- Bellflower Unified School District
- Personnel Commission
Personnel Commission
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Personnel Commission Bellflower Unified School District
The Personnel Commission of Bellflower Unified School District provides several services for the District:
- Oversee the recruiting and testing of classified candidates for employment
- Perform position classification and reclassification studies
- Conduct salary studies and surveys
- Hold hearing on appeals of disciplinary actions
- Assist with defining rules and regulations
- Insure the implementation of the Merit System
Merit System
History
The merit system for federal civil service started in 1883. Prior to this, federal civil service employment operated on the "spoils" patronage system where those filling civil service positions were appointed by the person elected to office. The Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 guarded against patronage appointments and set up the first civil service system for federal employees. The merit system of employment was expanded to California school district employees as a result of cronyism in the Los Angeles Unified School District in the 1930s. During this time, more than 700 public school employees were fired to provide jobs for friends of the newly elected Board members. As a result, Los Angeles Unified School District lobbied the state to expand the merit system to education agencies. In 1976, the state of California incorporated the merit system into the California Education code. Ed Code 45220-45226 describes the Merit System and the process for implementation by a school district.
Principles of the Merit System
The merit system operates on a set of principles to implement systems of equity and fairness concerning the hiring, retention, and promotion of individuals in classified service based upon ability and skills. The list of principles it operates on are:
- Recruitment from all segments of society
- Advancement based on relative ability, knowledge, and skills under fair and open competition
- Fair and equitable treatment of all personnel management matters
- Equal pay for work of equal value
- Efficient and Effective use of work force
- Retention of employees who perform well
- Correction of performance of those whose work is inadequate
- Separation of those who cannot or will not meet required standards
- Improve performance through effective education and training
- Protect employees from arbitrary action, favoritism, or political coercion
Members:
Chairperson Susan Berhow, appointed by CSEA
Vice-Chairperson Stacey Chanan, appointed by the Board of Education
Member Kathleen Guy, appointed by the Personnel Commission
