Threats to Wisconsin’s Civil Service System

• Use of criteria other than merit when making appointments (such as political affiliation or contributions, family affiliation, wealth, or religion)
• Misuse of limited term appointments or project appointments to bypass rigorous competition in recruitment
• Appointment of people in unclassified appointed executive positions to civil service positions for a short period of time in order to establish prior civil service experience and rights when these rights would not otherwise be available
• Privatization of or contracting for services that reasonably could be performed by civil service employees on a long-term basis
• Removal of civil service employees at the time of administrative changeover after elections for political purposes or reasons other than cause
• Failure to allow civil service employees to organize and bargain for wages and benefits
• Failure to provide sufficient compensation and benefits to attract professional and competent employees
• Failure to provide the state-level organizational structure to oversee the civil service system
• Exemption of entire departments or groups of employees from civil service participation