Fallbrook school staffers looking into hiring changes

By: TOM PFINGSTEN - Staff Writer
'Merit' system would alter dispute resolution, as well | Saturday, March 22, 2008 10:39 PM PDT ∞

FALLBROOK ---- Union officials in the Fallbrook Union Elementary School District said last week they want to form a commission to oversee hiring and other personnel decisions concerning bus drivers, cafeteria workers and custodians that the union represents.

Known as a "merit" system, the idea has been put in place at about half of the school districts in California, said union President Vickie Nelson.

The personnel commission would consist of a union representative, a school board representative, and a third member chosen by the first two. The district would also have to hire a director and possibly a secretary, who would interact with the 265 classified union members to resolve disputes and fill vacancies, officials said.

In Fallbrook, Nelson said, some classified employees feel that the system would give them an advantage in employment disputes, even though it would change the way people are hired to fill classified positions.

"The classified employees just feel that, at the district level, there isn't anyone to be their go-to guy or girl, to assist them with their needs," Nelson said Thursday.

She said other union members in districts that have adopted the merit system have said that being able to resolve disputes with a dedicated personnel director works in their favor.

"If they can assist us in maneuvering through the many problems that we might have, this sounds like a great idea," said Nelson.

Meanwhile, district officials are wary of the plan and point out that the district will have to foot the bill for a paid personnel director and any support staff, plus overhead ---- a bill that assistant superintendent Jim Whitlock said could total $200,000.

If the classified union votes to adopt the system, the district would be bound by California education code to set it up and maintain it, he said.

"I personally think our existing system is very fair," Whitlock said of the hiring and human resources tasks carried out by himself and others in the district office. "No position is filled without it being properly advertised, and current employees are given priority consideration."

He said one change that would take place under a merit system is that all potential candidates for an opening would be tested, with the highest scorer getting the job.

The rest of the test scores would be put on file, and the next time a position needs to be filled, the district would essentially be obligated to hire the person with the next-best score, Whitlock said.

"Right now, union members have an advantage in applying for promotions. Once they're hired by the district, they're an internal applicant for any opening that comes up," he said. "The merit system would replace that. In my mind, that's a disadvantage for our current employees. It's also a disadvantage for the manager who has a vacancy.

"Personally, I think that the experience an employee builds with an employer is more important than just doing well on a test."

As for disputes, employee complaints are currently reviewed by district staff, whose decisions can be appealed to the school board. As a last resort, an employees can ask for arbitration if he or she disagrees with the school board's decision.

Under a merit system, the personnel commission would decide employee disputes and the school board would enforce the decisions, Whitlock said.

Nelson said the union is still researching the idea, and that the next step would be to circulate a petition for classified employees to sign. If 15 percent say they would like to pursue the merit system, then it would go to a vote, and a simple majority would be needed to adopt the system.

Contact staff writer Tom Pfingsten at (760) 740-3516 or tpfingsten@nctimes.com.

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