Local Bill 6
The Civil Service Board oversees the hiring of county employees. Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee wants to go around that by making the Information Technology unit exempt. Gee's argument is the Sheriff's Office will be more competitive in hiring computer experts. I say the best geek heads are not going to work in Hillsborogh or the HCSO. Victor Crist and Kevin Ambler are sponsoring Local Bill 6.
What this will do is take away the Civil Board's ability to screen employees going into a classified position. A bill to speed up the Civil Board hiring process would be a better idea. The bill does not make it clear who will do the hiring screening. This smells like a power play with the potential for croyism and abuse. To give an example, the exemptions would include part-time employees, aides to the county attorney and secretaries. If the Sheriff's Office can't be competitive hiring secretaries than they have big problems.
Cyber security is an important issue and danger. It is important for the Sheriff's Office to hire the best computer technicians. Oversight is also needed after the Bush administration's abuse of civil liberties. A better compromise can be reached. Let's hope this bill fails.
posted by Michael Hussey @ 4:36 PM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
I think you've missed the point of this bill. Classified positions are hampered by salary ranges, which has meant that the private sector pays significantly more for IT professionals than classified positions in Hillsborough County agencies. If an agency has the money in the budget, it needs the flexibility to meet or beat private sector salaries for this position.
The bill, which passed today, allows each agency to declare ONE position exempt. Current employees may remain classified, and retain the protections of the civil service system. However, if an agency wants to hire one IT person into an exempt position, it will have that chance.
Assuming the Legislature passes the bill.
Jim, I reread the bill and there is nothing in the language that states only one exempt position. The law is rather broad.
These are the classes of employees exempt in the language.
(e) Information Technology Professionals
(f) Temporary, part-time and substitute employees; and
(g) Secretaries of and administrative aides to the county attorney, the chief executive officer of any board, authority, or commission, and each elected official.
There is no restriction in the language about how many can be exempt in a department. Gee wants to go around oversight.
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