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.

WHAT IS THE MERIT SYSTEM?

What is the Merit System And how is it administered in the City and County?

In response to a burst of public outrage during the late 1800’s, civil service was established as a path to “good government.”

Civil service, also known as the merit system, was created to assure that the recruitment and retention of a qualified work force, and, the selection and promotion of employees providing public services and compensated by tax dollars is conducted in a fair and impartial manner and in a competitive fashion.

Today’s increased public demand for accountability, high performance and ethical standards require a visible, objective public personnel process provided by a merit system. The City’s merit system, administered by the Civil Service Commission, was first established by voters in the 1900 Charter.  The Charter approved by voters in 1996 reinforces the merit system under the jurisdiction of the Civil Service Commission and delineates the merit system responsibilities of the City’s Personnel Department - the Department of Human Resources. 

The Civil Service Commission is responsible for the establishment of Rules, policies and procedures and the hearing of appeals.  The Human Resources Department implements the merit system through the administration of its examination, classification and merit system programs.

The Civil Service Commissioners serve six-year terms.  The Charter requires Civil Service Commissioners and the Human Resources Director to make a declaration upon their appointment opposing appointments to public service as a reward for political activity.

The City’s Merit System Principles

The principles of the City’s merit system include:

1) recruitment, employment, retention and promotion of employees on the basis of  qualifications and performance; and,  2) high performance and ethical standards, consistent with hiring the best-qualified individual who has successfully completed the examination process, placed on an eligible list and completed the probationary period. 

It is the goal and policy of the Civil Service Commission to provide fair treatment of applicants in all aspects of employment without regard to race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, political affiliation, sexual orientation, ancestry, marital or domestic partnership status, parental status, color, medical condition, and otherwise prohibited nepotism or favoritism.

What is the Scope of the City’s Merit System?

The scope of the merit system of the City and County of San Francisco is defined as examinations; eligibility; duration of eligible lists; certification of eligibles; appointments; promotions; transfers; resignations; lay-offs or reduction in force, both permanent and temporary, due to lack of work or funds, retrenchment or completion of work; the designation and filling of positions, as exempt, temporary, provisional, part-time, seasonal or permanent; classification; status and status rights; probationary status and the administration of probationary periods, except duration; pre-employment and fitness for duty medical examinations, except for the conditions under which referrals for fitness for duty examinations will be made, and the imposition of new requirements; conflict of interest; definition; administration and other merit system matters not in conflict with the Charter.