The Civil Service Board shall, subject to the approval of the City Council, formulate rules and regulations governing selection, promotion, and discipline of officers and employees of the City of Bakersfield, excepting elective officers, the City Manager, the City Attorney, members of the Police and Fire Departments, and members of all boards and commissions, which rules shall, to the extent deemed feasible by said Board, be consistent with such rules of the other two Civil Service Boards. The Council may recommend amendment or repeal of existing rules and adoption of new rules to said Board. It shall be the duty of the Civil Service Board, or their designee, to hold examinations and to administer other suitable tests to applicants for positions in the several departments affected by this amendment for the purpose of determining their fitness for such positions. No member of such Board shall sit as a member of the ratings panel for any oral examination.

All officers and employees in the several departments affected by this amendment, having gained valuable experience in the course of their service for the City, shall receive a certain added grade over applicants not in the employ of the City at the time of the examination, such added grades to be fixed by the Civil Service Board for each year or portion thereof such employee has had experience in a similar or comparable position with the City of Bakersfield. Such added grade shall not be allowed to applicants not attaining a passing grade in the examination.

Examinations of all candidates shall be practical in their character and shall relate to those matters only which will fairly test the relative capacity and ability of the persons examined to discharge the duties of the positions to which they seek to be appointed or promoted. No questions in any examination shall relate to political or religious opinions or affiliations.

All subordinate officers and employees in the departments shall be appointed by the head of the department in which the vacancy occurs, with the approval of the City Manager.

All officers, subordinate officers and employees in the several departments affected by this amendment shall be chosen from a list of eligibles furnished by the Civil Service Board to the Department Head or his/her designee and shall contain the names of all candidates who attained a passing grade in the examination, in the order of their relative standing. If, in the opinion of the Civil Service Board, any of said candidates become ineligible, the Civil Service Board shall strike his name from the list and advise the Department Head or his/her designee of such action. The appointment must be made from the three highest standing candidates on the eligible list at the time of appointment. Any person carried on the eligible list for a period of one (1) year, unless extended by the Commission, without being appointed or promoted shall be dropped from said eligible list and shall not be eligible for appointment or promotion without re-examination. (Amended June 2, 1992: amended November 8, 1988: amended April 21, 1941)