General Circular No. 001358

To: Heads of State Agencies and Human Resource Directors

Subject: Y2k Readiness

Issue Date: July 9, 1999

The Department of State Civil Service is taking the following steps in order to move as smoothly as possible into the year 2000. Although all of our mission critical systems are Y2K ready, we are taking these steps in order to decrease the inconvenience caused by any minor problems

1. The State Civil Service Commission will not meet in January 2000. They will meet on December 7-8, 1999 and February 1-2, 2000.

2. There will be no Civil Service testing the week of January 3, 2000. Testing will resume on Tuesday, January 11, 2000 in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

3. All Civil Service Certificates of Eligibles issued after October 31, 1999 will be automatically extended until February 1, 2000.

4. Please submit any critical allocation requests before October 1, 1999.

5. Please submit critical pay requests by November 1, 1999 in order to allow Classification and Pay staff time to prepare recommendations for the December 1999 Civil Service Commission meeting.

If needed, rule changes will be proposed to the Civil Service Commission to allow the Director to extend the delay for filing an appeal and an application for review. The Commission interprets Rule 3.1(k) as broad enough to allow the Director to authorize a suspension pending criminal proceedings should the need arise between December 8, 1999 and February 2, 2000.

Should Y2K problems be greater than anticipated, agencies should make full use of existing authorities to hire people temporarily and of all other flexibilities provided for by Civil Service rules. We will, of course, work with all agencies to help in any way possible.

If you have any questions or concerns about this general circular, please contact Anne Soileau at 225-342-8069.

Sincerely,

Allen Reynolds

Director