HRAR-7.01 - Transfers

Lateral Transfers

Lateral transfers within an employees’ current classification to a vacant, budgeted positions within or between bureaus are available to employees who hold regular status within a bureau and complete their probationary period. An employee must submit an application for the transfer classification to be placed on the active eligible list and be considered for transfer. Employees who are seeking a transfer must follow the process outlined for lateral transfers to be considered for employment within their current classification. See Transfer Opportunity Request form.

When certifying qualified candidates from the appropriate eligible list, the Bureau of Human Resources shall also identify the names of those employees who have requested a transfer within the classification; however, there is no guaranteed right of transfer to a vacant position.

An employee’s name will be removed from the list under the following circumstances:

1. If they transfer or receive a promotion or demotion to a new classification.
2. If the employee requests removal of their name from the active eligible list.

Limited Duration

A limited duration employee may transfer to a permanent position in the same classification but shall serve a probationary period in accordance with Administrative Rule 7.02 Promotion. The Director of Human Resources may waive the requirement upon request and demonstration that the limited duration employee has been subject to an appropriate evaluation period.

Represented

The life of a represented eligible list can be up to three years. During the duration of the eligible list being active, transfer employees can submit their application materials to be considered for the position when a bureau requests the eligible list. Represented employees can find transfer opportunities for their classifications at the City of Portland job board under “Transfer Opportunities”.

Expanded Transfers

Expanded Transfers are transfers to job classifications that have a maximum pay rate of not more than twenty percent (20%) above or below the maximum rate of the job classification from which they hold regular status and transfer. Regular, non-represented employees, and represented employees whose bargaining representative has agreed to expanded transfer and who have completed probation, may utilize Expanded Transfers in accordance with the following criteria:

1. A citywide competitive process, available to all interested employees, must be used in recruiting and selecting an employee to fill the position. The Director of Human Resources may waive the citywide competitive process in the event the Expanded Transfer is being offered to an employee whose position is being eliminated or who is going to be bumped. This waiver does not apply to classification actions that impact an employee’s position unless there is clear evidence the position had been misclassified, that it is being reclassified to more accurately describe the work and there are no substantive changes in the duties and responsibilities assigned to the position.
2. The employee must meet the qualifications of the position description as determined by the Bureau of Human Resources; and
3. The Director of Human Resources, or designee, and the hiring authorities of the affected bureaus must approve the transfer; and
4. No layoff list can exist in the classification for which transfers are being sought; and
5. There are no qualified injured workers available; and
6. An Expanded Transfer may not move an employee from journey to supervisory or supervisory to managerial levels; and
7. An employee who transfers to a different job class through expanded transfer shall serve a probationary period as prescribed in the Administrative Rule 3.08 on Probation; and
8. If an employee is dismissed during the probationary period following an expanded transfer, he/she shall have return rights to a classification in which he/she formerly held status, beginning with the most recently held classification.

Expanded transfers may also be used during a period of time declared by Council in response to a fiscal emergency or other decease in City revenue sources. The criteria for expanded transfers in times of fiscal emergency are outlined in the Employee Transition Services Plan. In addition, the Director of Human Resources may waive the competitive process because an employee whose position is being eliminated or is being bumped as the result of the elimination of a position has applied for the transfer.

An employee who voluntarily demotes through an expanded transfer may return to the higher classification through the reinstatement process.

An expanded transfer to a classification with a lower maximum pay rate shall be considered a voluntary demotion for purposes of compensation and seniority accruals. An expanded transfer to a classification with a higher maximum pay rate shall be considered a promotion for purposes of compensation and seniority accruals.