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 County of San Francisco.
Certification of Eligibles
What is an Eligible?
An “eligible” is a person who has standing on a list that is utilized by the department head to fill a vacancy in a class (job code). An eligible gains standing on an eligible list when that person has submitted a job application, been deemed qualified and successfully competed in the examination process according to the terms of the examination announcement.
What is the Certification of Eligibles?
Eligibles are notified of 1) their standing on a tentative eligible list, 2) the inspection period, and 3) any appeal rights. When an eligible list has been formally adopted, civil service appointments may be made. Certification of Eligibles is a term used to describe the process of referring to a department head persons who have standing on an eligible list and are available for civil service appointment. The date of certification is used to determine certain merit system rights such as status and seniority in a class (job code).
How Does the Department of Human Resources determine which eligibles Are referred from the eligible list to a department to fill a Vacancy?
The Department of Human Resources (DHR) Referral Unit determines which scores from an eligible list are to be referred to the department head to fill a vacancy by considering these factors: 1) the number of vacancies approved for hire (requisitions); 2) the Certification Rule to be applied and 3) the availability of eligibles at each score (rank). There is one exception to this provision – selective certification (see below).
Rule of Three Certification
The “Rule of Three” refers to the Charter requirement that the department head must consider at a minimum, the three highest scores from a list of eligibles to fill a vacancy. To fill more than one vacancy, the Referral Unit considers the number of vacancies plus two (2) scores.
Expanded Certification
Expanded certification is any certification beyond the Rule of Three scores. Expanded certification (except Rule of the List) operates on the same principle as the Rule of Three. For example, to implement the Rule of Five Scores, DHR refers five highest scores to the department head for consideration; if there are two requisitions available for appointment, then six scores are referred to the department head for selection.
DHR is required to refer all available eligibles to the department head when applying a Rule of the List certification.
Selective Certification
Selective certification occurs when an employee who has been certified from a regularly adopted eligible list to a temporary position demonstrates six (6) months satisfactory job performance. Such employees are entitled to appointment to a permanent position within the same classification (job code) ahead of other eligibles standing higher on the list. Documentation of civil service status and performance must comply with DHR procedures on selective certification.
Who is a Reachable Eligible?
“Are you reachable?” is a common question when talking about eligible lists and filling vacancies. Being “reachable” is a term used to describe when an eligible is available for appointment and is among the top scores that may be used to fill a vacancy. To determine who is ”reachable”, DHR is required to count the number of requisitions approved, apply appropriate Certification Rule and determine the availability of eligibles at each score. All available eligibles who place in this calculation are “reachable” for appointment. Eligibles who are not available (under waiver), but otherwise “reachable”, are not included in the referral.
When is a Score Exhausted?
There may be more than one person for each score. In fact, the 1991 Charter amendment which resulted in the minimum certification of Three Scores, contemplated tie scores. A score continues to be referred to the department head until there is no one left in that score. The score is exhausted when there are no available eligibles in the score. If an eligible not available for appointment, has his/her waiver lifted, then the score is no longer considered exhausted and is to be counted among the scores referred to the department head.