Overview
Employees appointed to a career position generally serve a probationary period of six months. Read here what considerations may impact this period.
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Duration
Employees appointed to a career position generally serve a probationary period of six months (exceptions: Managers and Senior Professionals, or MSP, and Senior Management Group, or SMG, employees). Police and public safety dispatcher classifications serve a 12-month probationary period. Time spent in the following categories may affect the duration of a probationary period:
- per diem/limited appointment directly preceding a career appointment
- time on leave
Time on leave, with or without pay, is not qualifying service for the completion of the probationary period.
If you are contemplating whether it would be appropriate to release your probationary employee, consult with your department’s HR generalist at least two months before the end of the probationary period.
Additional terms and conditions
Under appropriate circumstances, the probationary period may be extended at the department head's discretion. Those circumstances may include a change of supervisor, additional time needed to evaluate performance, or transfer to a different job during the probationary period. Such an extension shall be for a specific length of time, generally not more than three months.
Additional terms and conditions regarding the probationary period are found in the represented employee’s respective union contract. See Collective Bargaining Agreements.
PPSM Policy 22 contains additional information about the probationary period for non-represented professional and support staff (PSS) career employees.