LAHSA workers, union urge county to guarantee job pathways during transition to new homeless services department
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Summary
LAHSA employees and union representatives told the Board of Supervisors that the county must provide a clear hiring pathway and protections for workers during the transition to a new Department of Homeless Services and Housing.
During general public comment on Tuesday, LAHSA employees and SEIU 721 representatives urged the Board of Supervisors to ensure that workers at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority are transitioned into the new county Department of Homeless Services and Housing without job loss.
Several speakers, including LAHSA staff union stewards and SEIU members, said the current hiring plan forces existing LAHSA employees to reapply for positions in the new department and risks layoffs. "Measure A promised no job loss; yet the current plan forces us to reapply for our own jobs," said Katie Chang, a LAHSA employee and union steward.
County staff told the board they are developing a framework to prioritize LAHSA employees and will use an emergency hiring authority process (civil service '13o4') and a human-resources 'concierge' program to help employees apply and be considered for appropriate county positions. CEO staff said that, in addition to pathways into the new homeless services department, DHR will look for other county roles for qualified LAHSA workers.
Supervisors asked that the process and timeline be published quickly to reduce worker uncertainty. The board did not take a formal vote on personnel policy at Tuesday's meeting but asked executive staff to move quickly on the framework and to communicate options to affected employees.