Okla. Stat. tit. 56, § 56-26.17

employees.

A. The Director of Human Services shall have the power to

employ and fix the qualifications, duties, and compensation of

employees necessary to the fulfillment of the duties of the

Department of Human Services as provided by law, and shall have the

power to approve any legal claim for payment.

B. The Department of Human Services shall be a Merit System

agency. The provisions of this section shall supersede and revoke

any and all Executive Orders placing the Department of Human

Services or its predecessors under the provisions of the Merit

System of Personnel Administration.

C. In addition to offices, positions, and personnel in the

unclassified service pursuant to Sections 840-5.3 and 840-5.5 of

Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes, the following offices, positions,

and personnel shall be in the unclassified service:

1. Campus police appointed pursuant to Section 162.2 of this

title;

2. The legal division or unit established pursuant to Section

236 of this title;

3. The Construction Unit and the Architectural and Engineering

Unit or their successor units; and

4. A maximum of ten percent (10%) of the maximum number of

full-time-equivalent positions authorized by law to the Department

of Human Services and selected at the discretion of the Director of

the Department of Human Services. Employees retained in the

unclassified service under the provisions of this section shall be

employees at will. Any classified employee occupying a position

selected by the Director pursuant to this paragraph to become an

unclassified position may elect to retain classified status. All

future appointees to such position shall be in the unclassified

service. The Director shall submit a list of such positions to the

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 56. Poor Persons Page 17

Office of Management and Enterprise Services by September 1, 2004,

and annually thereafter.

D. All other offices, positions and personnel of the Department

of Human Services shall be classified and subject to the provisions

of the Merit System of Personnel Administration, as provided in the

Oklahoma Personnel Act and rules promulgated thereunder.