Public health workers can appeal reassignment, says CSC
Public health or public social workers who are transferred or geographically reassigned without written notice or justification can seek remedy by filing an appeal with the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
CSC Resolution No. 100667 dated April 6, 2010 states that a public health or public social worker should file the appeal on his reassignment directly with the Commission within 15 days from receipt of the order of reassignment. The filing of appeal will automatically hold in abeyance the implementation of the said order.
The appellant is required to provide a notice of appeal to the appointing authority or official who issued the order of reassignment to inform the latter of the need to defer the reassignment. A copy of the notice of appeal should also be forwarded to the CSC Regional Office (CSCRO) or Field Office concerned. The CSCRO is tasked to monitor if the order of reassignment is deferred accordingly.
The Magna Carta of Public Health Workers and the Magna Carta for Public Social Workers (Republic Act Nos. 7305 and 9433, respectively) prohibits the transfer or reassignment of a public health or public social worker, except when made in the interest of public service, in which case the employee concerned should be given written notice informing or her of the reasons for the reassignment.
By law, transfer is defined as “movement from one position to another which is of equivalent rank, level or salary without break in service”, while a geographical reassignment pertains to “movement from one geographical location to another.” (PNA)
