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Human Resources outlines HELP Program and civil-service changes to committee
Summary
Commissioner Langdon Chapman briefed the committee on Human Resources operations and recent shifts in civil-service hiring, including the HELP Program and a Training Experience initiative intended to better align hiring with job duties.
Langdon Chapman, Commissioner of Human Resources, presented an overview of the department’s two roles — Civil Service and Employee Relations — and described changes in recruitment and testing that have taken place since 2022.
Chapman said the county has moved away from standard multiple-choice civil-service tests toward programs meant to better match candidates with on-the-job duties. He explained, "The HELP Program is for someone who meets the minimum qualifications for the job and can be appointed to it for an entry level job. After a year, they will get permanent status in the position," and said a separate Training Experience initiative is being worked on to improve appointment decisions. Chapman framed these as efforts to make Orange County a "go to employer" rather than an "employer of last resort."
Committee members asked about state-level reform progress; Chapman cautioned that state government moves slowly but said the changes are being actively engaged and that the HELP Program and Training Experience are intended to provide intermediate paths to permanent appointment. Robert C. Sassi praised the department’s performance during the meeting.
