§ 2-166. Residency requirements.

(a)

Subject to the provisions of subsections (c) and (h) hereof, each and all new and prospective employees of the city shall maintain their domicile and principal place of residence within the City of Jackson.

(b)

All persons entering upon employment with the city after the effective date of this section who do not maintain their domicile and principal place of residence within the city shall comply with the domicile and residency requirement before the expiration of the first six months from the time of their employment by the city, subject to those persons who are granted a waiver under subsection (d) who must establish residency within 12 months from the time of their employment by the city.

(c)

The provisions of subsection (a) and subsection (b) above shall not apply to current employees who on the effective date of this section do not maintain domiciles and principal places of residence within the city. Any current employee living outside of the city who changes his domicile and principal place of residence on or after the effective date of this section shall be subject to the residency requirement of this section. If on or after the effective date of this section, any current employee who ceases to be an employee of the city for any reason whatsoever, such a person will be subject to the residency requirement of this section upon their subsequent employment with the city.

(d)

The director of personnel management may grant an individual waiver to a prospective employee residing outside of the city after a finding in writing that a sufficient number of qualified residents cannot be recruited for those full- or part-time position(s) requiring specialized expertise or extraordinary qualifications, certifications or training. If a waiver is granted, said employee shall be required to establish residency within the city within 12 months of employment in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(e)

Each and all employees of the city shall certify in writing to the director of personnel management their domicile and principal place of residence within 30 days of the passage of this section. Thereafter, each and all employees of the city shall annually re-certify in writing to the director of personnel management their domicile and principal place of residence, and it shall be the duty of the director of personnel management to enforce this section and to annually report any violation of this section to the mayor and members of the council for the city.

(f)

The failure of any employee to comply with the residency and domicile requirements set forth in subsections (a) and (b) will result in that employee's termination from their employment with the city. Any employee who after having failed to comply with the requirement to certify their domicile or principal place of residence within 30 days of the passage of this section or annually and who fails to provide said certification within seven days of being notified of noncompliance with said certification shall be disciplined for such noncompliance. The submission of false certification information shall constitute noncompliance with this section and shall subject the employee to discipline.

(g)

No person hired after the effective date of this section shall be permanently certified by the civil service commission if he/she is not compliant with the provisions of this section. The personnel director shall be responsible for verifying to the commission that persons hired after the effective date of this section are in compliance.

(h)

The provisions of this section shall not apply to persons 55 years of age or older who are employed through the city's senior AIDES program, which is funded in whole or part through a federal grant program known as the Senior Services America, Inc. grant.

(i)

Persons who applied and are employed for the position of certified police officer within the Jackson Police Department, persons who applied and are employed for the position of certified firefighter within the Jackson Fire Department and at-will positions are exempt from the residency requirement.

(j)

This section shall become effective 30 days after passage and publication.

(Code 1971, § 2-12.1; Ord. No. 1999-4(2), §§ 1—5, 2-2-99; Ord. No. 2006-75(2), 10-10-06; Ord. No. 2007-20(3), 8-9-07; Ord. No. 2014-3(3), 1-30-14; Ord. No. 2017-27(2), 10-24-17)