Title: PML Formatting Template
Author: Hart, John
Last saved by: david.gay@calhr.ca.gov (David Gay)
Company: California Department of Human Resources

This PML is superseded by the HR Manual and is no longer active.
PML Number
2015-031
Title
Career Executive Assignment Minimum Qualifications and Reinstatement and Examination Rights
Date Issued
October 15, 2015
Owner
Personnel Management Division
Contact
Bryan Baldwin 
Chief of Personnel Management Division 
(916) 324-0441 
Bryan.Baldwin@calhr.ca.gov 
Signed By
Bryan Baldwin, Chief
Content
As part of the Civil Service Improvement initiative, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 99 into law on September 22, 2015.  Specific provisions of this bill improved the Career Executive Assignment (CEA) recruitment process by expanding the potential candidate pool.  In relevant part, Government Code (GC) section 18546 was amended to eliminate the requirement that CEA applicants have permanent status in the civil service.
In addition, GC sections 18990, 18991, and 18992 were amended to eliminate the requirement that former employees of the Legislature and employees of the executive branch in exempt positions or veterans select only one promotional exam in which to compete when multiple examinations are given.  These revisions also removed the time limit on eligibility to take an examination for specified former employees of the Legislature and employees of the executive branch in exempt positions. 
While eligibility to take a CEA examination is not restricted to persons with current permanent status in the civil service, the basis of a person’s CEA eligibility impacts his or her employment rights when and if his or her CEA position is terminated. In relevant part, SB 99 also provides the following:
•	Employees who at the time of the CEA appointment were not employed by the state but who had previously worked for the state and had gained permanent civil service status shall have reinstatement rights under Article 5 (commencing with section 19140) of the Government Code, as specified in GC section 19889.4;
•	Employees whose eligibility was based upon a legislative or nonelected exempt executive branch position shall be able to compete in his or her appointing power’s promotional examinations for which he or she meets the minimum qualifications of the class to which he or she seeks appointment. These employees may request a deferred examination, as specified in GC section 18993; and 
•	Employees who at the time of his or her appointment to a CEA were from outside state civil service shall have the right to take a deferred examination for any open eligible list in existence at the time of the termination of the CEA for which he or she meets the minimum qualifications of the class to which the appointment is sought, as specified in GC section 19889.4. 

In response to these changes, on October 15, 2015, CalHR updated the CEA online bulletin system to reflect the minimum qualification changes under SB 99. All existing and future bulletins will now contain the updated minimum qualification language. All bulletins posted prior to September 22, 2015, and with final filing dates after September 22, 2015, do not require reposting; however, departments should accept any applicants that were rejected but who meet the new minimum qualifications and notify those applicants accordingly.
The CEA exam bulletin language is revised as follows:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
All applicants must possess the knowledge and abilities, and any other requirements, described in this bulletin.
Note:  Eligibility to take a CEA examination does not require current permanent status in the civil service. 
CalHR will also revise the CEA Return Rights Worksheet and guide to reflect these changes and distribute to Departments in the coming weeks.
For questions regarding changes to the CEA online bulletin system, please contact   Kari Rogers at (916) 322-1692. For questions regarding the CEA policy changes, please contact your assigned Personnel Management Division analyst.