4 Pa. Code § 601a.3

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 49, December 7, 2024
Section 601a.3 - Definitions
(a) The words, terms and phrases, when used in this subpart, have the meaning as set forth in 71 Pa.C.S. Part III (relating to civil service reform), unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
(b) The following words and terms, when used in this subpart, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

Act- The act of June 28, 2018 (P.L. 460, No. 71) 71 Pa.C.S. Part III, commonly referred to as "the Civil Service Reform Act.''

Alternate rule- An alternative selection rule elected by an appointing authority for appointments and promotions made through the examination and certification process, which gives the appointing authority the ability to select from all eligibles on an appropriate eligible list or a specific alternate number of eligibles on an appropriate eligible list, greater than three, to fill a position.

Applicant- An individual who applies for an appointment or a promotion to a position in the classified service.

Application- A form, as prescribed by the Office of Administration, used by individuals to express interest in employment in a position or positions in the classified service.

Appointment- The hiring or movement of an individual into a position through entrance examination, reassignment, transfer, demotion or reinstatement. The term does not include the acceptance of an offer of employment, or the movement of an individual into a position through promotion.

Certification- The submission of the names of one or more eligibles by the Office of Administration to an appointing authority to fill one or more positions.

Disability- As defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended (42 U.S.C.A. §§ 12101- 12213).

Emergency appointment- The temporary and limited appointment of an individual into a position to meet an appointing authority's needs during an emergency.

Emergency employee- An individual temporarily appointed into a position through an emergency appointment.

Examination- A test, series of tests or assessments used to determine the degree to which individuals are qualified for appointment or promotion to a position or job classification in the classified service.

Intern- An individual appointed or promoted to an intern job classification.

Job classification- A "job,'' "job title,'' "class'' or "class of positions,'' as defined by the act.

Job specification- A written description of a job classification, which defines and describes representative duties and responsibilities and sets forth the minimum qualifications of the job classification.

Leave of absence- A temporary and limited separation from the classified service granted by an appointing authority to an employee for purposes such as, but not limited to, extended illness, school attendance, cyclical employment, Olympic participation, military duty or training, or employment in a non-civil service position, including a position within the Senior Management Service. The term does not include paid absences, such as paid annual leave, paid sick leave, or paid compensatory leave, or unpaid absences that do not result in a separation from the classified service.

Mandatory reemployment list- A list of individuals who have been furloughed and who are eligible for a mandatory reemployment preference under § 604a.5(f) (relating to furlough).

Military duty- Active duty, including active duty for training or inactive duty training, in the Uniformed Services on dates ordered or authorized by the Uniformed Service.

Minimum qualifications- The minimum knowledge, skills, abilities, experience, training, education, licenses, certificates, special requirements and other requisites essential to the performance of the work of a job classification, as set forth in the relevant job specification.

Optional reemployment list- A list of individuals who have been furloughed and who are eligible for reemployment under § 604a.5(g).

Preferred reemployment list- A list of individuals who, upon the expiration or end of an approved leave of absence, could not be returned to a position in the same job classification under § 604a.1(e)(1) or (2) (relating to leaves of absence generally).

Probationary employee- An individual serving a probationary period prior to acquiring regular status in a position.

Probationary status- The standing in a position held by a probationary employee.

Provisional employee- An individual who was appointed to a position through an accelerated entrance examination program and who is serving a 6-month working test period prior to the required probationary period.

Reassignment- The movement of an employee, within the same appointing authority, from one position to another position in the same or similar job classification for which the employee qualifies at the same maximum salary.

Reclassification- The change of a classification of a position from one job classification and code to another job classification and code.

Regular status- The standing in a position conferred upon an employee who has successfully completed the corresponding probationary period.

Reinstatement- The reappointment of a former regular employee who resigned or otherwise voluntarily separated from employment in the classified service.

Resignation- The voluntary termination of employment by an employee, which is evidenced by the employee's written or verbal notice.

Rule of three- The default selection rule for appointments and promotions made through the examination and certification process, which requires an appointing authority to choose from among the three highest-ranking available eligibles to fill a vacant position. The rule of three may include more than three eligibles when tied scores exist with the third highest-ranking eligible.

Senior Management Service- Positions in the Commonwealth's unclassified service that have broad policy participation and management responsibility.

Seniority- The amount of time an employee has continuously served in a position in the classified service.

Separation- The voluntary or involuntary termination of employment in the classified service, including temporary and permanent terminations.

Special Advisor for Veterans' Programs- The individual appointed by the Secretary of Administration under 71 Pa.C.S. § 2202(a)(12) (relating to duties of Office of Administration).

Substitute appointment- The temporary appointment of an individual into a position that is vacant due to the granting of leave of absence for military duty to the incumbent of the position.

Substitute employee- An individual temporarily appointed or promoted to a position through a substitute appointment or a substitute promotion.

Substitute promotion- The temporary promotion of an individual into a position that is vacant due to the granting of military leave to the incumbent of the position.

Suspension- The temporary and involuntary separation of an employee from employment in the classified service.

Temporary employee- An individual appointed to a temporary position.

Trainee- An individual appointed or promoted to a training level job classification.

Training period- The period of time a trainee will remain in a training level job classification, during which the trainee receives general or specialized training, or both.

Transfer- The movement of an employee from one appointing authority to a different appointing authority in the same job classification.

Uniformed services- As defined by Title 10, Subtitle A of the United States Code, as amended (10 U.S.C. § 101(a)(5)).

Unskilled position- A position for which the principal job function is manual labor or work requiring limited or no prior education or training.

Vacancy posting- A posted announcement of a vacant, or soon to be vacant, position or group of positions within an appointing authority, which will be filled by examination or an internal recruitment method.

Veteran- An individual who, based on their service in the armed forces of the United States, is eligible to receive an employment preference under 51 Pa.C.S. Chapter 71 (relating to veterans' preference).

(c) Subsection (a) supersedes 1 Pa. Code § 31.3 (relating to definitions).

4 Pa. Code § 601a.3