sr-112277-10aSanta Monica, California, November 22, 1977
TO: Mayor and City Council NOy 2 ~ 1977
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Veteran's Credit in Employment Examinations p
Introduction
On April 12, 1977, the citizens of Santa Monica voted
to eliminate veteran's credit in employment examinations
from the City Charter. You have requested a proposed
Municipal Code revision setting forth City policy on
veteran's credit.
Background
On September 23, 1977, the City's Personnel Board held a
public hearing on veteran's credit. The following persons
spoke in opposition to the elimination of veteran's credit
and supported the expansion of its use to include Vietnam
era veterans : F
Emmet P. Burke Military Order of the Purple Heart r~°~~~~
Evelyn D. Jones American Legion, Post 704
Louis Kline Jewish War Veterans
Roxana Regensburger State Employment Department
(Disabled Veterans Outreach Program)
Ray Ring Jewish War Veterans ~~~- ~ ry;`z_;~ F , ~~=.,-y_ /~-'
-Barney Rosen Vietnam Veterans Political
Coordinating Committee '-=- ~ -'" !~'
Morton S. Schwartz Jewish War Veterans
William J. Strickland American Legion, 24th District
The following individuals spoke in favor of the elimination
of veteran's credit from the Municipal Code:
Jane Burell Manhattan Beach
""Connie Friend Los Angeles County Status of
Women/Women Equity Action League
Roberta Goldfarb League of Women Voters
Carol Henden National Organization for Women
Boots Jones National Women's Political Caucus
Don McIsaac Santa Monica
Helen Meyerson League of Women Voters
Elaine Smith American Association of University Women
~ Ha11ie Termer Los Angeles Status of Women Commission
Lora Wilkinson-Zander Westside National Women's Political Caucus
~~
NOV ~ 2 1977
Mayor and City Council
November 22, 1977
Page Ztao
In addition, the following cities submitted correspondence in
favor of the curtailment of veteran's nredit:
Culver City
Beverly Hills
Inglewood
Manhattan Beach
Redondo Beach
San Francisco (City and County)
Issues
Veteran's credit was initiated to help veterans returning
from a war to re-enter the labor market. It was designed
to give them an advantage on employment exams in compensation
for the time they had lost while serving the country. How-
ever, the U.S, is not now at war and. the military service
is all volunteer. World War II veterans have had 32 years to
re-enter the labor force; Korean War veterans have had 24 years,
and Viet Nam veterans have had 4 years.
In the past our veteran's credit policy (based on the City
Charter) limited the granting of credit to only those veterans
who served in World War II and/or the Korean Conflict. Veteran's
credit, therefore, has not had a significant influence on City
examinations for entry-level positions. However, at professional
levels, where experience requirements necessitate slightly older.
job applicants, eligible lists have been altered substantially
by the addition of veteran's credit, with some applicants moving
up as many as 12-15 positions higher on the list,
Veteran's credit can change the order of an entire eligible
list and can severely damage the City's stance as an equal
opportunity employer, especially with regard to women, who
have not had the. same opportunities as men for military service.
A case in point is last year's Fire Fighter exam administered
by the City of Los Angeles. A female applicant who scored 95
Mayor and City Council
November 22, 1977
Page Three
would have placed ~~33 and have been included in the group of
60 (all males) hired to be Fire Fighters. However, with the
addition of 10 points to many of the men's scores because of
military service, her rank dropped to ~~70, and she was not
hired. The City of Los Angeles still has no women Fire Fighters.
The addition of the 10 points brought many of the men's
scores over 100%, an impossible score for a non-veteran
to achieve.
Municipal Code Provisions
The City Municipal Code in Section 2103 states:
"Recruitment and selection may be summarized as follows:
". c) making of appointments in accordance with
established procedure designed to assure selection of
the*best qualified persons available."
This is the very heart of the merit system, selecting the
best qualified person. for the position. Serving in the
military only makes one better qualified if one's military
duties or training correlated with the position applied for
at the City. And, in that case, the veteran should do
better on any related examination because of his/her
experience, the same as a civilian who worked at a similar job.
There are persons who were specifically prohibited from
performing military service because they were employed in
operations (such as the railroads) which the government deemed
critical to national security; these persons do not qualify
for veteran's credit. Additional exclusions from the credit
are wives and children of veterans who were killed or missing
in action. Others who cannot qualify for veteran's credit are
youth, handicapped persons, and the elderly,
~tiEmphasis Added
Mayor and City Council
November 22, 1977
Page Four
The City's Affirmative Action plan speaks to the City's
"continuing long-term commitment to provide equal employment
opportunities to all job applicants regardless of race,
color, gender, national origin, religion, or age." To comply
with this statement requires the elimination of non-job
related hiring criteria, which includes veteran's credit.
Everyone agrees, generally, that veterans should be rewarded
for their service, both for the time Lost from their careers
and for their dedication to duty in defense of the country.
Veterans have, however, rendered service for the Federal government,
who has made provision to re-pay the veteran: G.I. Bill for
schooling, G.I. loan for housing or to start a business, and 5
points veteran's credit on all Federal employment exams. The
State also provides similar benefits.
Alternatives
There are several alternative forms of veteran's credit
available. These include granting credit to all veterans
and to all wives of veterans killed or missing in action, or
granting credit under limited circumstances, i.e., within one
year of date of discharge. from active duty. .The latter is
preferable to the former because it would help the veteran
regain a position of civilian employment, after his or her
discharge, which was the initial intent of the credit.
Unfortunately, all of these proposals introduce non-job
related factors into the hiring process and make it
increasingly difficult for the-City to maintain its .commitment
to equal employment opportunities for all.
Mayor and City Council
November 22, 1977
Page Five
Recommendation
On October 22, 1977-the Personnel Board, by a 3-1 vote, adopted
the attached resolution recommending to the City Council that
veteran's credit be eliminated from the Municipal Code and that
Section 2103E of the Code be amended to read:
Section 2103E. Applicants passing an examination
shall be placed on an eligible list in accordance
with their rank on the examination.
The Board's sentiment was that if a time arose in the future
(war or other emergency) when granting veteran's preference
might be appropriate, the City Council could take action to
make some provision for preference at that time. City staff
concurs with this recommendation, and the City Attorney
should be authorized to prepare an ordinance abolishing
veteran's preference or establishing a one year limit from
the .date of discharge on the use of veteran's credit should
the Council wish to support veteran's credit.
Prepared by: R. N. Aronoff, r -or
Administrative Services
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE PERSONNEL BOARD OF THE CITY
OF SANTA MONICA RECOMMENDING AMENDMENT OF SECTION
2103E, ELIGIBLE LIST, OF THE SANTA MONICA MUNICIPAL
CODE, WHICH SECTION GOVERNS THE GRANTING OF VETERAN'S
CREDIT IN EPHI'LOYMENT EXAMINATIONS .
j,1HEREAS, in a City-wide election on April 12, 1977 the citizens
of Santa Monica voted to delete Section 1106, Veterans, from
the Santa .Monica City Charter; and
WHEREAS, the Personnel Board of the City of Santa Monica has
been empowered to study the civil service rules and to make
recommendations concerning them when it deems appropriate to
do so;
WHEREAS, a public hearing on the proposed changes to Section
2103E was held on September 27, 1977 after posting sufficient
public notice; and
WHEREAS, all interested individuals, City employees and City
employee organizations have had the opportunity to dialogue
with the Personnel Board on the proposed changes to Section
2103E at said pilblic hearing:
NOW, THEREFORE, THE PERSONNEL BOARD OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
That the City Council be informed that the
Personnel Board recommends that Section 2103E
of the Santa Monica Municipal Code be amended
by deletion to read:
2103E Eligible List. Applicants passing an examination shall
be placed on an eligible list in accordance with their rank
on the examination.
APPROVED this 26th day of October, 1977.
Chairman
Attest:
Secretar