SANTA CRUZ, CA – An initial investigation by a subcommittee of the Santa Cruz County Civil Service Commission has found evidence of unfair hiring practices when it comes to permanent advancement positions. While management has yet to be interviewed, subcommittee members Robert Taren and Mike Barsi wrote that "there is an overwhelming belief among county workers that many provisional hires, especially in advancement positions, are hand-picked and put into provisional jobs and then automatically hired as permanent employees in their new positions." This is done without opening the job to other county workers or the public. They go on to say it may also be a violation of Civil Service
rules and regulations.

Commissioner Barsi said: “I am convinced that there are problems of nepotism in county hiring, whether by blood, marriage or relationship.”

The Commission voted unanimously at its Thursday, April 17 meeting to request from the County Personnel Department the number of provisional employees who have been hired permanently over the past five years.

In another investigation, Taren and Barsi found that the County’s whistleblower hotline process may actually discourage employees from reporting abuses because complaints are ultimately investigated by the department that is the target of the complaint.

Commissioner Taren reported he will contact other counties similar to Santa Cruz County to determine how their whistleblower hotlines operate.