Systematization of Service Positions and Service Authorities (CZ0011)

During implementation of this priority the Czech Republic undertakes to realize in particular the following measures... to prepare a government decree on a catalogue of administrative activities and a government decree on wage conditions of state employees… in order that the following requirements are met… unambiguous definition of a boundary between the positions controlled by political parties and the apolitical bureaucratic positions, which will be occupied on the basis of open selection procedures, setting rules for depoliticisation, professionalisation and stabilisation of the state administration.

Commitment 5: Systemization of service positions and the service authorities

Commitment text:

During implementation of this priority the Czech Republic undertakes to realize in particular the following measures…to prepare a government decree on a catalogue of administrative activities and a government decree on wage conditions of state employees…in order that the following requirements are met…unambiguous definition of a boundary between the positions controlled by political parties and the apolitical bureaucratic positions, which will be occupied on the basis of open selection procedures, setting rules for depoliticisation, professionalisation and stabilisation of the state administration.

Milestones:

5.1 Submitting a draft of methodical instruction for preparation of the first systemization of the service positions and the first systemization of work positions

5.2 Preparing and drafting the first systemization of the service positions and the first systemization of work positions.

5.3 Submitting to the Government a proposal for systemization of the service authorities in accordance with the Act on Civil Servants for the year 2016 and

5.4 Submitting to the Government the draft of the service authorities systemization in accordance with the Service Act for the year 2017.

Responsible Institution: The Ministry of Interior

Supporting Institution(s): The Ministry of Finance

Start Date: Not Specified     ..                                                               End Date: 30 June 2016

Commitment Aim:

The commitment is aimed toward increasing consistency and efficiency within public administration by providing prerequisites and qualification criteria for recruiting and dismissing civil servants, as well as regulating the remuneration schemes for public servants and other state employees. By adopting a system of rules, this commitment offers a solution to mitigate the risk of politically motivated changes in the organizational structure of public authorities.

Status

Mid-term: Substantial

When the Czech government adopted the second action plan, the Ministry of Interior was drafting a guide for systematically regulating positions within the state administration. The first systematization was adopted through Governmental Decision no. 465 and entered into force on 1 July 2015 in accordance with the Act on Civil Service, thus fulfilling Milestones 5.1 and 5.2.^{[Note 20: Government of the Czech Republic, “Governmental Decision Nr. 465 on the First Systematization,” (15 June 2015), [Czech] http://bit.ly/20u7tJf.]}

After the first systematization entered into force, the Section for Civil Service (SCS), in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, prepared a systematization proposal for the year 2016, completing commitment 5.3.^{[Note 21: Government of the Interior, “Information and Schedule of the Proposals of the Amendment of the First Systematization,” [Czech] http://bit.ly/1HlmIeD.]}

End of term: Substantial

Adoption of the systemization for the year 2016 depended on the adoption of the national budget for 2016; systemization is based on the total amount of financial assistance intended for civil servants and state employees. On 7 December 2015, the Government adopted the second systemization with Governmental Decision No. 1006 which entered into force on 1 January 2016.^{[Note 22: Government of the Czech Republic, Governmental Decision Nr. 1006 on the Second Systematization, (7 December 2015), [Czech] https://apps.odok.cz/attachment/-/down/VPRAA57AUVPY.]} This act regulates the total numbers of civil servant positions of senior officials and of positions in civil administration with specific security requirements, the budget needed for civil servants remunerations and the remuneration tariffs for the governmental agencies. The Parliament adopted the budget on 9 December 2015, therefore fulfilling Milestone 5.3 on time.^{[Note 23: Ministry of Finance: Act No. 400/2015 on State Budget of 2016, [Czech]  http://www.mfcr.cz/cs/legislativa/legislativni-dokumenty/2016/zakon-c-400-2015-sb-23454.]}

According to Methodical Directive No. 2 of the Deputy Minister for the State Service, the Ministry of Interior has the responsibility to submit a draft systemization for year 2017 by 16 September 2016.^{[Note 24: Ministry of Interior: Methodical Directive Nr. 2 Laying Down Rules for the Drafting of Systematization of Civil Service and Working Positions in the Service Office with Effect from 1 January 2017, [Czech] http://www.mvcr.cz/sluzba/clanek/metodicky-pokyn-c-2-2016.aspx.]} The directive requires that the draft systemization shall be prepared together with the draft of state budget for 2017. The Directive further specifies the annexes of the draft systemization (e.g. suggested number of civil servants their wages) and it also includes a procedure for approving drafts for individual government agencies and detail procedures for Ministry of Finance negotiations concerning budgetary requirements. It also requires justification for proposed changes to the 2016 systemization.

As a result, IRM researchers assess the commitment as substantially completed.

Did it open government?

Access to information: Did not change

Civic Participation: Did not change

Public accountability: Did not change

The commitment is intended to stabilize the civil service and prevent fluctuation in hiring and firing civil servants due to regime changes. These practices often happened in the past, particularly with appointing unqualified officials as political favours or arbitrarily dismissing officials appointed by opponent politicians. Systemization of officials’ positions within the public sector has an important, though limited, potential impact on reaching the general goals of depoliticization, professionalization, and stabilization within state administration.

The commitment has the potential to improve internal accountability within public administration, as it provides clearer criteria for creating civil servant positions and remuneration schemes. However, as noted in the IRM Progress Report, this commitment is not clearly relevant to OGP values since it lacks a public-facing element. Therefore, it did not change government practice toward openness in areas relevant to OGP values.

Carried forward?

The government did not carry over this commitment to the next action plan. However, the new plan contains a commitment entitled Implementing the Adopted Civil Service Act, Putting Depoliticization, Professionalization and Stabilization of Public Administration, into Practice. A related milestone addresses the observance of the systemization of civil service posts.