City adopts streamlined Civil Service
hiring process

Labor Council executive director Tim Paulson
pleased with applicant and worker checks and balances.
Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

February 11, 2006

By Pat Murphy

City workers may be hired more quickly under a compromise change in Civil Service rules adopted Friday by the San Francisco Civil Service Commission.

Proposed by Mayor Newsom, streamlined hiring process was approved to stem applicant loss due to hiring waits of up to a year.

Labor and city administration officials last night hailed the measure after revision of eligibility and certification rules gave applicants and workers "more checks and balances."

Tim Paulson, executive director of the San Francisco Labor Council, said he is hopeful the newly revamped process will protect worker rights.

"I think Local 790 is pleased it has a few more checks and balances that they had proposed and I think commissioners addressed that," Paulson told the Sentinel.

"That fact that the commission agreed to review the process as implemented within six months is a hopeful sign," added Paulson. The commission directed that a review and report be undertaken every six months.

That compromise keeps the goal of speedier hiring intact, reported Phil Ginsburg, director of the San Francisco Human Resources Department. In the past some applicants took other jobs during the lengthy City hiring process.

Compromise keeps integrity of City goal for quicker hiring intact,
said Human Resources director Phil Ginsburg.

"There were two outstanding issues and we were able to work through them, and in a way that protects the integrity of the rules," Ginsburg stated.

"It's much more efficient.

"We're going to be able to hire really talented people who don't want to wait around between six and twelve months to work their way through our system.

"I think it will help us address some of the succession planning - you know we're going to have a lot of vacancies in the next few years.

Mayor Newsom expressed appreciation to the commission.

"My reaction to tonight's vote is very positive and appreciative," Newsom told the Sentinel.

"It really is going to help the City...in just allowing the reduction of provisional employees, to have more permanent staff, to not have to hire someone twice after they've been a provisional (employee) then making them full-time."

"I'm here to...work together. I don't want to put us in a situation where it's management versus labor.

"That's an old construct - it's stale, it's outmoded and I'm looking at partnerships.

"It was a good day."

San Francisco Civil Service Commission President Linda Richardson.