Escambia County may establish a personnel system for Escambia County based on all of the following principles:
(1) Recruiting, selecting, and advancing employees based on their ability, knowledge, and skills, including the open competition of qualified applicants for initial and subsequent appointment.
(2) Establishing pay rates consistent with the principle of comparable pay for comparable jobs.
(3) Training employees, as needed, to assure quality job performance.
(4) Retaining employees on the basis of county needs, adequacy of performance, correcting inadequate performance when possible, and disciplining employees, including discharge, when such actions are in the best interests of the county.
(5) Assuring fair treatment of applicants and employees in all aspects of personnel administration without regard to political affiliation, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, or age.