CENTRAL SERVICE ROLES FOR PAYROLL PROCESS - 8500

This chapter provides statewide policies, regulations, and procedures on payrolls for state civil service employees. Agency/department human resources offices can provide additional guidance in these areas.  Below is the description of the roles of the central service agencies/departments within the payroll processes:

• The State Personnel Board (SPB) was established by the California State Constitution to administer the state’s civil service system, which includes  a merit-based selection process for hiring state employees and provides direction to agencies/departments through the board’s decisions, rules, and policies. The SPB reviews agency/department personnel practices for compliance with the merit system. The SPB also investigates and resolves alleged violations of the law that are filed by employees, applicants, and members of the public and reviews disciplinary actions brought against state employees.

   

  The SPB administrative actions are governed by Article VII of the California Constitution and the State Civil Service Act (Government Code sections 18500-19799). These provisions are made more specific by the SPB rules (California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Division 1, Chapter 1).

   

• The California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) is responsible for managing the state's personnel functions and represents the Governor as the "employer" in all matters concerning state employer-employee relations. These include all issues related to salaries and benefits, job classifications, civil rights, training, exams, recruitment, and retention. For most employees, many of these matters are determined through the collective bargaining process managed by CalHR.

   

  CalHR administers its programs under Government Code sections 19815-19999.7. These provisions are made more specific by CalHR rules (California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Division 1, Chapter 3). For the rank and file employees, these laws and rules may be superseded by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) negotiated under the State Employer–Employee Relations Act. In certain areas, the Human Resources Manual provides detailed guidelines and procedures.

   

• The State Controller's Office (SCO) is responsible for administering the Uniform State Payroll System and processing all personnel and payroll transactions. Procedural information is available in the SCO's Payroll Procedures Manual and the Personnel Action Manual. See SAM section 8520 for a summary of SCO’s payroll functions.
  
  
• The Department of Finance (Finance) approves positions through the budgetary control of salaries and wages coordinated with personnel procedures.