Opinion ID: 2369970
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Purpose of CMPA

Text: CMPA was designed to replace a disjointed, decentralized personnel system [which was frequently alleged to tolerate] [p]atterns of abuse, neglect, incompetence, error, [and] alleged retaliation by superiors against wronged employees.... COUNCIL OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COMPREHENSIVE MERIT PERSONNEL ACT OF 1978, COMM. REPORT ON BILL NO. 2-10, 24 (July 5, 1978), [COMMITTEE REPORT], reprinted in HOUSE COMM. ON THE DIST. OF COLUMBIA, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA GOVERNMENT COMPREHENSIVE MERIT PERSONNEL ACT OF 1978 AND REPORT OF THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 96TH CONG., 1ST SESS. 142 (Comm. Print 1979). The then-existing personnel system was in disarray and chaos; it was an inefficient hodgepodge system [that] ignore[d] the rudimentary merit rules and awkwardly meshed the District personnel apparatus with the federal personnel system. COMMITTEE REPORT at 26. This incredibly inefficient, often counter productive system required the creation of a truly uniform system of merit personnel administration. Id. By enacting CMPA, the Council of the District of Columbia fulfilled the mandate of the District of Columbia Self-Government (Home Rule) Act [21] to develop its own comprehensive merit personnel system to replace the federal system which had previously controlled the District government's relations with its employees. Hawkins, 537 A.2d at 574; see Newman, 518 A.2d at 703; American Fed'n of Gov't Employees v. Barry, 459 A.2d 1045, 1049 (D.C.1983). The Council recognized the inadequacy of the existing personnel system that not only encourage[d] abuse but [was] deficient in adequate procedures to protect the employees once those abuses have occurred. COMMITTEE REPORT at 26. The Council was concerned about complaints of threats and coercion [used] to force employees with personnel grievances to withdraw them or to keep them to themselves. Id. at 25. The Council intended the CMPA to remedy these problems: City-wide rules and regulations will assure consistent application of personnel policies in all government agencies. Judicial review is provided for all decisions of the Public Employee Relations Board and Office of Employee Appeals to assure an impartial review of government administrative decisions affecting personnel. The opportunity for retaliation against employees exercising their right will be minimized by the careful provisions granting employee rights and responsibilities; authority for independent review by the Corporation Counsel; and finally, appellate authority within the Office of Employee Appeals and the courts. Id. at 42. In sum, in enacting CMPA, the Council intended to create a modern, flexible, comprehensive city-wide system of public personnel administration that would provide for the efficient administration of the District personnel system and establish impartial and independent administrative procedures for resolving employee grievances. COMMITTEE REPORT at 39, 40. [22]