Civil Service Board proposes clearer rules for Tacoma employee classifications

Eric Hansen, chair of the Technical Civil Service Board, told the City of Tacoma Government Performance & Finance Committee on Sept. 16 that his board is proposing amendments to Tacoma Municipal Code sections 1.24.290 and 1.24.295 to clarify which positions belong in the classified service and which belong in the unclassified service.

Hansen said the board’s months-long investigation found “an excessive number of of employees who are out who are allocated to the unclassified category.” He described the proposed rule changes as aimed at defining “principal officer” (which he says should track department head and higher), limiting which assistants may be unclassified, and narrowing the charter exception for employees “employed in a professional or scientific capacity to conduct a special inquiry, investigation, or examination.”

The proposed changes would also give the civil service board authority to approve classification decisions and to reclassify positions. Hansen told the committee those changes are intended to ensure classifications conform with the charter, preserve “just…