ARTICLE 3. Promotion [18950. - 18955.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 3.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18950. Section 18950.

(a) Vacancies in positions shall be filled insofar as consistent with the best interests of the state from among employees holding positions in appropriate classes, and appropriate promotional lists shall be established to facilitate this purpose, except as provided in Section 18930. Examinations shall be held on an open, nonpromotional basis when, in the judgment of the department or designated appointing power, open competition will produce eligible lists with more highly skilled qualified candidates and is consistent with the best interests of the state. (b) Consistent with board rules, the department may prescribe conditions under which state employees, persons on leave of absence, and persons whose names are on appropriate reemployment lists, may be permitted to compete in promotional examination and to attain eligibility for appointment. (c) The department, consistent with board rules, may prescribe conditions under which eligibility may be transferred from one promotional list to another promotional list. (d) Notwithstanding subdivision (c), eligibility may not be transferred from one promotional list to another promotional list where the list to which eligibility has been transferred is for a classification requiring specific professional licensing unless the applicant possesses the appropriate license.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18950.1. Section 18950.1.

Notwithstanding any other law, full-time employees of the state who are exempt from state civil service pursuant to the provisions of Section 4 of Article VII of the California Constitution, shall be eligible to receive three career credits, except when competing for managerial positions, as defined in Section 3513, under conditions prescribed by the department. Such credits shall be granted only for open nonpromotional examinations. In order to be eligible to receive credits, such employees must meet all qualification requirements specified and must have 12 consecutive months of service in an exempt position.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18951. Section 18951.

The board, department, and each state agency and employee shall encourage economy and efficiency in and devotion to state service by encouraging promotional advancement of employees showing willingness and ability to perform efficiently services assigned them, and every person in state service shall be permitted to advance according to merit and ability. In an examination held on an open, nonpromotional basis under the provisions of Section 18950, a competitor, who has permanent civil service status, or who has a mandatory right of reinstatement to a position with permanent civil service status, and who attains the passing mark established for an examination which is not for a managerial position as defined in Section 3513, shall have three credits added to his or her earned score. Such credits shall be known as career credits.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18951.5. Section 18951.5.

(a) In an examination held on an open, nonpromotional basis under Section 18950, a competitor who has served at least one full year in, or who is a graduate of, the California Conservation Corps, and who attains the passing mark established for the examination, shall have three career credits added to his or her score. Eligibility for career credits pursuant to this section shall expire 24 months after graduation from the California Conservation Corps or five years after graduation if the competitor has participated in a California Conservation Corps scholarship program. (b) In an examination held on an open, nonpromotional basis under Section 18950, a competitor who has worked full time as either a seasonal fire fighter I or a limited term or permanent intermittent fire fighter II, fire fighter II (paramedic), fire apparatus engineer, or fire apparatus engineer (paramedic), for three months with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection since January 1, 1979, and who attains a passing mark established for the examination for fire fighter II, fire fighter II (paramedic), fire apparatus engineer, or fire apparatus engineer (paramedic) shall have three career credits added to his or her score.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18952. Section 18952.

Any employee who feels aggrieved at any action taken by any superior or fellow employee in discouraging or in any manner hindering or preventing him from taking any examination or any other action which he deems beneficial to himself may appeal to the board in writing. Any such appeal or communication in connection therewith is confidential and shall not be disclosed without the consent of the employee taking such appeal. Immediately after receiving such appeal the board shall investigate and shall take such action as it deems necessary.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18954. Section 18954.

In any promotional examinations for positions in the California Highway Patrol, there shall be allowed to each competitor an additional credit for merit, efficiency and fitness of one-quarter of a point for each year which he has served in the grade next lower than that for which the examination is given.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 18955. Section 18955.

Examinations for those classes designated as supervisory level peace officers in the Department of Corrections and Youth Authority, with respect to those peace officers enumerated in Section 830.5 of the Penal Code, shall be job related and shall include measurable examination components which allow for objective scoring of applicants’ responses, as developed by the board.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026