The City of Long Beach has officially merged its Civil Service Department with its Human Resources Department, forming one unified department that will modernize and streamline the City’s hiring processes and build a stronger, committed workforce.

The merge, which officially went into effect on May 6, has been several months in the making. Long Beach voters approved the passing of Measure JB last November, which allowed the City to amend its charter to create a more efficient, community-centered and merit-based approach to its hiring practices and implement local hiring preferences.

Over 6,100 full and part-time personnel are employed by the City across 23 departments and offices. Prior to the merge, both departments performed recruitment and hiring duties, duplicative efforts that caused inefficiencies. Now with a singular hiring department and a refined workflow, Long Beach’s goal is to become the first big city in California with a 90-day hiring standard.

By attracting and retaining high quality and diverse talent through its new hiring process, the City will also improve the quality of public services provided to the Long Beach community.

Measure JB’s passing also established a new, independent City commission known as the Civil Service Employee Rights and Appeals Commission to oversee disciplinary appeals and resolve complaints regarding Civil Service rules. The new commission is comprised of four commissioners and will take effect July 1.

A new Talent Management Bureau was also established as part of the merge to further elevate the City’s recruitment and hiring. Housed within the HR Department, most employees from Civil Service were strategically transferred into this new bureau to enhance collaboration and best serve departments’ hiring needs. All former Civil Service employees at the time of the merge were offered jobs either in Human Resources or other City departments.

The HR Department has made significant strides in modernizing and centralizing its processes and continues to identify ways to enhance service delivery across the organization. These reform efforts have transformed how the Department supports the City’s workforce by creating a more efficient and effective operational framework throughout.

By combining resources and expertise, this merge is a game-changer for attracting, hiring and retaining top talent, bringing greater efficiency and speed to the process like never before, and ultimately building a powerhouse workforce.

For more information about the City’s hiring, visit longbeach.gov/hr.