(a) The mayor or head of the department shall have authority to discipline any employee pursuant to this part and the rules and regulations adopted by the city council to implement this part. If a disciplinary action involves suspension without pay, demotion, or dismissal of a regular status employee, the mayor shall submit a written report of the action to the city council giving the reason or reasons for the action.

(b) No regular status employee may be suspended without pay, demoted, dismissed, or otherwise deprived of any right in his or her job unless he or she has been afforded the opportunity of a predetermination hearing before the mayor in which he or she may face his or her accusers and offer evidence in his or her defense prior to the action being taken.

(c) Charges may also be filed against any employee covered by this part by any nonemployee and shall be submitted in writing to the mayor, setting forth succinctly the matters complained of, and sworn to before a person authorized to administer oaths. Upon receipt of the charges, the mayor shall, after due consideration and consultation with the head of the department, if the employee is not a head of a department, determine whether the charges merit investigation. If in the judgment of the mayor the charges warrant investigation, the mayor shall initiate action to have the charges investigated and the necessary disciplinary action taken. The action shall be taken pursuant to this part and the rules and regulations adopted to implement this part.

(d) If the affected employee is not a head of a department and objects to the disciplinary action taken, the affected employee may file a written request with the board for a hearing concerning the action. Upon receipt of the appeal of the employee, the board shall hold a public hearing pursuant to Section 45-17A-50.11. If the affected employee is a head of a department and objects to the action taken, the affected employee may file a written request with the city council for a hearing concerning the action. The city council shall hold a public hearing pursuant to procedural methods prescribed for the board in Section 45-17A-50.10.