Civil Service Reform

• Replaces 43-year-old civil service system
• Applies fully to those not in bargaining units
• Collective bargain agreements may override parts for represented employees

Streamlining Class Structure

Personnel System Reform Act calls for:

• Substantial reduction in the number of job classifications
• More responsive, streamlined system

Currently 2,400 job classes for general government and higher education

New Classification & Compensation System

• Consolidate current job classes into broad occupational categories
• Four levels within most categories
• Result: approximately 800+ job classes
• Salary ranges consolidated into fewer, wider bands

Transition to New System

• Employees transition at current salary
• May continue to receive step increases to reach top of salary range
• Job evaluation method used for future salary determinations
• Will also have recruitment/retention pay, assignment pay, and adjustments for changes in duties and responsibilities

Recruitment & Selection Changes

• May use DOP's online application/screening process or decentralized processes
• Applications accepted at any time
• Candidate screening based on position needs, not job class
• Use of minimum qualifications optional, except when required by law
• No classification-based testing requirements
• Each candidate pool an unranked list (except for RIF)
• Can choose whether and how to use promotional preference
• Candidate referral decentralized
• Can choose how many names to refer (no central “rule of #”)

Performance Management Tools

• Guidance, training, tools will help implement performance management system
• “Readiness confirmation” required before using performance as a factor in compensation, layoff, or other key human resource decisions
• Performance management training required within 6 months of becoming manager/supervisor
• Evaluation forms emphasize performance expectations

Changes to RIF

• In addition to seniority, performance, competencies, and other business need may factor into layoff decisions
• Employees must meet position-specific requirements of layoff options
• All RIF names, plus promotional names, will be received
• May require review period for RIF appointee

Collective Bargaining

• Bargaining begins no later than July 2004
• Contracts become effective July 2005
• Governor's Office negotiates contracts for state agencies
• Higher education institutions may negotiate their contracts

Collective Bargaining

• One master agreement with each union with 500 members of more (about 7 agreements)
• Each master agreement will apply to all agencies with employees represented by that union
• Legislature must approve fiscal terms of contracts

Mandatory Subjects for Bargaining

• Wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment
• Insurance benefit dollar amount

Prohibited Subjects of Bargaining

• Pensions
• Inherent management policy
• Financial basis for layoff
• Directing and supervising staff
• Permissive Subjects of Bargaining
• Rules about:
  • exams
  • certifying names for vacancies
  • appointments
  • classification
  • affirmative action

Employees excluded from bargaining

• Washington Management Service
• Exempt and confidential employees
• Internal auditors
• Employees of DOP, OFM, and portions of AGO

Competitive Contracting

Under the Personnel System Reform Act:

• Competitive contracting expands to services “traditionally and historically provided by state employees”
• Employees get 60 days to offer alternatives and a 90-day notice of intent to competitively contract work
• Employees may form employee business units and submit bids
• Training for employees to be provided by DOP and GA

Bid Process Requires:

• Existence of a competitive market
• Measurable standards for performance
• Consideration of risk associated with failed performance
• Requires successful bidder to consider hiring state employees who may be displaced

Competitive Contracting Goals

• Improvements that result in cost savings and efficiencies
• Fair and consistently applied rules and processes that are easily understood
• Competitive skills and attitudes in agencies result in efficiency, whether or not a task is contracted out
• Strategic process aligned with state budgeting that complements collective bargaining and civil service reform

Employee Business Unit (EBU) Assumptions

• “Employees” include line employees, supervisors and managers
• State will competitively contract with the state
• EBU is a unit within parent agency
• When contract awarded, former unit/positions eliminated, replaced with EBU
• Performance agreement defines relationship with parent agency

To get the full PowerPoint presentation prepared for the legislative briefing, click on the link below:

Washington Works Presentation