Civil Service Reform the State and Local Response

The 1970s saw reform activity in the civil service systems at the federal, state, and local levels. In response to the increasing dissatisfaction in the performance of government, the federal government instituted the first major overhaul of its civil service system in 40 years. The passage of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 was the centerpiece of President Carter's effort to reform government. All state and many local governments have instituted some type of reform in their systems during the past decade. The emphasis during this period was to make existing systems work better. The principal of merit remains, but the reforms are intended to ensure that civil servants protected from political influence perform their duties in an effective and efficient manner. Effectiveness and efficiency will remain a key element affecting civil service systems through the 1980s. Public managers will have to accomplish more with less. If they fail, public managers can expect increased public pressure for more sweeping reform.