The Department of Civil Service is the central personnel agency for the County of Hawaii. The department’s purpose is to develop, maintain, and administer a personnel system based on merit principles and scientific methods governing the classification of positions and the employment, conduct, movement, and separation of public officers and employees.

The merit principles are described in section 76-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes. They are:

Besides the director and deputy director of personnel, the department has a staff of 12 permanent full-time positions, one of which has been vacant since September 1992. Departmental staffing also included two students from the Hawaii Community College employed under the Cooperative Vocational Education Program.

Other than the Office of the Director, the department is organized into five major functional divisions:

• Administrative and Audit Division
• Classification and Pay
• Labor and Employee Relations
• Personnel Development and Training
• Recruitment and Examination

In addition to the five divisions, two commissions are assigned to the department: the Civil Service Commission and the Salary Commission.

BUDGET

The department’s total operating budget for Fiscal Year 1999-2000 was $757,392 and is itemized as follows:

Ms. Merle M. Egusa serves as the head of the department’s Administration and Audit Division. Ms. Egusa, a native of the Big Island, began her career with the County of Hawaii in 1966. She has been with the Department of Civil Service since 1970 and has headed the Administration and Audit Division since 1987.

The Administration and Audit Division administers programs to ensure all personnel actions are in accordance with applicable laws, rules, regulations, collective bargaining agreements, and executive orders; develops policies and procedures on employee relations matters; administers the county’s Flexible Spending Plan; and oversees the county’s Leave Sharing Program. It also maintains and updates personnel and position files and data.

Leave Sharing Program

Flexible Spending Plan

As a cafeteria plan under section 125 of the Internal Revenue Service Code, the County’s Flexible Spending Plan allows participants to pay for health insurance premiums and medical and dependent care expenses with pretax dollars. As a result, participants realize both state and federal income tax savings as well as FICA tax savings. The County realizes FICA tax savings. In Plan Year 1999-2000, the County saved approximately $169,500 in FICA taxes. During this period, 1,824 employees participated in the plan.

Major tasks accomplished:

• Conducted audits on all departments and agencies on matters relating to division’s activities, such as employee personnel files, job performance reports, temporary assignment reports.

• Selected through the procurement process a plan provider for the County’s Flexible Spending Plan.

• Processed 3,751 personnel transactions involving appointments, in-service changes, and separations. This figure represents an 80% increase in transactions from the previous fiscal year.

• Provided government service verifications for 280 service and retirement award requests. This figure represents a 77% increase from the previous fiscal year.

Classification and Pay Division

The division administers a classification and pay system based on merit principles and the principle of equal pay for equal work. In doing so, the division conducts audits of positions or units of positions, develops and maintains class specifications, and evaluates classes of positions for assignment to appropriate salary or wage grades.

Major tasks accomplished:

• Processed 490 classification actions:

a. Initial allocations - 24
b. Reallocations - 288
c. Position redescription reviews - 116
d. New classes established and assigned to appropriate salary ranges - 9
e. Class specifications amended - 53

• Participated in the hearing on appeals filed with the Public Employees Compensation Appeals Board during its review of the White Collar and Blue Collar Compensation Plans of the State and Counties. One appeal was filed with PECAB on a Hawaii County class of work, but was withdrawn for classification review.

• Participated in the Conference of Personnel Director’s biennial review of the pay range assignments for the Excluded Managerial Compensation Plans of the State and Counties. No repricing request was received by Hawaii County.

• Implemented reorganization of Department of Water Supply’s Operations Division by establishing the Ka’u district and the Unaccounted Water Program Section.

• Conducted review of the organization and staffing of the Office of the Mayor, Workers’ Compensation Division. Recommended organization and position classification changes.

• Established class of work and implemented reorganization of Department of Water Supply’s Administration Division, Special Projects Services Branch.

• Conducted review of positions in the Department of Parks and Recreation, Elderly Activities Division, Nutrition Program. Amended class specifications, established a new class of work, and processed recommended position actions.

• Established two supervisory classes of work as part of the position classification review being conducted for the Department of Parks and Recreation, Parks Maintenance Division.

• Established class of work to redefine function of Department of Parks and Recreation, Culture and Arts Section.

• Conducted maintenance review of classes in the following series:

- Automotive Mechanic
- Cashier
- Community Service Program Assistant
- Economic Development Specialist
- Legal and Supervising Legal Clerk
- Mechanical Repairer
- Recreation Specialist
- Sewage Plant Maintenance Mechanic

Fiscal Year 2000-2001 projects include:

• Implement reorganization of the Department of Parks and Recreation, Elderly Activities Division, Recreation Program.

• Implement reorganization of the Fire Department’s Fire Protection Division and Training/Volunteer Section.

• Implement reorganization of the Department of Parks and Recreation, Recreation Division, Puna and South Hilo districts.

• Continue review of positions in the Department of Parks and Recreation, Parks Maintenance Division.

• Conduct audit and classification review of all positions in the Senior Lifeguard class of work.

• Conduct classification review of the Data Processing Support Coordinator and Data Processing Systems Analyst classes of work.

• Participate in Conference of Personnel Director’s review of Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator and Water Treatment Plant Operator classes of work.

• Continue maintenance review of classes of work and position redescription reviews of positions allocated to those classes.

• As required by Chapter 77, Hawaii Revised Statutes, participate in the Conference of Personnel Directors’ biennial review of pay range assignments for White Collar and Blue Collar Compensation Plans of the State and Counties.

Labor and Employee Relations

Mr. Ronald K. Takahashi serves as the head of the department’s Labor and Employee Relations Division. He assumed the duties of the position in September 1992. Mr. Takahashi joined the Department of Civil Service in April 1988 as a Personnel Management Specialist II. He was formerly an employee of the Department of Public Works where he served as a Personnel Assistant for four years. Prior to his County employment, Mr. Takahashi worked under the Federal Personnel System with the Farmers Home Administration for five years.

The Labor and Employee Relations Division advises and assists the director on matters relating to public employee collective bargaining and provides staff services to the director who sits as the Mayor’s representative at the bargaining table. It is responsible for hearing all Step III appeals of the grievance process and for recommending appropriate dispositions of these grievances to the director.

The division also provides advisory services to line agencies on labor-management matters, including the administration and interpretation of collective bargaining agreements.

Major tasks accomplished:

• Provided staff services to the deputy director in the negotiation/arbitration of a new four-year contract for bargaining unit 11.

• Provided staff services to the director for the negotiation/arbitration of new four-year contacts for bargaining units 1, 2, 3, 4, and 13.

• Heard and recommended dispositions on 32 Step III grievances (see accompanying chart).

• On an ongoing basis, updated Personnel, Labor Relations, and Excluded Employee Adjustment manuals.

Preparation for the implementation of the new Public Employment Reform Law will commence in the new fiscal year.

STEP 3 GRIEVANCES HEARD

Personnel Development and Training Division

The position which heads this division is vacant and has been unfilled because of the County’s hiring freeze. The division’s activities have been dispersed to other staff in the department but primarily to Mr. Ronald Takahashi, head of the Labor and Employee Relations Division.

The Personnel Development and Training Division administers training programs designed to increase employees’ fitness for County services. During Fiscal Year 1999-2000, 957 employees participated in the various training programs developed or coordinated by various staff members:

The division also administers the County’s incentive and service awards system and coordinates the County’s participation in the Community College’s Cooperative Vocational Education (CVE) Program. A total of 15 students participated in the CVE program in 1999-2000.

Recruitment & Examination Division

Ms. Gabriella M. Cabanas serves as the head of the department’s Recruitment & Examination Division. Ms. Cabanas has a wealth of experience in recruitment activities and employment-related counseling, having worked in various professional capacities with the State of Hawaii - Department of Education, Department of Labor & Industrial Relations, Department of Personnel Services, and currently with the County of Hawaii. She is a member of the International Personnel Management Association (IPMA) and its Assessment Council (IPMAAC). During the year, she has served on the Hawaii Community College Business Education Advisory Council and the School-To-Work Governance Committee for the Department of Education - Hilo Complex. She graduated with honors from the University of Hawaii at Hilo and St. Joseph High School.

The Recruitment & Examination Division administers the recruitment and examination program for the County of Hawaii to fill all civil service positions. The program is conducted in conformance with federal, state, and local laws.

In Fiscal Year 1999-2000, 8,049 applications were received and reviewed in response to 105 recruitments to fill County civil service positions.

Sixty-four (64) County examinations were developed and administered.

Responded to and processed 280 certification requests for filling various County positions, referring names of qualified individuals to the respective line departments.

For purposes of ensuring that applicants met minimum qualification requirements, reviewed forty-five (45) applications for provisional appointments, 4 applications for transfer requests, 9 applications for demotions, 27 applications for exempt positions, and 116 applications for reallocations.

Major tasks accomplished:

• Implemented self-help service in department for open-continuous recruitments enabling interested applicants to obtain application forms on their own.

• Opened the Police Officer I recruitment on a continuous basis to fill vacancies in the Police Department. Amended the pre-employment vision requirements to allow the use of contact lenses.

• Coordinated the County’s participation in the School-To-Work program for the Department of Education - Hilo Complex.

• Planned and coordinated Violence in the Workplace training for newly hired employees and follow-up training for supervisors.

• Developed and conducted the following training sessions for managers, supervisors, and departmental personnel representatives:

• Understanding the Process/Knowing Options In Filling Vacancies (4 sessions) - 43
• Understanding the Recruitment & Examination Process (2 sessions) - 9
• Interpretation of Minimum Qualification Requirements - 6
• Lawful Inquiries and Employment Interviewing (2 sessions) - 25
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Update - 14
• Understanding the Job Placement Process (2 sessions) - 13
• Reference Checking - 15

• Conducted Countywide job placement for medically non-qualified employees who could not perform their job duties, at the request of the line departments.

• Conducted Countywide job placement for employees affected by the Lautenberg amendment to the Federal Gun Control Act.

• Conducted recruitment talks for various community organizations and schools on the Island of Hawaii, including the University of Hawaii.

• Participated in various job fairs on the Island of Hawaii.

• Administered 10 written examinations to 13 island residents for the state and other county jurisdictions.

The Civil Service Commission consists of five members appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. Members must be in sympathy with and believe in the principles of the merit system.

Commission members and their term expiration dates are:

Ms. Pung and Mr. Robinson served as chairperson and vice chair, respectively, for calendar year 1999. Mr. Robinson and Mr. Thibadeau were elected to serve as chair and vice chair, respectively, for calendar year 2000.

As outlined in section 76-12, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the Civil Service Commission serves to:

1. Represent the public interest in the improvement of personnel administration in the civil service area;
2. Assist in fostering the interests of institutions of learning and civic, professional, and employee organizations in the improvement of personnel standards in civil service;
3. Advise the mayor on policies and problems concerning personnel administration; and
4. Make investigations concerning the administration of personnel policies in the civil service, including any matter respecting the enforcement or effect of this chapter or the rules and regulations prescribed thereunder, or the action or failure to act of any officer or employee with respect thereto.

The commission also serves as the appellate body for appeals filed against actions taken by the director of personnel or any appointing authority on matters within the scope of Chapters 76 and 77, Hawaii Revised Statutes. The commission also appoints the director of personnel who serves at the commission’s pleasure.

The commission also held two public hearings, one in Hilo and one in Kona, on amendments to the County of Hawaii Personnel Rules and Regulations. The commission approved and adopted the amendments on December 21, 1999.

The commission initiated and supported a proposal to amend the County Charter to move the functions of the Safety Division to the Department of Civil Service. The proposal was approved by the Charter Commission for placement on the year 2000 election ballot.

Salary Commission

The Salary Commission consists of nine members appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. Six members are representatives of the County geographical areas of Puna, Ka’u, Kona, Kohala, Hamakua, and Hilo; and three members are representatives of the County-at-large. During FY 1999-2000, the terms of Mr. Gerald Kita and Ms. Roberta Cartwright ended, leaving two vacancies. Current commission members and their term expiration dates are:

By County Charter, the director and the deputy director of personnel serve as ex-officio members of the commission in an advisory capacity.

Mr. Kita served as chair, with Mr. Mizuno as vice chair, and Ms. Cartwright as secretary for calendar year 1999. Mr. Mizuno was elected chair, with Mr. Inouye as vice chair, and Mr. Young as secretary for calendar year 2000.