§ 3-12-3 Definitions.
When used in this document the following words, terms and phrases shall have the meanings defined below. All other words shall have the meaning ascribed to them by Personnel Rule, City Charter, or other sections of the City Code as appropriate.
(A) BUDGET YEAR. Budget year means the period for which the Council appropriates City funds during its budget process.
(B) CERTIFICATION. Certification is the designation by the City Manager of a Public Safety Sworn Employee Organization as the designated representative of an Employee Group for the purpose of engaging in the Meet and Discuss/Meet and Confer process.
(C) PUBLIC SAFETY SWORN EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION. An organization representing employees within an Employee Group for the purpose of engaging in the Meet and Discuss/Meet and Confer process.
(D) EMPLOYEE GROUP. A group of employees that fall into an eligible job classification that may be represented by a Public Safety Sworn Employee Organization. Four Employee Groups are authorized to participate in the respective process:
•Sworn Firefighters, Fire Engineers, Fire Captains, Ambulance EMT’s and Ambulance Paramedics (Meet and Confer Process)
•Sworn Police Officers and Sworn Police Sergeants (Meet and Confer Process)
•Battalion Chiefs (Meet and Discuss Process only)
•Lieutenants (Meet and Discuss Process only)
(E) DECERTIFICATION. Decertification is the removal by the City Manager of a Public Safety Sworn Employee Organization as the designated representative of an Employee Group.
(F) ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE. Eligible employees include Sworn Police Employees in classifications up to and including the rank of Lieutenant, Sworn Fire Employees, in classifications up to and including the rank of Battalion Chief, non-Sworn Fire Employees in the job classifications of Ambulance EMT and Ambulance Paramedic. Contract, part-time, temporary, and seasonal employees are excluded. An individual employee’s eligibility to participate in the process described in this article will be determined by the City Manager.
(G) TRIAL SERVICE. Consistent with City Personnel Policies, a Trial Service Employee shall mean an employee who is in his or her first year of service after hire and any required Academy. Trial Service may be extended at the discretion of the City Manager. A Trial Service Employee serves as an "at will employee" whose employment may be terminated at any time without notice. Trial Service Employees do not have access to the City’s appeals process or the appeals process outlined in the MOU. Trial Service Employees may not vote in a certification election until they have completed their Trial Service period.
(H) SWORN EMPLOYEE. A Sworn Employee is a Police or Fire employee who is a member of the Arizona Public Safety Personnel System.
(I) NON-SWORN EMPLOYEE. For the purpose of the Meet and Confer process Non-Sworn Fire employees in the job classification of Ambulance EMT or Ambulance Paramedic. (Ord. 11-1249, passed 10-24-2011; Am. Ord. 22-1558, passed 9-26-2022)