Civil Service Commission

We maintain a fair system to make sure the City hires the best-qualified people for public service.

A view looking up at the lit front facade of San Francisco City Hall at dusk, with a brilliant purple and pink sky in the background.

“Sunset over City Hall” by Sergio Ruiz, CC BY

Learn about Civil Service Commission hearings

We hold public hearings to learn more about city contracts, city hiring, and unfair treatment of employees in City departments. We also review and develop employment rules and policies.

See our 2024 meeting calendar

New CSC Memo for Proposed Rules

CSC Memo 2024-02 Posting memo: proposed amendments to rule series 020 - Leaves of Absence

Get ready for your hearing

If you filed an appeal, learn what to expect and how to prepare.

Prepare a staff report

City staff: When someone makes an appeal, you need to prepare a staff report in response.

Meetings

Civil Service Commission

City Hall - Room 400
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102

Schedule

Meetings occur twice monthly on the first and third Mondays, except holidays.

Listen to audio recordings of previous Civil Service Commission meetings.

Past meetings

Civil Service Commission Regular Meeting

Monday, Dec 16, 2024, 2:00 pm

Civil Service Commission Regular Meeting

Monday, Dec 2, 2024, 12:00 am

Cancelled

Civil Service Commission Regular Meeting

Monday, Nov 18, 2024, 2:00 pm

See past meetings

Services

Appeals and hearings

File an appeal with the Civil Service Commission

If you do not agree with a decision related to the City's merit system, you can file an appeal.

Prepare documents for a Civil Service Commission appeal

Find out how to share documents with the Civil Service Commission to support an appeal.

Ask to reschedule a Civil Service Commission hearing

If you need to postpone your hearing or schedule it after after 5 pm, here's what to do.

Prepare a staff report for the Civil Service Commission

City staff: When someone makes an appeal, the department needs to prepare a staff report in response.

File an action request for a Civil Service Commission hearing

City staff: Learn how to postpone or cancel an upcoming hearing about an appeal.

Get a copy of a report from the Civil Service Commission

Anyone can ask for a copy of a Civil Service Commission report related to a hearing.

Investigations

Request a Civil Service Commission inspection and audit

If a City department has not been hiring or promoting employees fairly, you can ask for an investigation.

Employee Relations Ordinance

File a bargaining unit assignment protest

If the Employee Relations Director makes a decision or decides to make a change to a current bargaining unit, and if an employee or labor union disagrees with the decision, within sixty (60) days from the Director’s decision, a protest can be filed.

Management, Supervisory, or Confidential Designation Complaint

The Employee Relations Director decides which job classes of employees are to be considered as management, supervisory or confidential. If an employee disagrees, the decision can be reviewed by an administrative law judge for a hearing and decision.

Filing Petitions for Recognition, Challenging, or Decertification of Union

Any registered employee union can ask to be recognized as the labor union representative of a bargaining unit; another employee labor union may challenge to be the labor union of a bargaining unit; or employees or employee labor unions may file to decertify the union of the unit.

File an unfair labor practice charge

Find out how to file a labor complaint against a department if you are a peace officer or management employee. The Employee Ordinance explains what are considered reasons for filing charges.

Respond to an unfair labor practice charge

City staff: If your department has received an unfair labor complaint from a peace officer or a management employee, here’s what to do.

Appeals from MTA service-critical employees

File an action request for an MTA service-critical staff hearing

MTA staff: An action request allows you to postpone or cancel an upcoming Civil Service Commission hearing. It may also be used if the appeal is resolved administratively.

Prepare an MTA service-critical staff report for the CSC

MTA staff: When a service-critical employee makes an appeal, you need prepare a staff report in response.

Resources

Frequently accessed rules and policies

Rule 114: Appointments (Civil Service Commission)

Rule 117: Probationary Period (Civil Service Commission)

Rule 119: Resignation (Civil Service Commission)

Rule 120: Leaves of Absence (Civil Service Commission)

Rule 122: Employee Separation Procedures (Civil Service Commission)

Policy on Prohibiting Violence in the Workplace (Civil Service Commission)

Commission policies

Civil Service Commission policies

Learn about the policies that apply to City and County employees.

Civil Service Advisers

Get guidance on employment policies and rules related to the City's merit system.

Commission rules

Rules that apply to most City employees (Civil Service Commission) - Vol I

Learn about the rules that apply to most City employees (also called “miscellaneous” employees).

Rules for uniformed ranks of the police department (Civil Service Commission) - Vol II

Learn about the rules that apply to the uniformed ranks of the San Francisco Police Department.

Rules for the uniformed ranks of the fire department (Civil Service Commission) - Vol III

Learn about the rules that apply to the uniformed ranks of the San Francisco Fire Department.

Rules for MTA service critical employees (Civil Service Commission) - Vol IV

Learn about the rules that apply to employees of the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) who are classified as "service-critical."

Preparing for a hearing

Get ready for your Civil Service Commission appeal hearing

If you filed an appeal and received notice of your hearing date, learn what to expect from your hearing and how to prepare.

Prepare to represent your department at a Civil Service Commission hearing

City staff: If your department has to respond to an appeal during a hearing, here's what you need to know.

Civil Service Commission hearing policies and procedures

Reports

Civil Service Commission reports

Get detailed information about our achievements, goals, and plans.

About

The Civil Service Commission oversees the City’s merit system. We help make sure that San Francisco hires and promotes the best-qualified people for City jobs. We also conduct investigations and hold hearings for workers who think they have been treated unfairly.

Learn more about us

People

Commissioners

The Civil Service Commission consists of 5 members appointed by the Mayor. At least 2 members of the Commission must be women. Each member serves a 6-year term.