In accordance with Civil Service Law, employment in Maine State government is governed by the merit principles outlined below:
- Open and fair competition without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
- Free from nepotism, political patronage, or retaliation.
- Job assignments and advancement on the basis of demonstrated performance and competence.
- Equitable pay based on job responsibility, competency, and performance.
- Provide training and development as needed to assure high quality performance and to build a foundation for growth.
- Retention on the basis of adequacy of performance. Correct inadequate performance. Reassign or separate employees whose inadequate performance cannot be corrected.
The "Maine Management Service" is an emerging focus for Confidential managers that is intended to modernize human resource management applications, allowing agencies to recruit, select, develop, assign, and reward managers with the competencies necessary to effectively manage in a public environment. While the fundamental concepts of the merit system remain constant, actual practices have evolved to include:
- Flexible recruitment and hiring practices that allow consideration for all qualified candidates.
- A simplified classification system that facilitates interagency mobility and upward mobility.
- A compensation system that balances organization –wide equity and agency flexibility to set and change salaries within established parameters.
- Strengthened management training and career development.
- Skill-building in human resources management, in areas such as selection, employee development, employee coaching, and performance appraisal, for all managers.
- Provisions that managers may be reduced, suspended, demoted or dismissed for cause.
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