Coley’s state service bill sent to governor

Floridan Staff Report
Published: April 30, 2008

A bill that will strengthen standards for state employees and help with their retention and appeals is on the way to Gov. Charlie Crist.

House Bill 887, also known as the “Career Service System” bill, won final passage from the Florida Senate and now goes to Governor Crist to be signed into law.

The bill requires that the Department of Management Services develop rules creating objective criteria for retaining employees during a layoff and allow state employees to appeal involuntary transfers and present grievances.

“Finally, state employees will be afforded the employment processes extended to employees in the private sector,” said Rep. Marti Coley, R-Marianna, about the bill she sponsored in the House.

“HB 887 is a significant piece of legislation focused on providing our state employees with a fair and logical process of appeals and objective criteria for retention,” Coley said in a media advisory.

“These changes benefit Floridians by providing us with a professional and qualified workforce,” Coley said. “I am pleased that the bill has received broad bi-partisan support, and we look forward to Governor Crist signing it into law.

“Our efforts to provide our valued state employees with the systems and procedures to strengthen standards, retain quality employees and provide them with a grievance process that is fair has come to fruition,” Coley said.

HB 887 revises the changes made to the Career Service System by the 2001 Legislature by requiring DMS to develop layoff procedures that require use of objective measures of length of service, comparative merit, demonstrated skills, and employee experience.

It also provides that suspension or dismissal of a Career Service System employee may be imposed only for cause to a person who has achieved permanent status following completion of a one-year probationary period.

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