Employee Layoff Information (April 2026)

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Introduction

This page outlines the basic provisions of the Civil Service Commission Rules governing layoffs and summarizes the services and benefits which are available to employees who are separated from employment due to a reduction in force.

The information provided applies to employees who are laid off from Permanent Civil Service and Provisional appointments. If you are laid off from a different appointment type (i.e., Temporary Civil Service), your holdover and return-to-duty rights may differ. Exempt employees do not have any holdover or return-to-duty employment rights, unless you held a prior appointment as a permanent civil service employee.

Please note that not every policy, rule or procedure related to layoffs is included in this page. For more specific information regarding your rights and benefits, refer to Civil Service Commission Rules and to your collective bargaining agreement.

If you have questions, your supervisor or department’s human resources team can answer your questions.

General rules governing layoffs

San Francisco Charter Sec. 10.101 gives the Civil Service Commission the authority to adopt rules, policies and procedures to carry out civil service merit system provisions of the charter and such rules shall govern lay-offs or reductions in force. Such rules are described in various sections of the Civil Service Commission Rules, including but not limited to:

How was the layoff process applied to me?

Positions may be eliminated due to the lack of work, lack of funds, or the anticipated lack of funds. Employees may also be separated from employment if another laid off employee with more seniority “bumps” an employee with less seniority.

Order of layoff in a job class

Provisional
Temporary from an eligible list
Probationary
Permanent

Generally, within each department, layoffs in a job class due to reduction in force occur in the above order. Employees in each status type listed above must be separated before separations occur in the next status type. Within the Provisional status type, employees without prior permanent City service are laid off before employees with prior permanent service. Within each of the other status types, layoffs occur according to citywide seniority in the class, with the least senior employee in a department separated first.

Seniority

The department determines the individual(s) who will be laid off, based upon citywide seniority and status. Seniority for layoff purposes is determined by Civil Service Commission (CSC) Rule 121 Layoff. If you have questions regarding your seniority, contact your department’s human resources team.

Displacement

You may be displaced ("bumped") by an employee with more citywide seniority who was laid off from a position in another department or who was reassigned from another position in the same department. The most common way this happens include:

A permanent employee who is laid off due to a reduction in force may displace (“bump”) another employee in the classification with less citywide seniority. This provision does not apply to employees in classes in the Management (“M”) and Executive Management (“EM”) bargaining units including “Management Unrepresented” classes covered in the Unrepresented Ordinance.
A permanent employee who is laid off due to a reduction in force may reinstate (return) to his/her previous permanent classification in his/her most recent department and may displace (“bump”) the least senior employee in that class and department.

What is the difference between "Involuntary Leave" and "Involuntary Layoff"?

Layoffs due to a reduction in force are either “Involuntary Leave” and “Involuntary Layoff.” The type of separation that is used depends on whether the employee has permanent civil service status in the class from which separated and whether the employee requests to fully separate from City service. Permanent and Probationary employees may be placed on either Involuntary Leave or Involuntary Layoff status.

Employees electing Involuntary Leave:

Must continue membership in the Retirement System.
May not cash out any earned and unused vacation.
Maintain status as a holdover in the class for up to five years. Provisional employees cannot be placed on involuntary leave.

Employees electing Involuntary Layoff:

Must decide about their contribution to the Retirement System within 90-days of separation date. The Retirement System will notify the employee of the available options and specific requirements for reporting their decision. Should the individual return to City service in the future, they will need to contact the Retirement System.
Separate from City service and must cash out earned vacation accruals.
Maintain status as a holdover in the class for up to five years.

If you do not make an election, you will automatically be placed on "Involuntary Leave” status. If you have questions on separation status, please discuss with your department’s human resources team.

Provisional employees and Temporary employees from an eligible list cannot make an election and will be placed on Involuntary Layoff status.

Provisional and Exempt employees do not have holdover rights.

Employee Status	Involuntary Leave	Involuntary Layoff
Provisional		x
Temporary from an Eligible List		x
Probationary	x	x
Permanent	x	x

What are my reemployment rights?

If you are a Permanent or Probationary employee who is separated from your position due to a reduction in force, you are a "Permanent Holdover." You are placed on a "Permanent Holdover Roster" in order of your total permanent Citywide seniority in the class from which you were separated. Except for employees in classes in the Management (“M”) and Executive Management (“EM”) bargaining units (including “Management Unrepresented” classes covered in the Unrepresented Ordinance), Permanent Holdovers may displace the least senior permanent employee in the class citywide.
Permanent Holdovers are given preference for reemployment in vacant positions ahead of employees requesting transfer, voluntary reinstatement, reappointment, or eligibles awaiting appointment from Civil Service eligible lists. Permanent Holdovers may remain on the Permanent Holdover Roster for up to five (5) years.
Permanent Holdover Rosters are used to fill both permanent and certain temporary positions. Temporary Holdover Rosters are used to fill positions on a temporary basis only. Permanent Holdovers will be offered certain temporary employment before Temporary Holdovers.
When a full-time permanent position becomes available and your name is reached on the Permanent Holdover Roster, you will receive an official offer of reemployment by the Department of Human Resources. If laid off from a position other than full-time, you will only be offered a position with an equivalent schedule type.
a) If you refuse an offer of reemployment to a full-time permanent position in the class and department from which laid off, you will be removed from the Holdover Roster for that class. Your refusal of reemployment is considered a resignation.
b) If you refuse an offer of reemployment to a full-time permanent position in a different department from which you were laid off, you will be placed under departmental waiver for all future offers of employment for that department and will not receive any future offers of reemployment for positions in that department. Additionally, you will be placed under General Waiver for all positions citywide in the class until a request to lift a General Waiver is received and granted. Requests to lift a General Waiver (reestablish eligibility) must be made in writing to the Human Resources Director. (Refer to #5 below.)
c) If you are offered a permanent part-time position in any department, you will remain eligible for future full-time positions as they become available regardless of whether you accept or refuse the part-time position.
d) When you are officially notified that your name has been reached for reemployment, you will have five (5) business days from the notification date to respond to the department and to the Department of Human Resources.
e) Failure to respond to a reemployment notice will be considered a refusal of an offer of reemployment and may result in the removal of your name from the Holdover Roster(s).
If you are placed under General Waiver due to non-response or refusal of an offer of reemployment, you will be ineligible to receive offers of reemployment for any position in your permanent class in all departments, and your eligibility can be reestablished only by the express approval of the Human Resources Director. Requests to lift a General Waiver (reestablish eligibility) must be made in writing to the Human Resources Director.
If your General Waiver is lifted and you are eligible to be considered for placement, you will only be considered for placement into vacant positions. You will not be allowed to displace another permanent or provisional employee.
If you are a Promotive employee in a permanent position and cannot be placed in a position in the class from which laid off, you have the right to reinstate to your permanent position in the class and department from which you promoted. If necessary, you may “bump” another employee with less Citywide seniority than you in that department.
Provisional and Exempt employees have no reemployment rights in the class from which separated. If separated from a Provisional or Exempt position and you are on leave from a permanent position, you have the right to return to the permanent position in the class and department from which you are on leave (you must immediately contact the department where you have permanent status to arrange a return-to-duty).

Will I be required to serve a new probationary period when I am returned to duty?

You will not be required to serve a new probationary period if you are reemployed in a permanent position in the class and department from which you were laid off. Employees who were serving a probationary period at the time of layoff and later reemployed in the same class and department from which laid off will receive credit for the period of probation served prior to layoff. If you return to the same class but in a different department, you will be required to serve a new probationary period. Refer to the applicable collective bargaining agreement and Civil Service Rules for information on the length of the probationary period following layoff and reemployment.
If you are returned to duty from a holdover roster and are subsequently released from probation (or resign during the probationary period), you may request that the Human Resources Director return you to available status as a holdover. If approved, you will be placed back on the holdover roster in the order of your original Citywide seniority in the class and will only be eligible to be returned to vacant approved positions as they become available. Note: The Human Resources Director will generally not lift the waiver after the second time an individual has been released on probation from a holdover placement.

What will my salary be when I am rehired?

If you are returned to duty in the same class from which you were laid off (other than the Unified School District and the Community College District), you will be returned at the same salary step you were at when you were laid off. Eligibility for any pay premiums, differentials or other adjustments above base salary will be reestablished based on the work performed in the new position and in accordance with the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
If you are returned to duty in a different class from which you were laid off (other than the Unified School District and the Community College District), you will be returned at the salary step whose pay rate is closest to, but not less than, the base pay rate you were receiving prior to being laid off. Your pay rate in the new class cannot exceed the maximum scheduled pay rate for the new class.
If you are returned to duty in a position at the Unified School District or the Community College District, you will be placed at a salary step determined by the District. Based on the Districts’ collective bargaining agreements, salary schedules for positions may differ from positions in the same classes in City departments. Benefits may also be different.

What happens to my vacation and sick leave balances, floating holidays, and comp time?

Permanent employees who are placed on Involuntary Leave status retain their sick leave and vacation accruals. No sick leave or vacation accruals are earned for the period when the employee is not on paid status.
Permanent and Provisional employees who elect to be placed on Involuntary Layoff status and separate from City service are paid out all earned and unused vacation accruals and will not regain vacation accruals upon reemployment. Unused compensatory time off and floating holidays are paid out in accordance with the employee’s applicable collective bargaining agreement.
Permanent employees who elect Involuntary Layoff retain their sick leave accruals. No sick leave accruals are earned for the period when the employee is not on paid status.
Provisional employees who elect Involuntary Layoff and are reemployed within six (6) months from the date of layoff may regain sick leave accruals. No sick leave accruals are earned for the period when the employee is not on paid status.

How is my retirement affected?

If you are laid off due to a reduction in force or if you are “bumped” from your position, you should contact the San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System (SFERS) for questions about your retirement eligibility or membership benefits. SFERS is located at 1145 Market Street, 5th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103. Call (415) 487-7000 for general retirement information.

For more information regarding Frequently Asked Questions related to Layoffs and Retirement, please see SFERS Layoff FAQ provided on the following pages.

For information regarding contributions to the Retiree Health Care Fund, please review the Additional Notes section of the Retiree Health Care document.

What do I do in the meantime?

Unemployment Insurance

If you are separated from City service or have your hours reduced through no fault of your own, contact the California State Employment Development Department (EDD) as soon as possible ((800) 300-5616 or www.edd.ca.gov). You may be entitled to State Unemployment Insurance benefits starting one week after the date of actual separation or reduction in hours. Delays in filing may cause you to lose benefits.

Other Employment

Holdovers who obtain employment outside of the City and County of San Francisco will NOT lose standing on the Holdover Roster.

Maintain Job Qualifications

Holdovers must maintain any qualifications, such as certificates, specialized skills or licenses required by law and by the terms of the examination announcement(s) under which they qualified for employment.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides cost-free, confidential counseling to employees and their families for up to 30 days after separation from City employment. The Employee Assistance Program is located at 1145 Market Street, Suite 100 (between 7th Street and 8th Street; Civic Center Muni/Bart Station), San Francisco, CA 94103, or you can call (628) 652-4600.

Important Reminders

Please ensure your name and address are correct and current. If incorrect or missing, contact your department’s human resources team to update. If you move after being laid off or change your contact information (e-mail, phone number, etc.), you must immediately notify the Department of Human Resources at One South Van Ness, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103, in writing and include your name, DSW/employee ID number, former job code and title, updated contact information (new address, phone number, e-mail, etc.), and your signature. If we do not have your current contact information, you may miss out on a job opportunity as well as important communications regarding your health benefits.
When your name has been reached for reemployment, the Department of Human Resources will contact you regarding the reinstatement opportunity and the departmental contact for the position. You have five (5) business days from the notification date to respond to the department and to the Department of Human Resources.
Failure to respond to a return to duty notice may result in the removal of your name from the Holdover Roster(s) and/or eligible lists.