Report 2015-132 Recommendation 6 Responses

Report 2015-132: County Pay Practices: Although the Counties We Visited Have Rules in Place to Ensure Fairness, Data Show That a Gender Wage Gap Still Exists (Release Date: May 2016)

Recommendation #6 To: Fresno, County of

To ensure that they consistently demonstrate that candidates are hired for permanent civil service positions based on valid and job-related criteria, regardless of their sex, each county should develop policies requiring hiring managers to document the reasons why they chose the selected candidate over others from the certified eligibility list.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2018

The County of Fresno has implemented Recommendation 6 from the California State Auditor's report 2015-132 - County Pay Practices. Implementation of this recommendation required a revision to the Personnel Rules, an opportunity for meet and confer with eighteen bargaining units, as well as Board of Supervisors approval. The Board of Supervisors approved the Personnel Rule revision on December 12, 2017. Additionally, Human Resources staff disseminated interview guidelines to departments to assist them in continued compliance with the State audit recommendation.

Completion Date: January 2018

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

Fresno County's new Personnel Rules require that interview documentation include appropriate and valid job-related comments relative to the qualifications of each candidate's interview including why a candidate was selected (or not selected for a position). The interview guidelines also provides the interviewer with example questions and language to include in the selection sheet (including a list of 'appropriate' and 'inappropriate' job-related responses that the interviewer should consider including when evaluating the candidate).

1-Year Agency Response

Since the last update, further changes were made to the Personnel Rules to implement recommendations. There was a delay in moving this forward primarily due to some staff turnover in the department. The County has since filled vacant positions, including our Labor Relations Manager. Making changes to any of our Personnel Rules will require meeting and conferring with eighteen (18) different Bargaining Unit Groups, and taking the item before the Board of Supervisors for final approval before addition to the rules can be implemented.

A meeting with Bargaining groups will be scheduled to discuss proposed changes to the Personnel Rules. Human Resources plans to take the changes to Board of Supervisors for approval before the end of the calendar year.

Human Resources is also working on a Personnel Resources Manual and training to provide direction on how to implement the new proposed language in Personnel Rule (PR) 4211 and (PR) 4221.

Estimated Completion Date: 12/31/17
Response Date: June 2017

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

6-Month Agency Response

Since the last update, several meetings were held with our County Counsel to obtain legal recommendations for the usage of appropriate and valid job related comments relative to the qualifications of each eligible candidate's interview. This will allow the County to balance the concerns referenced in our response.

Upon further review, some of the proposed changes impact our Personnel Rules. Making changes to any of our Personnel Rules will require meeting and conferring with eighteen (18) different Bargaining Unit Groups, and taking the item before the Board of Supervisors for final approval before addition to the rules can be implemented.

Human Resources is also working on a Personnel Resources Manual and training to provide direction on how to implement the new proposed language in Personnel Rule (PR) 4211 and (PR) 4221.

Estimated Completion Date: April 1, 2017
Response Date: December 2016

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

As referenced in the response letter from the County of Fresno dated May 6, 2016, concern was expressed with the practical application of this recommendation as it related to balancing the benefit of hiring managers documenting why they hired certain individuals and did not hire others compared to the potential increased liability of adverse comments concerning unsuccessful candidates. At the time of the draft report, the County of Fresno did not have the benefit of reviewing the other County's referenced in the audit. It was noted in the final report that the County of Santa Clara was the only County who instructed its hiring managers to document why individuals who were interviewed were or were not selected for employment. County of Fresno staff have now had the opportunity to review the County of Santa Clara's instructions as documented in the Santa Clara HR Procedures Manual (pages 10-16). The County is in the process of reviewing and drafting clearer guidelines for hiring managers and training to address this issue. It is expected that this will result in the creation of guidelines and forms to help hiring managers. Additionally, the County will be working closely with Counsel to navigate concerns already noted but to address the recommendation specifically. It is anticipated that, pending Counsel's opinion, the County will respond to partially or fully implement the recommendation. Anticipated Completion Date: October 31st

Estimated Completion Date: 10/31/16
Response Date: July 2016

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2015-132

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.