§84. Budget controls on personnel

A. Ten days after the signing of the general appropriations bill for the fiscal year, the executive budget office shall take such actions as are necessary to establish the number of authorized positions for each budget unit, program, or subprogram in the information system provided for in R.S. 39:83. The budget office shall adjust the number to reflect changes made in accordance with law. The head of each budget unit may adjust the classifications of the positions included in this number, except as limited by this Section.

B.(1) If a personnel transaction conforms with and does not exceed the number of the authorized positions in the information system for the budget unit, program, or subprogram it shall be considered approved; and the budget unit, program, or subprogram may proceed as otherwise provided by law, regulation, or executive order to complete the transaction. A personnel transaction which would purport to fill a position that is not in the approved personnel table of authorized positions for the budget unit, program, or subprogram shall not be effective unless the information system is adjusted to accommodate the requested transaction and unless approved as provided in this Section.

(2) Each budget unit of the state shall submit a request for any personnel transaction to the director of state civil service for approval, except that budget units, programs, or subprograms within the department of a statewide elected official need not request such prior approval as it relates to personnel transactions for employees within the unclassified service of the state, but shall notify the Department of State Civil Service that such personnel transactions have occurred within five working days of the actual transactions.

(3) The director of state civil service shall determine whether the action requested is appropriate, such as on a request to reclassify a position upward, whether the position's duties necessitate this action. If the director of state civil service finds that the position is appropriate, he shall approve the personnel transaction. However, the director of state civil service shall not approve a personnel transaction for a position which is paid from the salaries continuing category that is not in the approved personnel table of authorized positions.

(4) The Department of State Civil Service may reclassify any position in a personnel table when sufficient documentation is presented, provided sufficient funds are available in the remaining salaries continuing category for the budget unit, program, or subprogram. The personnel table shall be updated to reflect any position reclassification or other change made by the Department of State Civil Service that affects the information contained in the table and shall be made on the effective date of the change.

C.(1) If approval is granted for a personnel transaction under the provisions of Subsection B of this Section, the budget unit, program, or subprogram may proceed as provided by law, regulation, or executive order to complete the transaction. The commissioner of administration shall monitor all personnel transactions affecting the authorized positions. Should the commissioner determine that personnel transactions are adversely affecting the ability of the budget unit, program, or subprogram to effectively perform its mission or the balance of the salaries continuing category, he shall notify the head of the budget unit and the legislative fiscal office. After this notification, the commissioner shall take such actions as are necessary to require that all modifications to the personnel table of authorized positions will be individually approved by the budget office.

(2) If the commissioner of administration disapproves a transaction, he shall inform the head of the budget unit of the reason the proposed personnel transaction was not approved. The reasons may be only a finding that a reclassification is not warranted as requested, that insufficient funds have been appropriated for personnel in the budget category, or that the action was not consistent with the agency program goals. Nothing herein shall prevent a request for the transfer of funds or positions as provided in this Chapter or by any other law.

D. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to limit the authority of the governor, the state civil service commission, the commissioner of administration, the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, or of any other official or entity, as provided by law or executive order, to regulate, control, or prohibit any personnel transaction.

E. The commissioner of administration and the Department of State Civil Service shall, by joint regulation, provide for the circumstances and method by which temporary appointments can be made.

F. The division of administration shall report quarterly to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget on the status of such automated personnel transaction system until the system is fully operational.

G. On request, the Department of State Civil Service shall submit to the legislative fiscal office or the budget office a personnel chart by department which displays the number of authorized positions and filled positions, organized by budget unit, program, or subprogram and according to occupational groups established by Civil Service.

H. In the last ninety days of the last year of the term of the office of a governor, no cost-of-living increases, performance adjustments, or other general salary increases for unclassified employees in any budget unit, agency, or department of the executive branch of state government shall become effective unless first approved by the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget. Additionally, other relevant provisions of this Section shall be satisfied before such an increase shall take effect.

Acts 1989, No. 836, §1, eff. July 1, 1989; Acts 2016, No. 517, §1, eff. July 1, 2016.