The Civil Service Commission has established the Civil Service Adviser to enhance delivery of information on important employment issues and policies affecting the merit system of the City and
CLASSIFICATION – OVERVIEW
This Adviser is published as the first in a series of Civil Service Advisers on Classification, Status and Status Grants.
Authority
Article X of the San Francisco Charter outlines the responsibilities of the Civil Service Commission and Human Resources Director: The Civil Service Commission is charged with the responsibility to establish Rules and hearing appeals on classification matters. The Human Resources Director subject to appeal to the Civil Service Commission, has the duty and authority to establish a system of job classification and to allocate each position to a job class based on the level, scope and type of assigned duties. The Human Resources Director is authorized to create new classes, abolish, consolidate, or amend classes.
Classification Plan
Over the history of the City’s merit system, there have been a number of classification plans. The current classification system is based on a job analysis reflecting distinct differences in levels and types of work performed. Groups of positions form a class when the duties are at the same level of responsibility and authority. Classes performing the same kind of work but differing as to scope of responsibility are organized in to class series. Although each class is distinct in the level and type of work performed, at times, there may be duties that overlap within a class series or between classes. Each classification is described in the class specification. The class specification is the “official description” of the class providing a broad description of the class but not the specific duties and responsibilities of each individual position allocated to the class. The class specification may also give examples of significant and typical duties, minimum requirements and special requirements. The class specification differs from an examination announcement in that an examination announcement is more specific to the position or positions to be filled, particularly for Position-Based testing or when a special condition is applicable.
Amending the Classification Plan
The Human Resources Director is authorized to and responsible for making changes to the classification plan including creating new classes, abolishing, consolidating, or amending classes including the determination of status of an employee or groups of employees, subject to appeal
to the Civil Service Commission. The Human Resources Director may administratively grant status where there is not more than a 7½% difference between the salaries of the affected classes. Status may be granted by the Civil Service Commission where the salary difference is greater than 7½%.
Amendments to the classification plan are posted and employee organizations notified of the proposed changes. Protests must be filed with the Department of Human Resources within seven (7) days of the posting notice. The decision of the Human Resources Director is final unless appealed to the Civil Service Commission within thirty (30) days of the decision.
Status
In considering changes to the classification plan, the Human Resources Director is bound by the Charter requirement that the allocation or reallocation of a position not adversely affect the civil service rights of the current incumbent. Specifically, permanent service employees have “status” in the City and County service to perform certain duties in a specific class. This right stems from the examination in which the employee qualified and/or appointment received, and, the duties performed on the official records. The Human Resources Director is responsible for determining the status of an employee and/or eligible, subject to appeal to the Civil Service Commission.
An employee has status in a class, but not to a particular position within such a class. The department head has very broad discretion in reassigning an employee from one position to another position in the same class and has authority to assign an employee to perform work provided that it is consistent with the type of duties and level of responsibility of the employee’s class.
Out-of-Class Assignments
The City’s Charter, Section 10.103, also provides that no person shall hold a position outside of the classification to which the person has been appointed, provided that “…every employee of any department or office shall discharge any of the duties pertaining to such department or office to which the employee’s department head may temporarily assign the employee.” Civil Service Adviser No. 26-2006 “Out of Class Assignment” covers additional information on this topic.