Q&A
Concerns about HRA social worker hiring and potential terminations
1:23:45
·
93 sec
Council Member Carmen De La Rosa raises concerns about a situation at the Human Resources Administration (HRA) where social workers hired last year to address a backlog may face termination due to new civil service exam lists. She questions the fairness and efficiency of potentially losing experienced workers who filled critical roles during a crisis.
- De La Rosa highlights the short timeline given to current workers to take the exam or face termination
- She expresses concern about potential gaps in service if current workers are terminated before new hires from civil service lists can start
- The council member emphasizes the importance of retaining talent already working in the agency
Carmen De La Rosa
1:23:45
Yes.
1:23:45
I have a quick question before we turn it over to colleagues.
1:23:48
So we're hearing and granted, I know that you're not HRA.
1:23:51
You're DCAS.
1:23:51
But we're hearing, about specific instances in agencies like HRA where letters were sent to social workers within the agencies that were hired last year when HRA was trying to fill a backlog of applications, etcetera, saying that civil service exam lists were coming out for licensed social workers and that they would be required to hire from that list.
1:24:15
And so the current social workers that are working there that are not from the civil service list would have to either, 1, take the exam, or they would have to or they would be expect they would be terminated.
1:24:28
So, you know, the there is, like, a very short window in in terms of the turnaround there.
1:24:35
And so what I'm asking is, is there what is the solution?
1:24:39
Because that is a workforce that we depended on when we're in crisis, and now that is a workforce that is basically being told, well, we're out of the emergency.
1:24:49
That there's talent there.
1:24:50
Right?
1:24:51
And those are people that could be working for the city.
1:24:53
So is there any, accommodations that's being made for those workers that are already in the agency that can continue doing the work?
1:24:59
Because I imagine, especially given what we heard about this timeline and this process, that if a worker is terminated in 2 months and it takes 14 to hire a civil someone from the civil service list, there's gonna be a gap again.
1:25:13
So what steps can we take for those workers that are already at the agencies?
