The director, subject to the limitations of appropriations and any law relating to the civil service of the state or any department or other agency thereof that may be in effect, may establish and make appointments to positions within the department, abolish positions, transfer duties between positions and assign duties to, direct and control the work of, and transfer, promote, demote, remove, and otherwise change the status of employees of the department.  All employees of the department shall, to the extent practicable, be interchangeable in work assignments for any temporary period which may be necessary to meet seasonal and emergency demands upon the department.