Brief

Councilmember Tim McOsker introduced a motion, seconded by Heather Hutt, directing a citywide review of personnel directives and policies currently issued by individual departments. The motion seeks to identify, consolidate, and standardize these directives to ensure consistency across city government. The Personnel and Hiring Committee approved the motion on September 9, 2026, and it remains pending further council action.

Full summary

Councilmember Tim McOsker introduced this motion in response to a patchwork of department-specific personnel policies across the City of Los Angeles. Different departments — including the Department of Public Works and the Los Angeles Police Department — each maintain their own personnel directives, orders, and procedures. While some variation may be appropriate given differing missions, the motion raises concerns about whether these department-level policies are being developed and reviewed consistently, and whether they align with the City Charter, Civil Service Rules, applicable labor obligations, and citywide personnel standards. The motion directs the Personnel Department, with assistance from the City Attorney, the City Administrative Officer, and the Chief Legislative Analyst, to report on three specific questions: what legal authority departments have to establish their own personnel policies; how those policies are currently developed, approved, amended, and rescinded — including the roles of department management, governing boards, employee organizations, the Personnel Department, and the Civil Service Commission; and what existing authority the Personnel Department and Civil Service Commission have to review department-issued directives for consistency with citywide standards. A second directive asks the Personnel Department, coordinating with the CAO and assisted by the City Attorney and CLA, to produce recommendations for establishing consistent, updated citywide personnel directives and a formal review process for department-issued policies. That report is also expected to address appropriate Personnel Department oversight and identify which matters should be transmitted to the City Council — including when closed-session consideration may be legally warranted. The motion was introduced and referred to the Personnel and Hiring Committee on September 4, 2026, and the committee approved it five days later on September 9. The file now awaits action by the full City Council. The file remains open with an expiration date of September 9, 2028.

Activity (3)

• 2026-09-09 Personnel and Hiring Committee approved item(s) .
• 2026-09-04 Motion referred to Personnel and Hiring Committee.
• 2026-09-04 Personnel and Hiring Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on September 9, 2026.

Documents (3)

• 2026-09-09 Communication from Chair, Personnel and Hiring Committee · other
• 2026-09-09 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-09-04 Motion · motion