TRANSFER/VOLUNTARY DEMOTIONS
FREE NAME
RETIREE EXTRA-HELP
RESTORATION FROM LAYOFF
This section applies to current regular employees, employee’s who have resigned from regular employment, regular retirees, and employees who haven been affected by lay-off.
Please scroll to the section that applies to you. Click on the appropriate appointment type (radio button)
and follow the instructions. If you wish to submit an application for a current recruitment, or interest in a future recruitment, please exit this section and return to the Job Opportunities page.
TRANSFER/VOLUNTARY DEMOTION
You should be in this section if you are a permanent or probationary Sonoma
County employee and want to complete an application for:
Transfer in your current job class to a different department or to a closely related job class within 2 ½% of the “A” step of your current salary.
Voluntary Demotion to a position in a closely related class with a lower salary range and for which you possess the minimum qualifications, or in which you previously had probationary or permanent status.
Click here for information
EXTRA HELP RETIREE
You should be in this section if you are retired from Sonoma County employment and you wish to be considered for extra-help positions.
Click here for information
FREE NAME
You should be in this section if you were a permanent County employee within the last five years and you left county employment “in good standing” and want to complete an application for:
Re-employment to a job class you previously held or in a lower level in a series from a job class that you previously held. Click here for information
RESTORATION FROM LAYOFF
This section applies to permanent County employees who were either laid off, displaced, or voluntarily demoted in lieu of layoff within the last two years.
Restoration to the job class held prior to layoff.Click here for information
TRANSFER
Transfer/Voluntary Demotion Options
Human Resources maintains lists of County employees who are eligible for transfer/voluntary demotion. When a department requests an employment list for a job class, the names and applications of employees on the transfer list is sent to the department along with candidates from an active employment list or departments may request this list of names to consider prior to determining the need to conduct a recruitment.
If you see that Human Resources is recruiting for a position that you would like to transfer to or is soliciting transfer/voluntary demotion applications, you should submit an application. The transfer/voluntary demotion criteria below applies. If you are granted an interview, bring a completed application and your most recent performance evaluation with you to the interview.
Transfer Criteria
You must be a permanent or probationary county employee
You may transfer to the same classification you currently hold, or it can be a different classification. The A-step of a different classification must be within 2 ½% (up or down) of the A-step of your present classification.
You must meet the minimum qualifications of the new classification AND the new classification must be a “closely related class”; which means any class which has been determined by the Human Resources Director to have sufficiently similar duties and minimum qualifications to make a change of status compatible with Merit System Standards.
Voluntary Demotion Criteria
You must be a permanent or probationary county employee
You may voluntarily demote to a class in which you’ve held probationary or permanent status in, or to a closely related class with a lower salary range in which you possess the minimum qualifications
If you are considering a transfer/voluntary demotion to a different class you are not currently in, you should contact Human Resources, (707) 565-2331, to find out if it is considered “closely related” to your own classification.
Transfer/Voluntary Demotion Process
An application and a copy of your most recent performance evaluation is required in order for you to be placed on a transfer list. Human Resources will review your transfer application material for eligibility. You will be notified of your transfer status.
Click below to access Job Descriptions
Select either the job class that Human Resources is soliciting applications for and/or for any job classes you wish to be considered when applications are needed
Click the link at the top of the job description page to complete the online application. You have the option to copy your application into multiple job descriptions.
Your name will be placed on a transfer/voluntary demotion list(s) for six (6) months as long as you continue to be eligible. Your name will be referred to departments as vacancies occur. You will NOT be notified when the six month period is up. If you wish to extend your eligibility for another six months, you must contact Human Resources, (707) 565-2331).
Important: You will not be notified when your name has been referred to department(s). It is the discretion of the hiring department whether they choose to interview transfer candidates. Department will contact candidates directly.
Transfer/Voluntary Demotion
EXTRA
HELP RETIREE
You should be in this section if you are retired from Sonoma County employment and you wish to be considered for extra-help positions. Many Sonoma County retirees are uniquely qualified to step right in with little or no training, and bring valuable knowledge and experience to a job. Departments frequently ask if there are retirees interested in working vacation and leave relief coverage, part-time hours, and specific projects.
Government Code 31680.3 limits retiree extra-help to 960 hours per fiscal year. The extra help employment must begin no later than five (5) years after the retirement date. Sonoma County retirees may be re-employed as extra help in the same class, a previously held class, or a lower level class in the same series.
Extra Help Retiree Process
Click below to access Job Descriptions, then select the appropriate job, and click the link at the top of the job description page to complete the online application. You have the option to copy your application into multiple job descriptions. Human Resources will review your application for eligibility and notify you of your status. You will remain active on the respective retiree extra help list(s) for 6 months; you need to contact Human Resources at
(707)-565-2331 to request an extension every six months thereafter.
Important: You will not be notified when your name has been referred to department(s). It is the discretion of the hiring department whether to choose to interview extra help candidates.
Extra-help retiree
FREE-NAME
Freename lists are for former permanent employees, and current permanent employees who wish to be considered for job classes previously held or in a lower level class in the same series. Examples:
An employee who resigns in good standing within the last five (5) years*.
An employee who is laid off may be placed on lists for classes that they previously held or in a lower level class in the same series, or for a closely related class to the class they were laid off from for which they possess the minimum qualifications. The employee will remain on these freenames lists for a period of two years.
An employee who has voluntarily demoted within two (2) years from the demotion* may request reappointment to the class from which he/she demoted.
*For A & C above, candidates remain on Freename list(s) for six months. You will not be notified when the six month period is up. Your name will be referred to departments as vacancies occur along with other candidates from employment lists. You will be notified as vacancies occur. If you wish to extend your eligibility for another six months, you must contact Human Resources,(707) 565-2331.
Free Name Process
For A & C above, you must request Freename status in writing to the Human Resources Director and submit an application. For information about how best to send your request to the HR Director, contact Human Resources, (707) 565-2331.
For “B” above, contact Human Resources, (707) 565-2331. Human Resources will work with you to determine appropriate list(s) for which you qualify.
Click below to access Job Descriptions, select the appropriate job, and click the link at the top of the job description page to complete the online application. You have the option to copy your application into multiple job descriptions.
Freename
RESTORATION FROM LAYOFF
This section applies to permanent County employees who were either laid off, displaced, or voluntarily demoted within the last two years as a result of a lay-off action. Human Resources recommends that you complete an application and keep your address and employment history current because you can also use this application to apply for free name status and other jobs in the County. While your Restoration rights were explained to you at the time of your layoff, if you have any questions regarding your rights, please contact the Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Your name will remain on a Restoration list for a period of two (2) years.
Click on the button below to access Job Descriptions, select the appropriate job classification where you held status at the time of lay off, and click on the link at the top of the job description page to complete the online application.
Restoration Process
Restoration lists are used before any other type of employment list for vacancies that occur in the department in which you were affected. Once your department notifies Human Resources of a vacancy they wish to fill, Human Resources will send a Restoration offer letter. It is extremely important that you strictly follow the deadlines outlined in the offer letter.
Restoration may be forfeited if:
An employee does not accept Restoration within five (5) County business days after receipt of offer.
The employee declines to begin work within 15 County business days after receipt of offer.
The employee cannot be reached within 20 calendar days from the date of mailing the notice.
There are circumstances in which an employee may waive a restoration offer. Please see Civil Service Rule 11.4 for information or contact Human Resources, (707) 565-2331.
Restoration for a job in which you were laid off or displaced.
