e-Appeals Portal

About the Program

Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

The Director of Personnel is vested with the authority to administer the County’s Civil Service system, from the application and examination process to the termination of employment. The Appeals Program provides independent review of protests involving application rejection, veteran’s preference credit, employment tests, pre-employment medical and background screening, non-appointment, and other personnel matters. The Program evaluates each appeal with respect to its merit under the Civil Service Rules. The County’s Department of Human Resources (DHR) receives approximately 3,800 to 4,200 appeals annually. In the past, appellants filed an appeal via mail, fax, or in person. Once an appeal was filed, DHR Appeals staff commenced a tedious process of reading the appeal, searching for necessary documentation, requesting said documentation from various sources, and subsequently entering the information onto the previous appeals system. The process was time consuming and contributed to a waste in human capital. DHR successfully developed and implemented an automated online appeal management system, eAppeals, in June 2016. This first ever online system means that not only can employees file directly online and upload documentation, but also the departments can access the system and submit documents directly into the eAppeals system that they deem necessary to the case. This system fully maximizes analyst time to successfully complete the appeal and reduces the amount of waste in organizing and processing the appeal. Altogether, the eAppeals system creates a platform for collaboration and equips departments, appellants, and other stakeholders with the tools needed to process and complete an appeal in a timely, thorough and efficient manner. This helps ensure that the standard for fairness is maintained during selection and personnel action processes while reducing the time and hurdles for completing the process.