The department may, directly or through agreement or contract with one or more appointing authorities and other public and private organizations, with approval of the board, conduct and evaluate demonstration projects.
Nothing in this section shall infringe upon or conflict with the merit principle as embodied in Article VII of the California Constitution, nor shall any project undertaken pursuant to this act conflict with, or infringe upon the merit principles of the civil service system.
Subject to the provisions of this section, the conducting of demonstration projects shall not be limited by any lack of specific authority under this code to take the action contemplated, or by any provision of this code or any rule or regulation prescribed under this code which is inconsistent with the action, including any law or regulation relating to any of the following:
(a) The methods of establishing qualification requirements for, recruitment for, and appointment to positions.
(b) The methods of classifying positions and compensating employees.
(c) The methods of assigning, reassigning, or promoting employees.
(d) The methods of disciplining employees.
(e) The methods of providing incentives to employees, including the provision of group or individual incentive bonuses or pay.
(f) The hours of work per day or per week.
(g) The methods of involving employees, labor organizations, and employee organizations in personnel decisions.
(h) The methods of reducing overall agency staff and grade levels.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 360, Sec. 61. (SB 1309) Effective January 1, 2013.)