Civil Service Commission
The Civil Service Commission (CSC) is an independent administrative law body established by the Board of Supervisors in 1946 by County Ordinance No. 580. This ordinance was subsequently repealed in 1963 by Referendum Ordinance No. 1037. It was then revised on February 5, 1973 as the Personnel Rules.
The Civil Service Commission consists of five members. All appointments to the Civil Service Commission are made by the Board of Supervisors. Each Supervisor appoints one member to the Civil Service Commission.
Members of the Civil Service Commission shall be qualified electors of the County and shall be selected on the basis of interest in upholding high standards of public service employment, County productivity, and the fair treatment of County employees; as well as knowledge of merit system principles and personnel administration. A member of the commission shall not hold and any salaried County office or employment.
The Civil Service Commission responsibilities encompass, within the authority of the County Charter, the following:
Quasi-judicial: As an autonomous entity, vested with the authority within the County structure to hear, collect supporting data, evaluate, adjudicate, and prepare formal authoritative rulings in the area of appeals pursuant to the Personnel Rules.
Investigation: The investigation of personnel activities may be conducted at the direction of the Board of Supervisors upon a majority vote of the Civil Service Commission, or upon petition of an exclusively recognized employee organization or citizen group concerning the enforcement and effect of these Personnel Rules. The Commission shall report the findings and conclusion of any investigation to the Board of Supervisors for its consideration.
As provided for in Personnel Rule 2.15, the duties of the Commission encompass the following areas:
Some of the Commission’s specific responsibilities include:
- Appeals from disciplinary actions.
- Appeals from examinations, assignments and separations and a variety of administrative matters – e.g. position allocations, reinstatement, exam eligible lists, etc.
- Investigations into personnel activities.
- Waiver of examination.
- Recommending changes to the Personnel Rules.
The Commission serves as a hearing body for adjudicating employee appeals on matters as set forth in these Rules. The Commission has jurisdiction only in regard to those matters that are specifically appealable to the Commission under a section contained in these Rules where the right of appeal is expressly granted. The Civil Service Commission does not have authority to adjudicate grievances appropriate under an applicable Memorandum of Understanding grievance procedure; and, these Rules shall not be grounds for a grievance, appeal or complaint except as provided in these Rules. Affirmative Action complaints or disputes directly or indirectly alleging discrimination shall be adjudicated by the appropriate procedure in the Memorandum of Understanding.
In essence, Rule 2.16 provides that the Civil Service Commission only has jurisdiction over those matters which are specifically appealable under a section in the Rules where the right of appeal is expressly granted. The Civil Service Commission does not have jurisdiction over grievances which are covered by the Memoranda of Understanding, and affirmative action complaints. These are subject to the appropriate administrative law procedures of bodies.
If any of the provisions of the Personnel Rules are in conflict with the provisions of a Memorandum of Understanding reached pursuant to Government Code Section 3500 et. seq. the Memorandum of Understanding shall be controlling without further Board of Supervisors’ action.