SB 285

This bill makes various changes to the state civil service (civil service). The civil

service includes all positions and offices of trust or employment in the service of the

state, except positions and offices in the University of Wisconsin System and the

Wisconsin National Guard. The civil service includes both the classified and

unclassified service. The civil service is administered by the Division of Personnel

Management (DPM) in the Department of Administration (DOA) and the Bureau of

Merit Recruitment and Selection (bureau) in DPM.

The hiring process.

1. This bill replaces competitive examinations with competitive procedures.

Under current law, subject to certain exceptions, appointments to and promotions in

the classified service must be made according to merit and fitness, which must be

ascertained by competitive examinations. This bill changes the manner that must

be used to ascertain the merit and fitness of applicants from competitive

examinations to competitive procedures.

2. This bill requires applicants for positions in the classified service to submit

an application and resume to the bureau.

3. Unless a certain conviction record disqualifies applicants from a civil service

position, this bill prohibits the director of the bureau from asking an applicant on an

application, or otherwise, to supply information about the applicant's conviction

record before the applicant is certified for the position.

4. This bill provides a preference for veterans and certain spouses of veterans

in the hiring process for a classified position in the civil service. Under the bill, if a

veteran or qualifying spouse of a veteran is included on a certification list, the

appointing authority must offer an interview to the veteran or spouse of a veteran.

Additionally, after interviewing candidates for a position, if minimum qualifications,

skills, abilities, competencies, and knowledge are equal among the candidates, an

appointing authority shall give a preference to the veteran. These preferences

replace the preference system under current law, under which veterans and

qualifying spouses of veterans receive preference points. Under current law,

preference points are applied during the process of creating a certification list for a

position.

5. Under the bill, before making an offer of employment to an individual who

currently holds a position in the civil service, an appointing authority must review

the individual's personnel file. This bill also requires the administrator of DPM and

the director of the bureau to provide an appointing authority with access to the

personnel files of such employees.

6. This bill changes the general deadline for making appointments from 60 days

after certification to 30 days after certification. The bill also requires the director of

the bureau to use procedures designed to certify applicants for a vacant permanent

position within 30 days of receiving a request from an appointing authority, rather