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Committee advances motion to modernize city employment provisions; staff to consult labor and ERC
Summary
The Personnel and Hiring Committee advanced a motion to modernize employment provisions in the Los Angeles City Charter and directed staff to work with the Employee Relations Committee and labor partners to clarify bargaining scope.
The Personnel and Hiring Committee considered a motion to modernize and enhance employment provisions in the Los Angeles City Charter as part of a broader charter reform process.
City Administrative Officer and Personnel Department representatives told the committee the recommendations would update charter language to move some authority into municipal code or civil service rules to allow more responsive hiring during extraordinary events such as the COVID-19 pandemic or major events like the Olympics.
"Personnel Department provided some charter reform recommendations in regards to employment provisions within the charter," said Gracie Liu of the Personnel Department. Malaika Billups, City Administrative Officer, told the committee that staff will need to consult with labor and the city attorney to determine whether matters require meet and confer or meet and consult.
"Whether or not it will elevate to the level of meet and confer will depend on the scope of the proposal," Billups said. She and others said that, in practice, the committee may send the item to the Employee Relations Committee (ERC) to establish bargaining instructions and then begin discussions with labor partners.
Steve Veil of the City Legislative Analyst's (CLA) office, Gracie Liu (Personnel Department) and Billups responded to councilmember questions about timing and process. Committee members discussed getting scope to the ERC early so labor discussions can begin with clear bargaining instructions. The committee moved to adopt the motion and to proceed with the recommended interdepartmental and labor consultation process; the clerk recorded the vote and the motion was approved.
The committee did not adopt specific charter language at the meeting. The action advanced the motion for further scope work with the ERC and for staff to meet or consult with labor partners and the City Attorney to determine the appropriate bargaining process. If proposals reach final form, they may be considered for placement on the ballot in a future cycle.
No specific changes to wages, hours or working conditions were adopted at the meeting; staff emphasized the next steps are scope-setting and consultation with labor and legal counsel.
