8/14/25
Human Resources
Good morning. I’d like to talk a little bit today about civil service. It’s a system which has evolved over hundreds of years to focus on employment which is based on merit, competence and fairness rather than patronage. It aims to reduce corruption and increase efficiency in government administration, with transparency and accountability to the public. Now, I’m not saying that civil service rules are easy to follow, but that there is both virtue and practicality in it. Just read the Survey that came out last month on the ACC, which states that none of the staff, which included the Director of Nursing position, had been adequately trained. Not hiring according to civil services rules risks litigation of all sorts, including the new action of enforcement from the DOH.
I’m talking about a very important leadership position at the facility, with over 100 subordinates, with responsibilities for writing and implementation of policies, administration, clinical practices, employee disciplinary procedures and confidentiality. Currently, the county has no employment opportunity or continuous recruitment for the Director of Nursing position. There is an eligible list with one name on it, which person is no longer interested according to the ACC Administrator, and so the list is void.
According to our contract with Infinitecare, the operator is supposed to hire all positions according to civil service procedures. Only when the operator is unable to fill the position is the consultant supposed to be able to assist with hiring, and even then, those positions are supposed to follow civil service procedure. So, why isn’t the county recruiting a county employed Director of Nursing for the facility?
According to the Legislative rules, this committee’s responsibility is “to oversee, review and recommend, consistent with the provisions of Civil Service Law, actions relating to the hiring, increase and reduction of employees in the county,” including “Human Resource management and administration and all matters relating to enforcement of the Civil Service Law, and recommend, consistent with law, action with respect to all employment.”
So, why isn’t this committee recommending that the Human Resources Department recruit a county employed Director of Nursing for the ACC?
Thank you for your consideration.