It is the policy of this state that each county may establish a personnel system administered in a manner that will provide for the effective implementation of the following merit principles:
(1) recruiting, selecting, and advancing county employees on the basis of relative ability, knowledge, and skills, including open consideration of qualified applicants for employment for initial appointment;
(2) providing equitable and adequate compensation to county employees;
(3) training county employees as needed to assure high-quality performance;
(4) retaining county employees on the basis of the adequacy of the county employee's performance;
(5) separating from county employees whose inadequate performance cannot be corrected;
(6) treating applicants for employment and county employees fairly in all aspects of personnel administration without regard to:
(a) race;
(b) color;
(c) religion;
(d) sex;
(e) national origin;
(f) political affiliation;
(g) age; or
(h) disability;
(7) having proper regard for each county employee's privacy and constitutional rights as citizens;
(8) providing county employees information regarding a county employee's political rights and prohibited practices under the Hatch Act; and
(9) providing a formal procedure for processing a county employee's appeals and grievances without:
(a) discrimination;
(b) coercion;
(c) restraint; or
(d) retaliation.