Commission Duties

The Civil Service Commission comprises five members. Each member serves a term of four years. As established by the City Charter, the Civil Service Commission makes recommendations to the council and the city manager and conducts investigations concerning the administration of personnel in the classified service.

The commission reviews and recommends changes to the civil service rules and appoints members to the City Council Salary Setting Commission. The commission may also act as an appellate body for certain personnel decisions affecting City employees.

This commission is advisory to the City Council regarding civil service rules, as well as to the city manager and any other appointive power regarding personnel administrative matters. Appeals to decisions made by the commission concerning employee discipline and dismissal must be made through the court system.

Meetings

The commission meets the first Thursday of each month at 4:00 p.m., in City Hall Room W120. In addition to the regular meetings, commission members attend study sessions, closed hearings, and meetings with the city attorney and staff. Commissioners average 16-20 hours per month on commission business.

Member Qualification & Information

The Civil Service Commission has five members, each serving a four year term. Commission members must be registered voters in the City of San José at all times during their term of office. No more than four commissioners can be of the same sex and one must be an attorney who has practiced law in the State of California for at least five years. A background in personnel or labor-management relations would be helpful. Due to the appellate nature of this commission, members should be able to listen to two sides of a disagreement and weigh evidence objectively.

Non-Presiding Officer members of the Commission will receive a compensation of $200 per month and the Presiding Officer will receive $450 per month. From time to time, commissioners can also be reimbursed for some expenses incurred on City business. 

Political Reform Act of 1974

The Conflict of Interests Section of the Political Reform Act applies to the Civil Service Commission. Commissioners are required to file a Statement of Economic Interests, Form 700, and to disclose investments, income including loans and gifts, and business positions. Reportable interests are limited to persons, business entities, or other sources providing employee/employer relations services to the City or its employees, or advising or representing City employees in administrative or legal actions relating to employment.

Appointment

Following posting of a Notice of Vacancy, all applications received by the deadline will be submitted to the mayor and council members who, in turn, will notify the city clerk as to whom they would like to interview. Applicants receiving four or more such indications of interest will be asked to appear during a regularly-scheduled council meeting and will be interviewed by the mayor and council. The mayor and council then cast written ballots which are read into the record by the City Clerk. Applicants receiving six or more votes, or the highest number of votes over six, will be appointed to serve on the commission.

Attendance

Commissioners are expected to attend all commission meetings. San José Municipal Code Section 2.08.2030 specifies that a commission member who has unexcused absences from any three consecutive regular meetings, or 20% of the meetings in a calendar year, is deemed to have resigned.

For further information about the commission, contact the commission staff at (408) 535-1265.

Additional Information

• Applications
• Official List
• Roster
• Vacancies
• Civil Service Commission Calendar
• CSC Resolution No. 144
• CSC Resolution No. 146
• CSC Standing Orders

2016 Agendas and Minutes

Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.

Acrobat Reader Windows Media Player Word Viewer Excel Viewer PowerPoint Viewer