Is a new county social services director required to serve a probationary period of employment?

The State Personnel Commission’s rules provide that any employee appointed to a permanent position must serve a probationary period of three to nine months. However, if the person hired by the board has been employed on a permanent, non-probationary basis as the director of social services director in another county, the board may, if it chooses to do so, employ the new director without requiring him or her to serve a probationary period. During the probationary period, the board may dismiss the director for unsatisfactory job performance or for personal conduct detrimental to the agency. A director who is serving a probationary period of employment must be given notice of the reasons for his or her dismissal, but does not have the right to a hearing or appeal regarding the dismissal (unless he or she alleges employment discrimination in violation of federal or state law).