Two years ago, in response to outcry about the promotions of three police officers who had faced family abuse accusations, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said it was "time this city embraced a zero-tolerance policy on domestic violence." That spurred new police procedures, but did not prompt new policies in the city's second-largest unit, the 642-member Department of Public Works, which continued to hire people with recent abuse cases.

The department has no policy on whether to hire people who have faced domestic abuse allegations. "I would point to the background and promotion policy," said Acting Personnel Director Judy Hill Finegan, referring to a set of procedures for looking into the past of candidates for hiring or promotion. They do not mention domestic violence.

Nine months after the mayor's zero-tolerance pledge, the department hired as a permanent laborer Justin D. Mazurek, who had been an on-and-off seasonal laborer since 2002. The hire came despite a 2005 criminal case and protection from abuse order after his then-girlfriend said he grabbed, pushed and pinned her, stalked her and "threatened to shoot a hole in my window."

Mr. Mazurek, now 26, was ordered to turn over a gun, but a criminal complaint says that instead he reported it stolen. Police found it in his basement and charged him with filing false reports and tampering with evidence. He got six months probation and civil courts ordered him to stay away from the ex-girlfriend for 18 months.

Ms. Hill Finegan said his hire was based on a "case review" of his overall qualifications.

In December, the department hired Alan J. Ricketts, 38, despite a 2004 guilty plea to simple assault charges after his ex-girlfriend told police that he grabbed, bit and threatened to kill her. He got jail time and parole.

His record also includes a 1993 firearms violation after, according to a police complaint, he pulled a gun on several people in Oakland. He got three years' probation.

Ms. Hill Finegan, who started in her post last week, said the Personnel Department is launching a revamp of all procedures. She did not know whether it would include new domestic violence rules.

Mr. Victor said the department tries to choose the best available employees for jobs, like trash collector, that many people wouldn't want.

"We have a hard time filling those jobs," he said. "In the applicant pool, there seems to be a large number of folks we are unable to hire due to their background."