(1) It is the purpose of this chapter to provide state agencies with competent personnel who will furnish state services to citizens as fairly, efficiently and effectively as possible.
(2)
(a) It is the policy of the state and the responsibility of the director and the administrator to maintain a system of personnel management which fills positions in the classified service through methods which apply the merit principle, with adequate civil service safeguards.
(b) It is the policy of this state to provide for equal employment opportunity by ensuring that all personnel actions including hire, tenure or term, and condition or privilege of employment be based on the ability to perform the duties and responsibilities assigned to the particular position without regard to age, race, creed or religion, color, disability, sex, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.
(bm) It is the policy of this state to recruit, select, and promote employees based on their relative skills, abilities, competencies, and knowledge, including using open processes to consider qualified applicants for initial employment.
(bp) It is the policy of this state to retain employees on the basis of the adequacy of their performance, to correct inadequate performance when possible and appropriate, and to separate from state service employees whose performance and personal conduct is inadequate, unsuitable, or inferior.
(c) It is the policy of this state to take affirmative action which is not in conflict with other provisions of this chapter.
(d) It is the policy of the state to ensure its employees opportunities for satisfying careers and fair treatment based on the value of each employee’s services.
(e) It is the policy of this state to encourage disclosure of information under subch. III and to ensure that any employee employed by a governmental unit is protected from retaliatory action for disclosing information under subch. III.
(f) It is the policy of this state to correct pay inequities based on gender or race in the state civil service system.
(3) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to either infringe upon or supersede the rights guaranteed state employees under subch. V of ch. 111.