Long Beach has officially merged its Civil Service Department with the Human Resources Department, creating a centralized hiring entity aimed at improving efficiency. The change went into effect on May 6, following voter approval in the November 2024 election.
“Long Beach is growing and evolving, and our workforce systems need to keep pace,” City Manager Tom Modica said in a public statement. “This merge is a forward-thinking approach to public service—one that is responsive, efficient and built to attract the best talent and continue meeting the needs of our community. By removing barriers and reducing bureaucracy, we are ensuring every employee—present and future—has the tools and support they need to thrive.”
The new unified Human Resources Department is now responsible for overseeing all aspects of city hiring, including recruitment, talent development, and local hiring preferences. City officials say the reorganization will help ensure the hiring process remains grounded in merit, while also speeding up recruitment timelines—with a goal of filling most positions within 90 business days.
“We’re closer than ever to becoming the first big city in California with a 90-day hiring standard,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a public statement. “By bringing Civil Service and Human Resources together, we’re cutting red tape, making it easier to get hired, and staying true to our Long Beach Jobs Promise. This is about building a strong, committed workforce that truly reflects the community we serve.”
As part of Measure JB, the City is also creating an independent Civil Service Employee Rights and Appeals Commission. Set to begin operating on July 1, this commission will handle employee disciplinary appeals and address complaints related to Civil Service regulations. Further details about the commission will be shared by the City in the coming weeks.
To support the transition, Long Beach launched a new Talent Management Bureau within the restructured HR Department. This bureau is designed to enhance recruitment strategies and better align staffing with departmental needs across both classified and unclassified positions. Employees from the former Civil Service Department were retained by the City and reassigned to roles within HR or other departments as part of the merger plan.
“This merge is about aligning our resources to better serve both the community and our employees and ensuring that we remain a destination for top and diverse talent,” Director of Human Resources Bryce M. Tyler said in a public statement. “By uniting our Civil Service and HR Departments, we’re not only able to onboard our incoming workforce more quickly—we’re modernizing our processes and creating more consistent support for our existing workforce. Our City teams are doing incredible work, and this merge will better allow us to build on that momentum to meet the future with even greater purpose.”
The City’s efforts to foster a supportive work culture were recently recognized by the Age-Friendly Institute, which named Long Beach a Certified Age-Friendly Employer for its inclusive approach to workers over the age of 50.
