SEC. 10.104. EXCLUSIONS FROM CIVIL SERVICE APPOINTMENT.

§ 10.104

ComplexControversial
In plain language

This section exempts certain City and County positions from competitive civil service examination and procedures, allowing them to be filled at the discretion of appointing authorities. It lists 19 categories of exempt positions—including elected officials, department heads, commission members, and specialized professionals—and caps the total proportion of exempt employees to historical 1994 levels unless the Civil Service Commission approves changes.

Most City jobs must be filled through competitive tests and civil service rules. However, this section lists jobs that don't have to follow those rules—the person in charge can hire and fire people for these positions without a competitive exam. The exempt jobs include elected officials and their deputies, department heads, commission members, lawyers, doctors, and some temporary workers. There's a limit: the City can't have too many of these special jobs compared to regular civil service jobs—it can't be more than the ratio that existed in 1994, unless the Civil Service Commission approves otherwise.

  • Complex:The section contains 19 separate categories with varying conditions, cross-references to other Charter provisions, and nuanced caps on certain exemptions that require careful parsing to understand fully.
  • Controversial:Exempting positions from competitive civil service selection involves tradeoffs between executive flexibility and merit-based hiring that San Francisco residents may reasonably debate.

AI-generated · claude-haiku-4-5 · informational only, not legal advice.

Official text

(Amended by Proposition C, Approved 11/5/2024)

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