Actions to strengthen Civil Service Administration in the Palestine National Authority

The report"s recommendations cover both Gaza and the West Bank, which have long been operating under separate personnel systems. AMIDEAST finds that the PNA can best improve government performance by placing high priority on: recruiting highly qualified technical, professional, supervisory, and managerial personnel; introducing simplified performance evaluation procedures for these employees and the departments they head; and developing training programs for civil servants. To accomplish these objectives, the PNA will need to introduce a number of basic institutional features, including: (1) a legal basis for the civil service; (2) laws that establish and protect merit principles in the recruitment and management of civil servants; (3) a unified Personnel Procedures Manual (PPM) that specifies the standards, rules, and procedures for implementing civil service laws and processing personnel actions relating to them; (4) an organizational structure that clearly assigns roles, responsibilities, and authorities to government agencies charged with personnel administration actions; and (5) standards, rules, and procedures for creating the occupational and hierarchial structure of the civil service work force. Specific substantive and procedural steps are recommended on how to develop and implement each of these objectives and tasks. Areas covered include: structure of the civil service (positions and grades); economics and the compensation structure; work hours and leave; recruitment and appointments; performance management; involuntary separations, grievances, and appeals; steps in preparing a personnel procedures manual; and implementation schedule.