Brief

Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, seconded by Marqueece Harris-Dawson, introduced a motion to convert civil service eligible lists into direct appointments for non-sworn classifications. The proposal aims to increase the pool of qualified candidates, improve the city's exam-to-hire conversion rate, and streamline the overall hiring process. The motion was referred to the Personnel and Hiring Committee on September 15, 2026, and remains pending there.

Full summary

Councilmember Monica Rodriguez introduced this motion to address a gap in Los Angeles's civil service hiring process that persists after candidates pass an exam and are placed on an eligible list. The motion notes that passing an exam is not the end of the hiring process — candidates must still move through certification to hiring departments, departmental selection, and other pre-employment steps before an appointment is made. The City invests heavily in recruiting, testing, and building these lists, but it lacks a clear picture of how effectively those lists translate into actual hires, or where delays and barriers emerge after the exam stage is complete. The motion directs the Personnel Department to produce a comprehensive report covering several specific data points: the average duration of eligible lists; the number of candidates placed on lists, certified to departments, and ultimately appointed; hard-to-fill classifications with recurring or continuous hiring needs and opportunities to expand the candidate pool for those roles; and the primary reasons candidates on eligible lists do not receive appointments. Beyond data collection, the Personnel Department is also asked to provide concrete recommendations to improve the exam-to-hire conversion rate, shorten the time between list establishment and appointment, and identify any administrative, technological, or Civil Service Rule changes needed to streamline the process. The motion is framed as a merit-preservation effort rather than a departure from civil service principles — the goal is to fill vacancies more efficiently while maintaining the merit-based foundations of the civil service system. Rodriguez introduced it on September 15, 2026, with Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson as second. It was immediately referred to the Personnel and Hiring Committee, where it currently remains pending. No committee hearing has been scheduled as of the last recorded activity, and the file will expire in September 2028 if no action is taken.

Activity (1)

• 2026-09-15 Motion referred to Personnel and Hiring Committee.

Documents (1)

• 2026-09-15 Motion · motion