2017-03 Performance Audit Report: County of Hawai'i's Department of Human Resources Hiring Practices

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Background What is the primary function of the Department of Human Resources (DHR)? The Department of Human Resources (DHR) is the central human resource agency for the County of Hawai'i whose functions include administering the civil service laws as they apply to the County. As the central human resources agency for the County, the department has the responsibility for strategic planning, workforce planning and employment, equal opportunity, personnel development, compensation and benefits, employee and labor relations, and occupational health and safety.' The Department of Human Resources is composed of seven divisions: Administrative Services, Classification and Pay, Equal Opportunity/ADA, Health and Safety, Labor Relations, Personnel and Organizational Development, and Recruitment and Examination. What is civil service? Civil service and civil service positions are all positions within a jurisdiction that are not exempted by Hawai "i Revised Statues, Section 46-33, 76-16, or 76-77, or by other law and must be filled through civil service recruitment procedures based on merit. Generally, civil service law defines civil servants as public employees hired to provide services to the public by federal, state, county, and municipal governments. The respective legislature provides the methods by which civil servants are selected and regulations governing the civil service. A civil service system is established by the legislature, who may delegate to a board of civil service commissioners the authority to make rules consistent with existing laws, to conduct investigations, and generally, to exercise any and all administrative measures necessary and to properly to achieve the objectives and purposes of the civil service laws. Civil service appointment positions are normally made from eligibility lists composed of persons meeting the established qualifications as determined by tests and civil service examinations. The procedures for the hiring and firing of civil servants are generally more regulated and less discretionary than those for employees in the private sector.3 What is the purpose of the Merit Appeals Board (MAB)? The Merit Appeals Board has two primary functions. First, it hears and decides on appeals relating to the following: recruitment and examination; classification and reclassification of a particular position; initial pricing of classes; and other employment actions, including disciplinary actions for failure of the employees to meet performance requirements. (Note: employees, as 2 County of Hawai"i Department of Human Resources. "Description". http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/human-resources/ 3 Civil Service Law and Legal Definition https://definitions.uslegal.com/c/civil-service/ Background 2 1 P a g e