Article 5 Human Resources


Section 5.1 Applicability

Clark County policies shall promote effective human resource practices, create a standardized system for employee management and ensure that human resources actions and decisions comply with federal, state and local laws. The council shall, by resolution, establish and maintain human resources policies as defined in their authority in this article. Pursuant to the council's budgetary authority in Article 4, policies concerning employee compensation and benefits are applicable to all county employees, including employees reporting to other elected officials' offices. Executive elected officials may adopt alternate administrative policies for their offices. If alternative policies are not adopted, the policies developed for the departments reporting to the county manager apply.

[Amended, Sec. 8, Res. 2021-7, Nov. 2021]


Section 5.2 Council authority

The county manager shall recommend and approval of the council is required for the policies below:

  1. Overall compensation policies including, but not limited to, base pay, incentive and premium compensation.
  2. Overall design of merit pay and step increase programs.
  3. Overall design of benefits and eligibility.
  4. Overall design of insurance benefit plans eligibility and employee contributions.


Section 5.3 County manager authority

The county manager shall develop, implement and administer human resource policies for administrative departments and other offices subject to those policies. Human resource policies requiring council approval are presented in Article 5 Section 5.2. Council approval is not required for other human resource policies.


Section 5.4 Exclusions from the human resource policies

Human resource policies shall apply to all county employees except:

  1. Contractors.
  2. Members of boards, commissions and task forces who are not otherwise employees.
  3. The county manager.
  4. Employees excluded by state law.
  5. Other employees designated by ordinance.
  6. Offices or departments directly subject to civil service rules promulgated by the county's civil service commission to the extent such rules conflict with the county's human resource policies. Otherwise, countywide policies apply to all civil service positions and employees.


Section 5.5 Elected official salaries and compensation

  1. Council Member.
    The salary of council members initially shall be fifty-three thousand dollars ($53,000), and shall be adjusted based on percentage changes established for state legislators by the Washington State Salary Commission and shall be effective on the effective date determined by the commission for legislative salary adjustments.
  2. Executive Elected Officials.
    1. The salary of the sheriff is one hundred six thousand two hundred twenty-four dollars ($106,224) in 2014, and shall be adjusted based on percentage changes established by the Washington State Salary Commission for state legislators on the effective date determined by that commission for legislative salary adjustments.
    2. The salary of the assessor, auditor, county clerk and treasurer is one hundred thousand nine hundred twenty dollars ($100,920) in 2014, and shall be adjusted based on percentage changes established by the Washington State Salary Commission for state legislators on the effective date determined by the commission for legislative salary adjustments.
  3. lf the Washington State Salary Commission increases legislative salaries to reflect a change from a part-time to full-time legislature, the percent change applied to the Executive Branch of Washington state government shall apply to council members, and other elected officials.
  4. Judges and Prosecuting Attorney. The terms of this charter do not apply to the salaries of judges or the prosecuting attorney.

[Amended, Sec. 3, Res. 2021-3, Nov. 2021; Sec. 9, Res. 2021-7, Nov. 2021]


Section 5.6 Employment and status as elected official

No county elected official shall hold any other office or employment within county government during a term of office.


Section 5.7 Privilege

County elected officials, appointed officials and employees shall not use their positions to secure employment or special employment privileges for themselves or others. County elected officials, appointed officials and employees shall not solicit or accept any benefit, compensation, profit or advantage directly or indirectly from or by reason of the discharge of their county responsibilities and duties.