1-15-16 civil service overhaul

The founder of  a grassroots activist organization says a bill that would overhaul the state’s civil service system is a bad idea.  The state Assembly passed the measure last fall and the state Senate is expected to vote on the bill this month.  The bill’s Assembly author, Republican state representative Jim Steinicke says the measure woulddo away with the civil service exam and  speed up the hiring process.  But Blue Jean Nation founder Mike McCabe says it would make it easier to hire political cronies.   McCabe says the bill would replace an objective merit based system with a subjective system. The bill would also define just cause for disciplining employees and eliminate  “bumping” rights that protect more experienced workers from losing their jobs.