Request Hearing with the Civil Service Board

Filing an Appeal or Requesting a Hearing for City of Oakland and Port of Oakland Civil Service Board Employees

If you need to file an appeal or request a hearing with the City of Oakland or Port of Oakland Civil Service Board, you will need to submit the Hearing Request Form and follow these key steps: submit your appeal within five working days of notice, include necessary information and grounds for the appeal.

 Hearings will be scheduled and noticed appropriately. 

I. Receipt of Appeal

1. Timeline: File your appeal with the Personnel Director within Five (5) working days from the date you received the notice of removal and/or disciplinary action.
2. Notification: Notification is deemed given if the letter is sent to your address of record via regular and certified mail, or if it is hand-delivered to you.

II. Information to be Included in the Appeal

1. Format: The appeal must be in writing.
2. Public Hearing Waiver: If you wish to waive a public hearing, include a written waiver.
3. Content: The appeal must state:
   • The subsection and the section of the Civil Service Board rules the appeal is based on. 
   • A statement of the facts on which the appeal is based upon. 

III. City/Department Response

1. Timeline: The appointing authority (City or Port Department) must submit a written response to the Civil Service Board within seven (7) working days of the appeal filing.
2. City Attorney Assistance: If the department seeks assistance from the City Attorney, it must request this through HR with sufficient notice.

IV. Scheduling the Hearing

1. Setting the Date: At the first Board meeting following the filing of the appeal and the City’s response, the Board will receive the appeal and set a hearing date.
2. Timing: The hearing will typically be held at the next Board meeting unless continued by the Board.

(Note: Civil Service Meetings begin at 5:30 p.m. and hearings are held in Closed Session following the conclusion of the Open Session agenda items.) 

V. Notice of Hearing

1. Timeline: The Board will send a written notice at least five (5) working days before the scheduled hearing.
2. Recipients: The notice will be sent to:
   • The appointing authority.
   • The appellant (you) or your attorney/representative.
   • The City Attorney.
3. Content: The notice will include:

• A written notice giving the date, time, and place of such hearing to the appointing authority, to the appellant or her/his attorney and/or representative, and to the City Attorney; 
• A copy of the appeal to the appointing authority and the City Attorney; a copy of the answer of the appointing authority to the appellant or her/his attorney or representative. (Mutual exchange of documents). 

1. Public Access: Hearings may be open to the public. However, upon request by an interested party, the Chairperson may exclude witnesses not under examination, except for parties to the proceeding and their counsel.

If you have any questions, please contact staff to the Civil Service Board.

Ayana Smith

asmith4@oaklandca.gov 

510-238-6544