Civil servants seeking job changes have been dealt a setback after the Public Service Commission (PSC) announced that they would subject such applicants to fresh evaluation to confirm they meet the job qualifications.
In an internal memo dated April 23, PSC Secretary Simon Rotich directed that amid the influx of public officers seeking re-designation, there was a need to ensure that they met the qualifications for the new jobs they sought.
Rotich mentioned that apart from academic qualifications, the officers tasked with redesignation would access applicants using broad criteria including academic qualifications.
"It has been noted that apart from basic academic and professional qualifications, there has been a challenge in determining suitability in terms of skills and competencies, as the requirements to such positions are different," the statement read in part.
The PSC Secretary explained that those seeking job changes in different departments had to meet the bare minimum - have the ability to perform in the new positions. Thus, the commission developed the Framework for Management of Re-designations.
Re-designation is described in the framework, as the change of a public officer from one career path or cadre to another at a grade equal to or substantially equal to the one they currently hold.
The application will be done by submitting a written requisition to an authorized officer respective to their job group, provided that the office is vacant and the staff has worked for the minimum required period.
"Re-designation will not be automatic but subject to suitability testing. It shall apply to employees who have served for a minimum cumulative period of two years," recommends the guidelines.
Authorised officers who receive applications will analyse them, prepare a form, PSC3, and verify the authenticity of the academic and professional papers submitted by the civil servants.
The officers then submit the requests to the Ministry or State Department responsible for the cadre or to the Commission as appropriate.
Shortlisted applicants will be called for interviews which are held every three months and those who emerge successful will be deployed to a where a vacancy exists. The framework took place effective May 1, 2022.
"Officers will be subjected to suitability interviews to determine their competencies to serve in the cadre. This is especially necessary for officers being re-designated to positions beyond the entry grades and would therefore be deployed as such," reads the framework.
