Applies to uniformed ranks of the Fire Department
This rule affects uniformed ranks of the Fire Department. It doesn't apply to "miscellaneous" employees, uniformed ranks of the Police Department, or "service-critical" MTA workers. Learn about the other rules that apply to the Fire Department.
Rule 310
Examination Announcements
and Applicants
Applicability: Rule 310 shall apply to all classes of the Uniformed Ranks of the San Francisco Fire Department.
Article I: Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
Article II: Applications and Notice of Examinations
Article III: Qualifications of Applicants
Rule 310
Examination Announcements
and Applicants
Article I: Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
Applicability: Article I, Rule 310 shall apply to all classes of the Uniformed Ranks of the San Francisco Fire Department.
Sec. 310.1 Civil Service Commission Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Related to Examination Announcements and Application Procedures
It is the goal and policy of the Civil Service Commission to provide equal employment opportunity for all persons, regardless of race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability or medical condition, political affiliation, sexual orientation, ancestry, marital or domestic partner status, parental status, or other non-merit factors prohibited by law.
The Human Resources Director shall conduct outreach for the purpose of announcing upcoming examinations. Outreach shall include such procedures among others as periodic mailings, job fairs, and presentations to inform the public of the employment opportunities and the examination process within the civil service merit system.
Rule 310
Examination Announcements
and Applicants
Article II: Applications and Notice of Examinations
Applicability: Article II, Rule 310 shall apply to all classes of the Uniformed Ranks of the San Francisco Fire Department.
Sec. 310.2 Examination Announcement
The examination announcement shall provide the qualifications, dates, duration of eligible lists, and other particulars regarding the examinations thereon announced. Applicants must be guided solely by the announcement of the examination(s) for which they apply. Not less than fifteen (15) business days prior to the issuance of this announcement, it shall be provided to the bargaining agent for review and comment.
Sec. 310.3 Protests and Appeals of Examination Announcements
Protests concerning the provisions of an announcement must be received by the Department of Human Resources within a minimum period as determined by the Human Resources Director not to be less than three (3) business days. In establishing the minimum period, the Human Resources Director shall consider, among other factors, stability and reliability of the messaging platform in sending and receiving notifications and extent of access by the labor market to the means for receiving timely notification. The Human Resources Director will rule upon protests and notify petitioners in writing. This decision is subject to appeal to the Civil Service Commission as provided elsewhere in these Rules.
Sec. 310.4 Reissuance of Examination Announcements
After considering protests submitted in accordance with this Rule, the Human Resources Director may reissue the announcement. When reissued, an examination announcement is not subject to the protest or appeal procedure.
Sec. 310.5 Official Time Periods
Examination announcements shall set forth time limits for determination of the qualifications of applicants.
Sec. 310.6 Qualifications of Applicants
310.6.1 Every applicant for entrance or promotional examination must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the examination announcement. Experience not documented in accordance with Civil Service Commission Rules will not be recognized. Credit for out-of-class experience will only be allowed if recorded as provided elsewhere in these Rules.
Sec. 310.6 Qualifications of Applicants (cont.)
310.6.2 Except with permission of the Human Resources Director, no employee may participate in an entrance examination carrying a lower salary schedule than that of the employee's current class. No employee may participate in an examination for a class in which the employee has current permanent appointment status except with the approval of the Human Resources Director.
Sec. 310.7 Application Time Periods
310.7.1 An applicant is a person who has filed an application for examination within the time limits specified and under the conditions specified on the examination announcement for that rank.
310.7.2 Verification shall be the official time receipt of the Examination Unit of the Fire Department or of the Department of Human Resources. Examination announcements shall not be distributed after the end of the filing period.
Sec. 310.8 Notice of Examinations
Official notice of entrance and promotional examinations will be posted on the Department of Human Resources employment opportunities website with copies sent to affected employee organizations. A copy of the posting shall be provided to the certified bargaining representative.
310.8.1 Notice of promotional examinations will be posted for a minimum period not to be less than three (3) business days as determined by the Human Resources Director . In establishing the minimum period, the Human Resources Director shall consider among other factors, number of vacancies, turnover in the classification, stability and reliability of the messaging platform in sending and receiving notifications, extent of access by candidates to the means for receiving timely notification, and equal employment opportunity and racial equity goals. The Fire Department will also issue a General Order notifying uniformed members of the promotional opportunity. DHR will, on a regular basis, report to the CSC on the progress of advance notification of upcoming employment opportunities for postings of five (5) days or less on the employment opportunity website.
310.8.2 Requests for notice of filing dates for entrance examinations may be filed online through the Department of Human Resources website. Notifications shall be emailed at the inquirer's risk. Failure to receive a requested notification shall not result in any special consideration or remedy related to the examination process.
Sec. 310.9 Application Custody
Applications and supporting documents become the property of the Department of Human Resources when received. Return of such documents shall require the approval of the Human Resources Director.
Sec. 310.10 False Statements by Applicants
Significant false statements, whether intentional or unintentional, made or permitted by any applicant on the application or in the selection process shall be good cause for the exclusion by the Human Resources Director of such person from any examination, the removal by the Human Resources Director of the applicant's name from the eligible list, and other action under the jurisdiction of the Human Resources Director. Such action may be appealed to the Civil Service Commission. Significant false statements shall be good cause for a recommendation by the Human Resources Director to the Fire Chief for action up to and including discharge from the City and County service.
310.10.1 In accordance with its Charter authority, the Civil Service Commission may act on charges against an entry-level applicant when the appointing officer neglects or refuses to act.
Sec. 310.11 Names Not to Be Made Public
The names of applicants for any examination shall not be made public prior to announcement of the results of the examination. Names of participants who fail in any examination shall not be made public.
Sec. 310.12 Change of Address
In all cases of change of address after having filed an application for an examination, the Examination Unit of the Fire Department must be notified in writing separately for each class involved. Notice of change of address to the Post Office, the Department of Human Resources, the employee's current department and/or the Fire Department Assignment Office will not be a reasonable excuse for special consideration in case of failure to respond to any notice within time limits.
Sec. 310.13 Correction of Clerical Errors in Examination Announcements
Examination announcements may be corrected with respect to clerical errors, misprints and incorrect wording by the Human Resources Director, by posting notice of such corrections next to the original examination announcement. The issuance of examination announcements corrected under the provisions of this section shall not allow additional time for appeal of the substantive provisions contained in the original examination announcement.
Rule 310
Examination Announcements
and Applicants
Article III: Qualifications of Applicants
Applicability: Article III, Rule 310 shall apply to all classes of the Uniformed Ranks of the San Francisco Fire Department.
Sec. 310.14 Application for Examination
Any person having the qualifications prescribed by these Rules and the terms of the examination announcement may submit himself or herself for any examination under conditions established by the Department of Human Resources.
Sec. 310.15 Applicants for Entrance Positions
Applicants for entrance positions shall be a minimum of nineteen (19) years of age at the time of the close of the application filing period, and a minimum of twenty (20) years of age at the time of appointment.
Sec. 310.16 Recruitment of Candidates
Recruitment shall be conducted to attract qualified applicants and to insure equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability or medical condition, political affiliation, sexual orientation, ancestry, marital or domestic partner status, parental status, or other non-merit factors prohibited by law. Where appropriate or needed, the Human Resources Director shall conduct outreach and recruitment programs, including cooperative efforts with community organizations, to attract qualified applicants. When there is underrepresentation of historically disadvantaged groups for a specific class or occupational category, the Human Resources Director shall review the pool of qualified applicants. Where the pool of applicants does not reflect the demographics of the relevant labor market, and upon consideration of factors such as the number of anticipated vacancies and the level of underrepresentation, the Human Resources Director may take such action as appropriate and legal.
Sec. 310.17 Promotional Applicants
Applicants for promotional examinations shall meet the requirements of the examination announcement under which they apply and be eligible to participate in an examination on a promotive basis as defined by the examination announcement.