20-162.   Supreme court to establish judicial personnel classificationsystem; contents; submission to legislative coordinating council.(a) The supreme court shall establish by rule a judicialpersonnel classification system for all nonjudicial personnel in the statecourt system and for judicial personnel whose compensation is not otherwiseprescribed by law. Said personnel classification system shall take effecton July 1, 1979, and shall prescribe the compensation for all such personnel. No county may supplement the compensation of district court personnel includedin the judicial personnel compensation system. Such compensation shall beestablished so as to be commensurate with the duties and responsibilitiesof each type and class of personnel. In establishing the compensation foreach type and class of personnel, the supreme court shall take into consideration: (1) The compensation of such personnel priorto January 1, 1979; (2) the compensation of personnel in the executive branchof state government who have comparable duties and responsibilities; and(3) the compensation of similar personnel in the court systems of otherstates having comparable size, population and characteristics.

      (b)   The following personnel shall not be included in the judicial personnelclassification system:

      (1)   County auditors,

      (2)   coroners,

      (3)   court trustees and personnel in each trustee's office, and

      (4)   personnel performing services in adult or juvenile facilities usedas a place of detention or for correctional purposes.

      The compensation for the above personnel shall be paid by the county asprescribed by law.

      (c)   The judicial personnel classification system also shall prescribethe powers, duties and functions for each type and class of personnel, whichshall be subject to and not inconsistent with any provisions of law prescribingpowers, duties and functions of such personnel.

      (d)   In conjunction with the judicial personnel classification system,the supreme court shall prescribe a procedure whereby personnel subjectto said classification system who are removed from office by their appointingauthority will have an opportunity to seek reinstatement.

      (e)   On or before December 1, 1978, the supreme court shall submit to thelegislative coordinating council a detailed personnel classification andpay plan for district court employees that are to be included in the judicialpersonnel classification system. The plan shall detail each individual positionby classification, pay grade and pay step as compared to the employee'spresent salary. In assignment of positions to particular steps within theassigned pay grade, the plan shall place each employee at the step whichis the next highest over the employee's current salary. If an employee isearning more than the highest step on a given grade, his or her salary shallremain at the current level.

      History:   L. 1978, ch. 108, § 2; July 1.