The probationary period applicable to certain employees upon appointment and reappointment to vacant positions in the classified service shall be regarded as the final stage in the examination process of said employees and, as such, shall constitute that period of time during which the appointing authority and, where applicable, the supervisor, shall closely observe and review the work of each such employee for the purpose of determining whether each such employee demonstrates the ability and aptitude to satisfactorily perform the duties, tasks, and responsibilities of the position on a routine and continual basis. The Director of Human Resources Management shall develop personnel procedures which specify the duration of the probationary period for each class of work established in the classified service, except for uniformed employees occupying public safety classes of work within the Police, Fire, and Sheriff's Departments. The probationary period for any person appointed to a trainee or similar position established by the Director of Human Resources Management in accordance with Section 16-106(b)(11) shall be the period of the person's appointment to such position and the applicable probationary period for any other position to which the person is subsequently appointed.

Each appointing authority and, where applicable, supervisor, shall have the following responsibilities with respect to each probationary status employee under their respective jurisdictions: To properly explain to the employee the duties, tasks, and responsibilities of the employee's position and to otherwise assist in orienting the employee to the general operations of County government; To insure that the employee is provided with the supplies and other equipment necessary to perform the duties, tasks, and responsibilities of the employee's position; and, To periodically confer with the employee as regards the employee's performance and to make corrective and remedial suggestions and actions, as deemed necessary, in regard thereto.

Except as provided in Subsection (c), below, at any time during the probationary period of an employee, an appointing authority and, where authorized, a supervisor may initiate and take any disciplinary action specifically authorized under Sections 16-193 and 16-194 against any such probationary status employee as deemed necessary and appropriate by the appointing authority or supervisor, as the case may be. Any disciplinary action, other than dismissal, initiated and taken by an appointing authority or supervisor against a probationary status employee, as provided in Subsection (a), above, which constitutes an adverse action shall be processed in accordance with the procedures stipulated under Section 16-201(a). Notwithstanding any provision in Section 16-193 or 16-194 which may be to the contrary, at any time during the probationary period, an appointing authority may remove an employee if in the opinion of the appointing authority such employee is unable or unwilling to perform the duties of the position satisfactorily or the employee's conduct does not merit continued employment with the County. Dismissal of a probationary status employee shall become effective five (5) working days after the appointing authority has given the employee a written notice of specific reasons for dismissal. When dismissal of a probationary status employee is based on an act or acts which permit suspension of the employee under Section 16-193(c)(4)(D), such suspension may be combined as a part of the five (5) working days between notice of dismissal and the effective date of dismissal. The appointing authority shall, upon presentation of a written notice of dismissal, provide the employee with a written statement of reasons for the dismissal.

Unless a probationary status employee is dismissed during the employee's probationary period, any such employee shall be converted to permanent status as of the effective date of the expiration of the probationary period applicable to each such employee. Extensions to the probationary period may be requested by the appointing authority to the Director of Human Resources Management for the following reasons: In the event that a probationary status employee is absent from the employee's position on authorized and approved leave for a substantial period of time due to extenuating circumstances beyond the employee's control such that, in the judgment of the employee's appointing authority, a proper evaluation of the employee's performance cannot reasonably be made before the expiration of the employee's probationary period; or In the event that a substantial change in employee duties or a change in supervisor occurs during the probationary period and that change precludes a proper evaluation of the employee's performance. Any such request for an extension of an employee's probationary period, as provided in Subsection (b), above, shall be: Made in writing and shall state the specific facts and circumstances justifying the request and the recommended period of time for the extension; Signed by the appointing authority and the employee in interest so as to indicate their mutual consent for the request; and Delivered to the Director of Human Resources Management in advance of the expiration of the employee's probationary period. Upon receipt of any such request from an appointing authority, the Director of Human Resources Management shall approve the request if the Director of Human Resources Management finds that the request satisfies the conditions stipulated in Subsection (b), above, and has been submitted in accordance with the procedures stipulated in Subsection (c), above; provided, however, that the Director of Human Resources Management shall not approve any request for an extension of an employee's probationary period for a period of time in excess of six (6) calendar months. In the event that the Director of Human Resources Management approves a request for an extension of an employee's probationary period, the employee in interest shall be converted to permanent status, as provided in Subsection (a), above, as of the effective date of the expiration of such extension period, unless the employee is dismissed prior to the expiration of such extension period.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 16-200 and 16-201, a probationary status employee shall only be entitled to appeal an adverse action, and shall only be entitled to initiate a grievance where any such employee alleges that the basis of removal or acts of an appointing authority constituting the basis of a grievance as the case may be, were illegal or that a written statement as required under Section 16-171(c)(3) was not provided the employee.