Berkeley County Civil Service Commission adopts revisions to Article Two hiring rules, testing and probation

The Berkeley County Civil Service Commission approved three addenda to Article Two of its rules and regulations that update how the county fills vacancies, evaluate applicants and administers testing, and that establish a 12‑month probationary period for hires.

The changes, proposed as addenda RR 2026-0005, RR 2026-0006 and RR 2026-0007, were discussed in detail by commissioners and staff before each motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The commission recorded addendum RR 2026-0005 as effective July 1, 2026.

Why it matters: The revisions standardize treatment of previously certified law enforcement officers, clarify how long an eligibility list is retained, set procedures when fewer than three names remain on a list, and replace references to a "physical fitness exam" with a defined "physical agility test," including specific counting rules for sit‑ups and push‑ups. Those changes affect how the sheriff and Civil Service Commission will select and certify candidates for public‑safety positions.

What the rules change: Under the adopted language, previously certified law enforcement applicants will be treated the same as other applicants — they must take the same written examination and physical agility test and no longer receive a prior exemption. The commission added a five‑year lookback on applicants' debts (not limited to bankruptcy filings) and clarified that an eligibility list created by a written exam remains valid until the vacancies the list was created to fill are filled or the list is exhausted; if a new vacancy arises during a current selection process, that vacancy may be considered under the existing list rather than restarting testing.

On testing mechanics, commission materials replace multiple references to "physical fitness exam" with "physical agility test" and add explicit procedures: for sit‑ups, arms must be crossed over the chest and hands must touch the knees at the up position; for push‑ups, a counter places a fist on the floor and the applicant's chest must touch the fist for a repetition to count. The written‑exam briefing was updated to list three Civil Service Commissioners and to state that applicants have two hours to complete the written exam.

The commission also resolved a statutory conflict about probation by adopting a 12‑month probationary period for Article Two employees, consistent with the most recent statutory language cited during the meeting.

Votes at a glance: The commission moved, seconded and adopted each addendum by voice vote; roll‑call names were not recorded in the transcript. The addenda adopted were: - RR 2026-0005 — amendments to Article Two (vacancy notice, eligibility rules, selection procedures), approved; effective July 1, 2026. - RR 2026-0006 — attachment revisions and testing terminology (physical agility test; sit‑up/push‑up protocols; written exam briefing), approved. - RR 2026-0007 — index and hyperlink updates for Article Two, approved.

What commissioners, staff and counsel said: The presenter summarized multiple administrative wording changes and substantive clarifications throughout the article, noting, "we go back 5 years on all debt" to clarify the debt lookback policy. On probation, the presenter said, "the probationary period will be for 12 months." Attorney Mr. Henry was cited as providing legal review supporting the selection procedure when presenting eligible names to the sheriff.

Next steps and timing: Staff (John) will update page numbers and hyperlinks in the Article Two index to match the newly adopted text. The commission recessed at 5:33 p.m.

Sources: Commission discussion and motions as recorded in the meeting transcript.