mayor's aides and secretaries appointed under section 6.07. (k) Assistant council auditor, an administrative assistant to the council auditor, chief of legislative services, director/council secretary, assistant chief of legislative services, records management officer, information systems administrator, information systems manager, the secretary to the president of the council, chief of research, research assistant, the chief of public information, the chief of administrative services, the executive administrator, the administrative assistant to the director/council secretary, administrative assistant I to the chief of administrative services, administrative assistant II to the chief of administrative services, legislative assistant I, legislative assistant II, legislative services manager, chief of the value adjustment board, VAB assistant I, VAB assistant II, executive council assistants appointed by council members and employees of the Council Auditor who are accountants holding a college degree or equivalent certificate in accounting. Such accountants shall receive protection from dismissal without cause as provided in the civil service and personnel rules and regulations at the request of the employee and if approved by the Civil Service Board. (l) Assistant information technology officers and information technology analysts provided that a person holding such position at the time of exemption from civil service may elect to retain civil service status for the duration of continuous employment in the position. (m) Executive Assistants as defined by ordinance. (n) The following persons employed by the JEA, in addition to employees appointed under section 21.07 and other persons as may be provided from time to time by any special act of the Legislature: (1) One secretary to the managing director. (2) One secretary to the chairman of the authority. (o) Legislative delegation secretary and coordinator. (p) Public communication officers as defined by ordinance. (q) All persons employed by the Downtown Investment Authority. (r) The following persons employed by the Duval County Housing Finance Authority: (1) The executive director. (2) One administrative assistant to the executive director. (3) Housing finance specialists. (4) Finance director. (s) The following persons employed by the clerk of the circuit and county court, provided that the persons holding these positions on October 1, 1989, will retain civil service status until removed in accordance with law and applicable civil service rules: (1) The chief assistant clerk of the circuit and county court. (2) The assistants to the clerk of the circuit and county court. (3) The executive assistant to the clerk of the circuit and county court. (4) Special Assistants to the Clerk of Courts. (t) All persons employed within Court Administration: (u) The following persons employed within the department of finance: (1) Budget and Management Analysts. (2) Investment Officers. (3) Liability Claims Adjusters. (v) The following persons employed by the tax collector, provided that the persons holding these positions on the effective date of this section may elect to retain civil service status in the position until removed in accordance with law and applicable civil service rules or may elect to waive continued civil service status in the position while retaining all other civil service rights to which they have become entitled as a person in the classified civil service: (1) The deputy assistants to the tax collector. (2) The executive assistants to the tax collector. (3) Chief assistant tax collector. (4) Assistants to the tax collector. (w) The executive director of the construction trades qualifying board. (x) The following persons employed within the parks and recreation department: (1) Tennis professionals. (2) County extension faculty. (3) Extension adjunct agents. (y) Assistant management improvement officers. (z) The director of libraries of the library board of trustees, assistant director of libraries, and executive assistants of library services. (aa) The following persons employed by the office of the sheriff: (1) One executive assistant to the sheriff. (2) One executive assistant to the undersheriff. (3) Sheriff's aides. (4) Chaplains, except that any person serving as a chaplain on January 1, 1997, may remain in the classified civil service. (5) Section commanders. (6) Doctors of the Division of Health Services in the Sheriff's Department of Corrections. (7) Corrections Mail Coordinators. (8) Aviation Supervisor. (9) Court Bailiff Supervisor. (10) Corrections Bond Custodian. (11) Accreditation Coordinators. (12) Narcotics and Vice Account Administrator. (13) Executive assistants for department directors. (14) Crime Scene Technicians. (bb) The following persons employed by the Kids Hope Alliance: (1) The executive director. (2) Professional employees whose position requires a specialized certification or degree. (cc) The Executive Director and Administrator of the Tourist Development Council and other employees selected by the Executive Director and hired to assist the Tourist Development Council. (dd) The following persons employed by the supervisor of elections, provided that the persons holding these positions on July 1, 1996, shall receive protection from dismissal without cause as provided in the civil service and personnel rules and regulations: (1) Chief elections assistant. (2) The executive assistant to the supervisor of elections. (3) Assistant elections officers. (ee) Any position which may be exempted by a majority plus one vote of the Council, provided that a position may be so exempted only if, because of restructuring, it replaces or renames a position which was previously exempt or only if, the position so exempted is newly established. (ff) All persons employed by the Housing and Community Development Division, except those employees of organizations who were transferred into the Housing and Community Development Division's predecessor agency prior to July 1, 2003, as a result of the creation of the predecessor agency pursuant to the City Ordinance Code and who elected to retain civil service status. (gg) All persons employed in the Office of the Property Appraiser, except those employees who elected to retain civil service status prior to January 1, 2000. (hh) The following persons employed within the Finance and Administration Department: (1) Minority business coordinator. (2) Ombudsmen and mediation consultants. (3) Business Compliance Officers, Analysts and Administrators. (ii) The following persons employed within the medical examiner's office: (1) District chief medical examiner. (2) Associate medical examiners. (jj) Veterinarians. (kk) The EEO/Diversity Compliance Officer and Emergency Preparedness Grant Administrator employed in the Fire and Rescue Department. (ll) Certified public accountants, certified management accountants, and internal auditors. Employees in these classifications shall receive protection from dismissal without cause as provided in the civil service and personnel rules and regulations at the request of the employee and if approved by the Civil Service Board. (mm) The following persons employed within the employee services department: Industrial psychologists, labor relations officers and certified compensation professionals. (nn) The Education Officer. (oo) The following persons employed by the Jacksonville Journey Forward: (1) Any executive director or chief executive officer position; (2) Professional employees whose position requires a specialized certification or degree; and (3) Heads of activities. Any person in the classified civil service who is appointed to a position exempted from the civil service system by this Section shall be entitled to return to the same or a comparable civil service classification, with the same rights and status as held immediately prior to such appointment. Compensation for an employee returning to a civil service classification under this provision will be based upon the rate that he or she would have been receiving had the appointment not been made. This paragraph shall not apply to employees exempted from civil service provisions by subsections (a), (c), (e), (f), (i), or (q). (Laws of Fla., Ch. 69-1171; Laws of Fla., Ch. 69-1179; Laws of Fla., Ch. 69-1181; Laws of Fla., Ch. 71-712; Laws of Fla., Ch. 72-572; Laws of Fla., Ch. 72-573; Laws of Fla., Ch. 73-503; Laws of Fla., Ch. 73-507; Laws of Fla., Ch. 74-505; Laws of Fla., Ch. 74-506; Laws of Fla., Ch. 74-509; Laws of Fla., Ch. 76-392; Laws of Fla., Ch. 78-536, § 9; Laws of Fla., Ch. 79-486, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 81-401, §§ 1, 4; Laws of Fla., Ch. 82-310, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 83-427, §§ 1, 2; Laws of Fla., Ch. 83-431, § 1; Ord. 84-1307-754, § 15; Laws of Fla., Ch. 87-470, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 87-475, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 88-498, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 89-411, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 90-441, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 90-443, §§ 1, 2; Laws of Fla., Ch. 92-341, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 93-355, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 94-468, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 95-518, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 96-504, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 97-337, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 97-339, § 3; Ord. 98-136-E, § 1; Ord. 98-625-E, § 1; Ord. 98-719-E, § 1; Ord. 1999-418-E, § 4; Ord. 2000-793-E, § 4; Laws of Fla., Ch. 2001-329, § 1; Ord. 2001-1022-E, § 5; Laws of Fla., Ch. 2003-321, § 1; Ord. 2004-100-E, § 1; Ord. 2004-464-E, § 4; Ord. 2007-839-E, § 13; Ord. 2009-617-E, § 2; Ord. 2009-549-E, § 1; Ord. 2011-732-E, § 40; Ord. 2012-212-E, § 5; Ord. 2012-364-E, § 9; Ord. 2016-140-E, § 16; Ord. 2017-563-E, § 11; Ord. 2018-536-E, § 3; Ord. 2021-448-E, § 2; Ord. 2024-634-E, § 1; Ord. 2024-635-E, § 10; Ord. 2025-108-E, § 4; Ord. 2026-104-E, § 1)

Jacksonville Charter, art. 17, § 17.07 Administration.

Section 17.07. - Administration. (a) The civil service board may appoint a chief administrative officer to the board. The civil service board shall establish the duties and responsibilities of the chief administrative officer, which responsibilities shall include ensuring that the personnel policy of the consolidated government, as promulgated by the civil service board, is implemented by the human resources division. The civil service board shall also establish the qualifications for the chief administrative officer position. (b) The salary of the chief administrative officer shall be fixed by the civil service board within the approved salary range and subject to available budgetary funding. The salary range shall be fixed by the civil service board with the approval of the chief of the human resource division. The chief administrative officer position is an appointed employee position and, as such, shall be governed by the city's Appointed Official and Employees Salary and Employment Plan, as amended. (c) The civil service board shall be empowered to employ, subject to available budgetary funding, such other personnel as may be necessary to assist the chief administrative officer and the board in the performance of their respective duties. (Laws of Fla., Ch. 70-743; Laws of Fla., Ch. 81-402, § 4; Ord. 84-1307-754, § 15; Laws of Fla., Ch. 92-341, § 1; Ord. 98-957-E, § 1)

Jacksonville Charter, art. 17, § 17.08 Judicial review.

Section 17.08. - Judicial review. The judgments and findings of the civil service board shall be subject to review by the circuit court of the State of Florida having jurisdiction within Duval County. (Ord. 84-1307-754, § 15; Laws of Fla., Ch. 92-341, § 1)

Jacksonville Charter, art. 17, § 17.09 Cooperation of employing agencies.

Section 17.09. - Cooperation of employing agencies. The employing agencies, departments, and authorities of the consolidated government shall furnish to the board such reports and information as are required in the board's opinion for the administration of this article. (Ord. 84-1307-754, § 15; Laws of Fla., Ch. 92-341, § 1)

Jacksonville Charter, art. 17, § 17.10 Ex parte communication.

Section 17.10. - Ex parte communication. Board members shall not have any ex parte communications regarding complaints, grievances, and appeals that are pending or are reasonably anticipated to be considered by the board. In the event a board member receives a prohibited ex parte communication, the board member shall place on the record of the pending matter all written communications received, all written responses to such communications, and a memorandum stating the substance of all oral communications received and all oral responses made, and shall also advise all parties that such matters have been placed on the record. Any party desiring to rebut the ex parte communication shall be allowed to do so, if such party requests the opportunity for rebuttal in writing within 10 days after notice of such communication. The board member may, if deemed necessary to eliminate the effect of an ex parte communication received, recuse himself or herself from the proceeding. (Laws of Fla., Ch. 81-402, § 5; Ord. 84-1307-754, § 15; Laws of Fla., Ch. 92-341, § 1; Laws of Fla., Ch. 2004-437, § 1)

Jacksonville Charter, art. 17, § 17.11 Disciplinary actions.

Section 17.11. - Disciplinary actions. (a) Disciplinary actions by the employing department may include: (1) Suspension without pay. (2) Dismissal. (3) Demotion. (4) Reprimand given orally or in writing. (5) Reduction in compensation without change of classification or grade but not below the entrance rate for the classification. (b) An employee, other than an employee whose status is provisional or probationary, may not be suspended without pay, demoted, or dismissed except for cause and after a hearing has been held. However, an employee may be immediately suspended without pay, without prior hearing, in extraordinary situations, as described and limited by the civil service rules and regulations. The civil service and personnel rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this section shall include a definition of cause for disciplinary action against an employee, and shall also include a procedure by which an employee may be disciplined for any violation of these rules or regulations whereby his conduct constitutes cause for disciplinary action. (c) Each employing department shall be responsible for taking disciplinary action in a manner that evidences fairness, consistency, and the promotion of the aims and goals of that department. (Laws of Fla., Ch. 81-402, § 6; Laws of Fla., Ch. 84-455, § 3; Ord. 84-1307-754, § 15; Laws of Fla., Ch. 92-341, § 1)

Jacksonville Charter, art. 17, § 17.12 Two term limit.

Section 17.12. - Two term limit. No person appointed and qualified for two consecutive full terms as a member of the Civil Service Board shall be eligible for appointment as a member of the Civil Service Board for the next succeeding term. The two-term limitation shall apply to any full term which began in 1992 or thereafter. (Ord. 91-533-606, § 7 (Referendum of November 3, 1992); Laws of Fla., Ch. 2004-437, § 1)

Source: City of Jacksonville, Ordinance Code and Charter and Related Laws (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/fl/jacksonville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CHRELA_PTACHLACHJAFL_ART17CISEFetched: 10/27/2026