Article 1.5. Appointments: Priority Consideration of California Government Code >> Division 5. >> Title 2. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 5. >> Article 1.5.

(a) Any person receiving state public assistance under the CalWORKs program (Article 3.2 (commencing with Section 11320) of Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code) who meets the minimum qualifications for any civil service position as a seasonal or an entry level nontesting class that does not require an examination shall be given priority consideration. "Priority consideration" means, for the purposes of this article, that after consideration has been made for all conditions described in this section, the state agency involved shall hire all qualified job applicants who are receiving state public assistance before hiring any other applicant. The department shall review all nontesting classes and determine those that are subject to this article.
  (b) Public assistance recipients who apply for openings under this article shall be required to undergo the same employment process used by state agencies to select any other person for appointment to a position in such a class. If a state agency does not select a public assistance recipient to fill an opening, it shall document in its employment records the reasons why the public assistance recipient was not selected and any other information determined to be necessary by the department.
  (c) The employment of public assistance recipients shall be consistent with the goals established by each agency under Section 19790.
  (d) This section shall not preclude a state agency from hiring any person appointed during the prior 12 months in the class for which the vacancy exists.

Each state agency that intends to establish qualified hiring pools, as defined by the department, for seasonal or entry level nontesting class employment shall notify the Employment Development Department or its delegate in the area where the openings are expected to occur at least 45 calendar days prior to the establishment of the pool. The state agency shall request referrals of public assistance recipients and at the same time shall provide necessary job-related information.

Each state agency that has an open seasonal or entry level nontesting class position, but does not have a qualified hiring pool, shall notify the Employment Development Department or its delegate in the area where the job is located of the opening no later than five working days after the vacancy occurs. The state agency shall request referrals of public assistance recipients and at the same time shall provide necessary job-related information. The agency shall provide a reasonable period for referrals, but not less than 10 working days.

This article may be waived by the Governor, if requested to do so by the state agency involved, in order to address an emergency which threatens the public health or safety, the state's natural resources, or the economy. If an emergency waiver is granted, notification including reasons for the waiver shall be forwarded to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee within five working days.

If no public assistance recipient applies for an opening within the time limits established by this article, the state agency may fill the opening with a person not receiving public assistance. In the event a person not receiving public assistance is hired, the state agency shall place a certification in its employment records stating the date it contacted the Employment Development Department or its designate, the name of the person contacted, the date the position was filled, and any other information determined to be necessary by the department.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, participation in a seasonal or entry level nontesting class vacancy by a public assistance recipient shall be voluntary only, and in no event shall any person be subject to sanctions, through loss of benefits or eligibility, for not applying for, accepting, or continuing in such a position. All notices shall explain the voluntary nature of the application to work in a seasonal or entry level nontesting class opening, the job requirements, the amount of pay, and the job qualifications. All notices, shall also inform public assistance recipients that they will have priority in being hired for jobs in these openings as provided in Section 19063.

Any seasonal or entry level nontesting classifications specifically designed to support a program to train students, as determined by the department, to the extent that they are authorized as of the effective date of this article, shall be exempt from this article. However, state agencies shall be encouraged by the department to increase their efforts to recruit disadvantaged youth or students for these jobs.