Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18520. Section 18520.
Unless the context requires otherwise, the definitions hereinafter set forth govern the construction of this part and the rules adopted hereunder.
ARTICLE 2. Definitions [18520. - 18553.]
Cal. Government Code - GOV 2.
in effectCal. Government Code - GOV § 18521. Section 18521.
“Board” means the agency created by Section 2 of Article VII of the California Constitution and includes the “State Personnel Board” provided in Section 2(a) and the “executive officer” provided in Section 2(c) thereof. The board shall be within the Government Operations Agency.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18521.5. Section 18521.5.
“Department” means the Department of Human Resources.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18522. Section 18522.
“Position” means any office or employment in the “state civil service” as the phrase is defined in Section 1 of Article VII of the Constitution.
“Former position” means either of the following:
(a)
A position in the classification to which an employee was last appointed as a probationer, permanent employee, or career executive, under the same appointing power where that position was held, and within a designated geographical, organizational, or functional subdivision of that state agency.
(b)
With the concurrence of both the appointing power and the employee, a position in a different classification
to which the same appointing power could have assigned such an employee in accordance with this part. However, the former position shall not include positions from which the employee has been separated through disciplinary action, rejected during a probationary period, terminated under Section 19889.3, or terminated, demoted, or transferred in accordance with Section 19253.5; or terminated on a nonpunitive basis under Section 19585.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18523. Section 18523.
“Class” means a group of positions sufficiently similar with respect to duties and responsibilities that the same title may reasonably and fairly be used to designate each position allocated to the class and that substantially the same tests of fitness may be used and that substantially the same minimum qualifications may be required and that the same schedule of compensation may be made to apply with equity.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18524. Section 18524.
“Appointing authority” or “appointing power” means a person or group having authority to make appointments to positions in the state civil service.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18525. Section 18525.
“Appointment” means the offer to and acceptance by a person of a position in the State civil service in accordance with this part.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18525.1. Section 18525.1.
“Promotion” means the appointment of an employee to a position in a different class with a higher salary range, unless the appointment is by transfer, as defined by subdivision (b) of Section 18525.3.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18525.2. Section 18525.2.
“Demotion” means the appointment of an employee to a position in a different class with a lower salary range, as provided by Section 19253 if voluntary, by Section 19253.5 if for medical reasons, or by Section 19570 if by adverse action.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18525.3. Section 18525.3.
“Transfer” means both of the following:
(a)
The appointment of an employee to another position in the same class but under another appointing power.
(b)
The appointment of an employee to a different class to which the employee satisfies the minimum qualifications and that has substantially the same level of duties, responsibility, and salary as determined by board rule.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18526. Section 18526.
“Employee” means a person legally holding a position in the State civil service.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18527. Section 18527.
“Probationer” means an employee who has probationary status. “Probationary status” means the status of an employee who has been certified and appointed from an employment list, or has been reinstated after resignation, or has been transferred or demoted but who has not completed the probationary period.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18528. Section 18528.
“Permanent employee” means an employee who has permanent status. “Permanent status” means the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his or her position after the successful completion of the probationary period. “Permanent status” also means an employee who is lawfully appointed to his or her position after successful completion of the job examination period under the Limited Examination and Appointment Program.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18529. Section 18529.
“Temporary employee” means an employee holding a position under temporary appointment. “Temporary appointment” means an appointment made in the absence of any appropriate employment list permitted by Section 5 of Article VII of the Constitution.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18530. Section 18530.
“Limited term employee” means an employee whose appointment as a result of reinstatement or certification from an employment list shall not exceed two years, as specified by Section 19080.3.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18531. Section 18531.
“Emergency employee” means an employee holding a position under emergency appointment. “Emergency appointment” means an appointment made for a period not to exceed 60 working days either during an actual emergency to prevent the stoppage of public business or because of the limited duration of the work.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18532. Section 18532.
“Eligible list” means a list of persons who have been examined in an open competitive examination and are eligible for certification for a specific class.
“Limited term list” means an eligible list established for use exclusively in making limited term appointments.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18532.1. Section 18532.1.
“Preferred limited term list” means a list of persons who have served under limited-term appointment and who, in accordance with rule, are granted eligibility for additional limited-term appointments.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18532.2. Section 18532.2.
“Departmental eligible list” means a list of persons who have been examined in an open competitive examination and who are eligible for certification for a specific class for a particular appointing power.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18533. Section 18533.
(a)
“Subdivisional promotional list” means a list of persons eligible for certification for a specific class resulting from a promotional examination for a particular subdivision of a state agency.
(b)
“Departmental promotional list” means a list of persons eligible for certification for a specific class resulting from a promotional examination for a particular state agency.
(c)
“Multidepartmental promotional list” means a list of persons eligible for certification for a specific class resulting from a promotional examination for a group of state departments.
(d)
“Servicewide promotional list” means a list of persons eligible for certification for a specific class resulting from a promotional examination for the entire state service.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18534. Section 18534.
“General reemployment list” means a list established for the reemployment of persons in a particular class in any State agency, irrespective of the State agency in which the persons were previously employed.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18535. Section 18535.
“Departmental reemployment list” means a list established for the reemployment of persons in a particular class in a particular State agency.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18536. Section 18536.
“Subdivisional reemployment list” means a list established for the reemployment of persons in a particular class in a particular subdivision of a State agency.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18537. Section 18537.
“Employment list” means preferred limited-term list, limited-term list, eligible list, departmental eligible list, subdivisional promotional list, departmental promotional list, multidepartmental promotional list, servicewide promotional list, departmental reemployment list, subdivisional reemployment list and general reemployment list.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18538. Section 18538.
“Part” means this part, Part 2.5 (commencing with Section 19800), and Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 19815) and those portions of Part 1 (commencing with Section 18000) that confer powers or impose duties on the board or the department.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18540. Section 18540.
“Armed forces” means the United States Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18540.1. Section 18540.1.
“National emergency” as used in this part means any period in which the United States is at war prior to the declaration by the Governor of a state military emergency.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18540.2. Section 18540.2.
“State military emergency,” as used in this part, means an emergency declared and terminable by the Governor by proclamation during, but not limited to, such times as the United States is conscripting personnel for service in the armed forces.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18540.3. Section 18540.3.
“Recognized military service” means full-time service by a person in the armed forces during the national emergency or a state military emergency.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18540.4. Section 18540.4.
“Veteran” means: Any person who has served full time in the armed forces in time of national emergency or state military emergency or during any expedition of the armed forces and who has been discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18541. Section 18541.
“Disabled veteran” means any veteran as defined in Section 18540.4 who is currently declared by the United States Veterans Administration to be 10 percent or more disabled as a result of service in the armed forces. Proof of such disability shall be deemed conclusive if it is of record in the United States Veterans Administration.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18542. Section 18542.
“Rehabilitation” as used within this part shall mean a restoration of veterans declared to be 10 per cent or more disabled, either physically or mentally.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18543. Section 18543.
“Military leave” means the leave of absence status of a permanent employee or probationer who leaves a position to serve in the armed forces of the United States in time of national emergency or state military emergency and who has the right under statutes relating to reinstatement of persons after military service to return to his position.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18544. Section 18544.
“Duration employment” means an employment during time of war or during an emergency in connection with the national defense, which employment is subject to termination and other conditions as prescribed by Section 19200 and by rules.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18545. Section 18545.
“Duration examination” means an open competitive examination, or promotional examination, held for the express purpose of providing a list of persons available for duration employment. Employment lists resulting from duration examinations can be used only in making appointments for duration employment.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18546. Section 18546.
“Career executive” means an employee appointed from an employment list established for the express purpose of providing a list of persons who are eligible for career executive assignments, as specified in Article 5 (commencing with Section 18990) of Chapter 4 and Article 9 (commencing with Section 19889) of Chapter 2.5 of Part 2.6, in which examination, selection, classification, salary, tenure, and other conditions of employment may be varied from those prevailing under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 18800) to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 19570), inclusive, for other employees in the state civil service.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18547. Section 18547.
“Career executive assignment” means an appointment to a high administrative and policy influencing position within the state civil service in which the incumbent’s primary responsibility is the managing of a major function or the rendering of management advice to top-level administrative authority. Such a position can be established only in the top managerial levels of state service and is typified by broad responsibility for policy implementation and extensive participation in policy evolvement. Assignment by appointment to such a position does not confer any rights or status in the position other than provided in Article 9 (commencing with Section 19889) of Chapter 2.5 of Part 2.6.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18550. Section 18550.
A “full-time” position or appointment is a position or appointment in which the employee is to work the amount of time required for the employee to be compensated at a full-time rate.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18551. Section 18551.
A “part-time” position or appointment is a position or appointment in which the employee is to work a specific fraction of the full-time work schedule.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18552. Section 18552.
An “intermittent” position or appointment is a position or appointment in which the employee is to work periodically or for a fluctuating portion of the full-time work schedule.
Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18553. Section 18553.
“Core competencies” mean the particular education, experience, knowledge, and abilities that each applicant is required to have in order to be considered eligible for a particular group of classifications.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026