This section does not apply to those units of State government with an independent personnel system. In the State Personnel Management System the Secretary shall: establish classes; assign a rate of pay to each class; ensure that each class comprises one or more positions: that are similar in their duties and responsibilities; that are similar in the general qualifications required to perform those duties and responsibilities; to which the same standards and, if required, tests of fitness can be applied; and to which the same rates of pay can be applied; give each class a descriptive classification title; prepare a description of each class; and create additional classes; and abolish, combine, or modify existing classes. The Secretary shall: assign a class to the skilled service, professional service, management service, or executive service, as appropriate; and designate special appointment positions in the State Personnel Management System that: must be filled without regard to political affiliation, belief, or opinion; or in accordance with § 6–405(b) of this article, may be filled with regard to political affiliation, belief, or opinion.

The Secretary shall: classify skilled service positions, professional service positions, management service positions, and executive service positions; establish standards and general procedures to be used to classify positions in the skilled service, professional service, management service, and executive service; and provide advice and guidance on the use of those standards and procedures.

The Secretary may delegate authority to the head of a principal unit to classify positions for the principal unit in accordance with standards and procedures established by the Secretary in accordance with § 4–202(2) of this subtitle. If the Secretary delegates classification authority to the head of a principal unit under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the head of the principal unit shall: submit for the Secretary’s approval a position classification plan for classifying positions in the principal unit that are in the skilled service, professional service, and management service; and classify skilled service positions, professional service positions, and management service positions in the principal unit in accordance with the approved classification plan. Each employee in a position shall assume the classification title given the class to which that position belongs. The Secretary, the Comptroller, and the Treasurer shall use these classification titles in all relevant records and communications. To ensure that positions in the State Personnel Management System are classified properly, the Secretary: shall conduct position classification audits at least once every 3 years for any classification activity performed in accordance with subsection (a)(2) of this section; and may conduct operational audits of classification practices and records in principal units at least once every 3 years.

The Secretary may: classify positions in a unit when, in the Secretary's judgment, it is necessary to preserve the integrity of the classification system; and order the head of a principal unit to: take appropriate action to properly classify a position or take other appropriate action to comply with a position classification audit; or modify the unit's classification practices to comply with the findings of an operational audit. The Secretary shall determine the effective dates for newly created or modified classes, position classification plans, and classification standards and procedures. The Secretary shall adopt regulations to provide for effective dates of position reclassifications.

If there is a material change in the duties of a position, the Secretary shall abolish the position and create a new position in its place.