87-1-403. Regulation of employees by director. (1) The director may suspend without pay, reduce in rank, or remove any employee at any time for cause, providing that any person who has been continuously employed for 1 year or more immediately preceding any suspension or discharge may demand and receive a hearing before the department on the charges filed. The action of the department resulting from such a hearing constitutes final administrative action for purposes of filing a grievance with the board of personnel appeals as provided in 87-1-205.

(2) The director shall rate all employees on the basis of merit and efficiency in accordance with rules adopted by the department to secure a proper rating of each person employed. The salaries of employees shall be fixed by the department, and travel expenses, as provided for in 2-18-501 through 2-18-503, as amended, shall be allowed employees while upon official business away from designated headquarters.