Selection Division

Using a broad range of advanced research methodologies, statistical techniques, and principles, the SSP team provides expert examination consultation, technical assistance, and guidance on SPB selection laws, rules, and regulations to state department selection staff, HR personnel, state employees, and the general public.

The team is responsible for administering general-funded servicewide, Limited Examination and Appointment Program (LEAP), and classification-consolidation examinations, as well as supporting departmental exam service requests. These services include job analysis, test validation, test construction and scoring, 511B development, exam administration, user acceptance testing (UAT), and consultation on a fee-for-service basis.

The team also offers guidance on the technical and administrative feasibility of various selection tools and manages the cost proposal process for departmental exam requests.

The Merit System Services (MSS) Program ensures that counties receiving federal funds for Social Services and Child Support Services programs use a merit personnel system for program employees that meets the following six merit principles:

1. ​Recruitment, selection and advancement of employees is on the basis of their relative ability, knowledge, and skills, including open consideration of qualified applicants for initial appointment.
2. Employees are provided equitable and adequate compensation.
3. Employees are trained, as needed, to assure high quality performance.
4. Employees are retained on the basis of the adequacy of their performance, inadequate​ performance is addressed, and employees whose inadequate performance cannot be corrected are separated.
5. Applicant and employees are assured fair treatment in all aspects of personnel administration without regard to political affiliation, race, color, national origin, sex, religious creed, age, or disability and with proper regard for their privacy and constitutional rights as citizens. This “fair treatment” principle includes compliance with the federal equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination laws.
6. Employees are protected against coercion for partisan political purposes and are prohibited from using their official authority for purposes of interfering with or affecting the result of an election or a nomination for office.

For counties without an approved personnel system that meets the above six merit principles, the MSS Program provides recruitment and selection, and human resources consultation services to include job analysis, test development, and classification studies.

For counties with an approved merit & personnel system, the MSS Program periodically conducts compliance reviews to ensure that they maintain a personnel system that meets the six merit principles.

The Selection Division’s Policy Program is responsible for a variety of policy-related duties. The Policy Program team serves as principal policy advisors regarding the State of California’s selection procedures. They develop and implement statewide selection policy and provide guidance to departments’ human resources staff. The Policy Program assists with interpretation of new or changed selection statutes (Government Code) and State Personnel Board (SPB) rules (Code of Regulations) and statewide selection policies. The team resp​onds to SPB examination appeals of statewide examinations. They process and adjudicate examination appeals from persons who take certain Merit System Services county examinations. The Policy Program provides oversight remediation to departments who have had their selection delegation removed​ by the SPB. Lastly, the team disseminates, tracks and processes the annual Selection Delegation Agreement process.

The overall goal of the Policy Program team is to ensure that the state’s selection (examination) processes are fair and merit-based and result in the hiring of diverse and qualified individuals for our great state.​

The ECOS Business Development Team designs, develops and maintains ECOS for all selection functions (including advertisement, recruitment, and hiring), in partnership with CalHR’s Information Technology Division. For more information or questions visit: www.ecos.ca.gov.​ Please note that ECOS is available to authorized users only.

The ECOS Consultation & Support Team provides assistance and technical training to state departments’ human resource (HR) staff on utilizing the ECOS and Legacy systems to administer and process their selection programs. Each state department is assigned to an ECOS Consultant. If your HR department has questions or concerns, please contact your ECOS Consultant for assistant.​​

​The CalCareer Service Team are the first points of contact for the general public handling phone calls, email inquiries, and one-on-one assistance with the public in the CalHR Job Center regarding civil service employment within the State of California. Additionally, the CalCareer Services Team is responsible for processing Limited Examination and Appointment Program (LEAP) and Veteran Preference documentation.