Alexander

With specified exceptions, state workers are governed by the civil service system provided by the California Constitution. (Cal. Const., art. VII, § 1, subd. (a); see Professional Engineers v. Department of Transportation (1997) 15 Cal.4th 543, 548 [ 63 Cal.Rptr.2d 467 , 936 P.2d 473 ].) In 1980, as part of the State Civil Service Act (Gov. Code, § 18500 et seq.), the Legislature adopted Government Code sections 19600 through 19607, which authorize the State Personnel Board (the Board) to conduct, supervise, and evaluate demonstration projects to determine whether a specified change in personnel management policies and procedures would improve state personnel management. In 1997, the Board and the Department of General Services (DGS) agreed to conduct demonstration projects as to two classifications within the DGS, career management assignment and career supervisory assignment. Pursuant to Government Code section 19600 et seq., the Board approved the waiver of various provisions of the State Civil Service Act relating to classification, appointment and discipline.

Plaintiffs and plaintiffs in intervention, taxpayers and various groups of state workers, petitioned for a…