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A personnel system that places merit above all, says Carolyn Ban, is the most important reform for the new Allegheny County government
Sunday, May 07, 2000
The report of the Allegheny County transition committee on a merit personnel system released last week addresses issues that are both controversial and important for all of us. The committee consisted of nine people who were broadly representative of the county, including experts on human resources from the private and public sectors and from organized labor. We were probably also both Democrats and Republicans, although no one ever asked.
We recognize that personnel systems aren't usually big news, so why should you care about this? Of all the changes being proposed in county government, this may be the most important - and now is a unique opportunity to make changes that go to the heart of the current problems in county government.
Why does a merit system matter? Why is this so important? The changes in county government reflect the fact that we, the voters, were not satisfied with the status quo. We think we deserve the highest quality of service from our county. Central to improving the quality of county government is, in the current jargon, the "human capital," i.e., the skills and motivation of county workers. We recognize that the county has many highly skilled and dedicated employees. But the county faces two problems.
First, too often county jobs have been awarded based on who you know, not what you know. A merit system means hiring based on qualifications, not contacts.
Second, the county does not have an adequate system for classifying and paying county employees. We need a system that:
What does the Home Rule Charter require? The Home Rule Charter of Allegheny County, approved by the voters May 19, 1998, declares that "appointments and promotions of employees shall be made on the basis of merit demonstrated by a valid and reliable examination or other evidence of competence." It also states that, "consistent with all applicable contracts and laws, the manager shall prepare and administer a personnel system based on merit principles for all employees of the county."
The committee's charge was to make recommendations on how to implement these requirements. Much of the recent public debate has focused on the row offices. The language of the charter appears clear to us: This is to be a system for all employees of the county.
What do we mean by a merit system? It is clear from the public debate that there is some confusion over this term.
A merit system is not necessarily a traditional civil service system, in which people are ranked based only on their performance on a written test and then hired in order from that ranking. Modern merit systems employ a range of methods for assessing job candidates, including, for example, reviews of education and experience, job simulations and structured interviews. It is important to consider not only technical skills but also factors such as motivation, communication skills and ability to work with others. When a written test is needed, new technology can provide results quickly both to the applicant and to the hiring officials.
Modern merit systems give a greater role to managers in deciding what testing or methods to use. The row officers, as managers, would have the same ability to decide the best ways to assess job candidates. And managers don't have to take the top name on a list. The administrative code proposed by County Executive Jim Roddey specifies that managers can select from the top 10 percent of the applicants or the top five candidates, whichever is greater.
As we are using the term, a merit system focuses on merit hiring, not on merit pay. Use of merit pay, or performance-based pay, is controversial. We recommended that, before considering such a system, the county put in place a credible system for evaluating the performance of its employees.
What will it cost? Quality systems do come with costs. Managing a centralized merit personnel system will require developing a larger and highly skilled central Human Resources office. It will also require training for managers so that they support the values and understand the techniques of a merit system. It may require the county to hire an outside expert to overhaul the classification and pay systems for the county. And it may mean more costs for salaries, although, given the current budget situation, those costs may have to be phased in over time.
What will we get for those costs? County employees who are engaged and motivated, who are good at what they do and continue to get better, and who provide better service for all of us. We think this is an investment worth making.
In passing the Home Rule Charter, Allegheny County citizens voted for change. A merit personnel system covering all county employees is a critical element in reforming county government, eliminating patronage and nepotism, and giving us a first-class county work force.
Carolyn Ban is dean of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh. She is chairwoman of the transition team committee studying a merit-based personnel system for Allegheny County. 
Makes it clear to employees what their job duties are. Helps employees to develop their skills and move ahead. Offers salaries that are competitive with other employers so that we can attract and retain the "best and brightest" to county government.