§2556. Temporary appointments

            Temporary appointments may be made to positions in the classified service without the appointees acquiring any permanent status therein as follows:

            (1)(a)(i) Except for a vacancy in the classes of entrance firefighter, entrance police officer, entrance jailer, secretary to the chief, departmental records clerk, and for the entrance classes for which the operation and maintenance of radio, alarm, or signal systems for the respective fire or police service is the primary duty, when a vacancy is to be filled in a position of a class for which the board is unable to certify names of persons eligible for regular and permanent or substitute appointment, the appointing authority may make a provisional appointment of any person considered qualified. When practicable, the appointment shall be made by the provisional promotion of any employee of a lower class. A provisional appointment shall not continue for more than three months. No position in the classified service shall be filled by one or more provisional appointments for a period in excess of three consecutive months, and successive like periods shall not be permissible. The board may, however, authorize the renewal of such appointment or authorize such successive appointments for a period not to exceed three additional months whenever it has been impracticable or impossible to establish a list of persons eligible for certification and appointment to a vacancy. Except as provided in Item (ii) of this Subparagraph, any provisional appointment, if not terminated sooner, shall terminate upon the regular filling of the vacancy in any manner authorized under this Part and, in any event, within fifteen days after a certification from which a regular or substitute appointment, as the case may be, can be made under the provisions of this Part. A provisional appointment shall be reported to the board within fifteen days following the appointment.

            (ii) Any provisional appointment made to a position of the competitive classes, as provided for by R.S. 33:2552(7), shall be terminated upon the regular filling of the vacancy in any manner authorized under this Part and, in any event, within sixty days after certification from which a regular or substitute appointment, as the case may be, can be made under the provisions of this Part. A provisional appointment shall be reported to the board within fifteen days following the appointment.

            (iii) When a vacancy is to be filled in the classes of entrance firefighter, entrance police officer, entrance jailer, secretary to the chief, departmental records clerk, and for the entrance classes for which the operation and maintenance of radio, alarm, or signal systems for the respective fire or police service is the primary duty, the appointing authority may make a provisional appointment of any person considered qualified. A provisional appointment shall not exceed sixty days. Successive appointments in the classes of entrance firefighter, entrance police officer, entrance jailer, secretary to the chief, departmental records clerk, and for the entrance classes for which the operation and maintenance of radio, alarm, or signal systems for the respective fire or police service is the primary duty shall be prohibited.

            (b) During time of war, and after the board continues to offer tests provided by this Part in an effort to obtain persons eligible for regular and permanent appointment to a position of any class which has been permanently vacated by the regular employee thereof, if it finds it impossible to establish a list of persons qualified for certification and permanent appointment to the position in the classified service, it may authorize the appointing authority to fill the position with a provisional appointee until the appropriate employment list can be established.

            (c) Provisional appointments may be made in any position until a classification plan is prepared and adopted and for such time thereafter as may be required for the preparation and administration of tests and the establishment of employment lists from the results of the tests. But such special authority shall be valid for a period of not more than eighteen months immediately following the date that this Part takes effect in the municipality or parish or fire protection district, as the case may be.

            (d) Repealed by Acts 1999, No. 1281, §1.

            (2) A substitute appointment may be made to any position in the classified service from which the regular and permanent employee is away on an authorized leave of absence, or from which the regular employee is substituting for some other regular employee who is authorized to be away from his position. No position shall be filled by a substitute appointee for a time beyond that for which the regular and permanent incumbent is away on an authorized leave. Whenever such appointment shall continue for not more than thirty days, the appointing authority may appoint thereto anyone considered qualified. Substitute appointments made for a period exceeding thirty days shall be made in the same manner as provided in R.S. 33:2554 for the filling of a vacancy by a regular and permanent appointment. Any person employed on a substitute basis shall, for the duration of the temporary employment, enjoy the class title and be entitled to receive the rate of pay for the class and position in which he is employed. The appointing authority shall notify the board within fifteen days following any substitute appointment made for a period to exceed thirty days, the name of the appointee, the class of position filled, the period for which the appointment was made, and shall attach to the notification a signed copy of the leave of absence granted the employee for whom the appointee is substituting.

            (3) Emergency appointment of any person may be made at any time the need of the service requires because of any local emergency of a temporary and special nature. No such appointment shall be effective or continued for a period greater than ninety days, but in any case, an emergency appointment shall be terminated upon the conclusion of the emergency period. In the event that a state of emergency is declared by the governor, such appointments shall be effective for the duration of the state of emergency.

            Acts 1964, No. 282, §1. Amended by Acts 1977, No. 56, §1; Acts 1999, No. 1281, §1; Acts 2006, No. 491, §1, eff. July 1, 2006; Acts 2008, No. 265, §1, eff. July 1, 2008; Acts 2021, No. 51, §1; Acts 2024, No. 230, §1.