Any personnel management actions taken under the provisions of this chapter shall comply with merit standards as follows:
(1) Recruiting, selecting, and advancing civil service employees through open consideration of qualified applicants for initial appointments and promotions. Selection of qualified applicants is based on relative ability, knowledge, and skills;
(2) Providing equitable and adequate compensation;
(3) Training civil service employees to assure high quality performance;
(4) Retaining civil service employees based on performance, correcting inadequate performance, and separating employees whose performance cannot be improved; and
(5) Assuring fair treatment without regard to age, political affiliation, race, color, national origin, sex, or religious creed.