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Human Resources Divisions

Administrative Services || Applicant Services || Commissioner´s Office || Employee Relations || Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) || Examination Development, Classification and Compensation (EDCC) || Research || Strategic Learning Solutions (Training and Development) || Systems || Technical Services

State government is the largest single employer in Tennessee. The Department of Human Resources (DOHR) supports the entire Executive Branch workforce of approximately 43,000 employees. In helping to ensure effective and efficient HR management, DOHR provides several basic services such as advising the Governor and assisting departments in carrying out best practices in human resources and compensation; administering provisions of the Civil Service Act; providing departments and agencies with a pool of qualified applicants for employment selection; and developing a high performance workforce through effective development programs.

The department was established in 1939, and is responsible for meeting the needs of employees in all 95 counties working in nearly 1,300 different types of state jobs. This department is responsible for the state-wide implementation of human resources policies and initiates and monitors legislation affecting state employees and government operations relevant to human resource programs. Additional important functions include advising citizens about the civil service employment process, responding to employee questions, and serving as a strategic business partner for all departments. The functional areas of the department are listed below.

  • Administrative Services

    The Administrative Services division is responsible for the department´s Human Resource Management and Fiscal Services. These areas of responsibility encompass payroll, employee counseling regarding deductions for life and health insurance, 401(k) deferred compensation, budget preparation and implementation, contract management, procurement, facilities management, and messenger services. Also, the division reviews, as part of the established approval process, personal service contracts and delegated purchase authorities (DPA´s) processed by state agencies.
  • Applicant Services

    The Applicant Services division administers career service employment examinations and provides information to applicants regarding employment and promotional opportunities. Most jobs available with the state are covered by the career service, which is a merit system of employment based on an applicant's qualifications. There are approximately 1,300 different job classifications within the Career Service system. For the majority of these classifications, the examinations administered by Applicant Services consist of a rating of education and experience. There are only about 65 job classifications for which a written or computer administered test is required. For most job classifications, applications are accepted only during announced opening and closing dates (as posted on the Department of Human Resources Employment Information website). For additional information, please call (615) 741-4841.
  • Commissioner´s Office

    The Commissioner´s Office is responsible for overall administration of the department and the statutes governing all employees in the state service, as well as the development and implementation of best practice policies and procedures for human resources within state government. Strategic and continuity of operations planning, the State Employee Suggestion Program, the Tennessee Employee Charitable Campaign and the Emergency Workforce Management Plan are additional progammatic areas housed in this office. For more information, call (615) 741-2958.
  • Employee Relations

    This division advises state employees, supervisors, managers, human resources officers, and state executives regarding state laws, rules, policies, and practices. This includes providing information regarding progressive discipline, grievances, reduction in force, and other human resource functions, as well as reviewing certain employee transactions related to separations, rehire recommendations, grievances, civil service orders and court orders. In addition, the Employee Relations Division administers the state's Performance Management/Evaluation Program, the State Employee Sick Leave Bank, and the Employee Service Award Program. Other responsibilities of the division include coordination of American Red Cross Blood Drives for Davidson County. For more information, call (615) 741-1646.
  • Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO)

    The Equal Employment Opportunities division oversees compliance with federal and state laws pertaining to equal employment by developing, implementing and maintaining standards, policies and procedures regarding provisions of Title VII of the Federal Civil Rights Act, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Executive Order 11246 and the Tennessee Human Rights Act. In addition to enforcing the state´s policy on workplace discrimination and harassment, the EEO division provides technical assistance to agencies and executive branch employees in these matters. The division further ensures that respectful workplace training is legally sufficient by overseeing the content development as well as regularly conducting executive level briefings on respectful workplace and training on the investigative process. For more information, contact the EEO division at (615) 741-2958.
  • Examination Development, Classification and Compensation (EDCC)

    This division includes two functional areas within the Department of Human Resources. The Examination Development area ensures that the employee selection tools for the State of Tennessee are sound. This is accomplished by developing, revising and maintaining assessment methods for nearly 1,300 career service job classifications according to state and federal guidelines and changing job requirements. The selection tools include training and experience rating guidelines, computer-administered or paper-and-pencil written tests, and structured oral interviews.
    The Classification/Compensation area ensures that state employees are properly classified and fairly compensated. This includes reviewing and maintaining salary and benefits data on other Southeastern states as well as private sector employees . The division uses this data to assist in making recommendations for salary administration policies and for adjustments in the state's compensation structure. For more information, call (615) 741-5561.
  • Research

    The Research division serves as an internal consultant to the Department of Human Resources and to other Executive Branch agencies. Staffed by persons trained in industrial-organizational psychology, the division reviews and recommends policy options, conducts projects to develop special assessment methods, provides information and recommendations and assists state attorneys with legal issues.
  • Strategic Learning Solutions (Training and Development)

    The Strategic Learning Solutions Division (SLS) is a dynamic learning component of DOHR that focuses on performance and talent management by creating and cultivating innovative communities of learning. The mission of SLS is to consult and partner with agency leaders to create a customized Talent Development Strategy that develops and sustains a high performance workforce. SLS accomplishes its mission by offering services and products centered on developing and retaining top talent, employee performance and job planning, organizational planning, change management, conflict management, team building, customer focus, project management, etc. We specialize in working with executives and senior leadership teams to customize learning, development and leadership programs designed to meet their specific needs.
    SLS is responsible for approving and maintaining all statewide Continuing Education Units for employees who participate in certified training courses, workshops, and conferences. The division is also accountable for reviewing all technical and non-technical training for employees offered by higher education, vocational and professional institutions. We invite state agencies to contact us to discuss how we might address your specific learning and development needs. For more information, please reference our website http://www.tn.gov/dohr/learning/learning.html.
  • Systems

    This division is responsible for all of the information systems support for the department in both mainframe and local/wide area network (LAN/WAN) environments. The division provides the analysis for the development and maintenance of mainframe systems, and supports the internal, as well as statewide users of these systems. The division also provides support and management for all LAN/WAN services and applications. Among these are the recently implemented computerized employment testing for clerical job classifications which are administered locally in Nashville and remotely in selected sites throughout the State. For more information, call (615) 532-2277.
  • Technical Services

    The Technical Services Division provides assistance to state agencies regarding policies and procedures for attendance and leave, civil service registers, employee personnel transactions and certain payroll issues. The division is also responsible for maintaining records of former employees and applications for employment, verifying employment and granting veteran's preference points. For more information, call (615) 253-7489.

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Related Boards and Commissions

  • Civil Service Commission

    This independent commission, composing nine board members, serves as an appeals body for state employees through the state´s five-step grievance procedure. Board members are appointed by the governor for six-year terms. The commission reviews employee appeals and makes decisions based on the evidence presented at the hearings and examinations of employees´ work records. The Department of Human Resources coordinates these meetings and the Commissioner of Human Resources serves as secretary.
  • State Employee Sick Leave Bank Board of Trustee

    The Sick Leave Bank Board of Trustees is comprised of seven board members to include the Commissioner of Human Resources, the Commissioner of Finance and Administration, the State Treasurer, and the Executive Director of the Fiscal Review Committee. In addition, there are three (3) board members selected by the membership of the Tennessee State Employees Association at their annual legislative convention. The Board is charged with governing the activities of the Sick Leave Bank to include establishing the criteria for distributing sick leave from the bank, hearing appeals of denials of requests for sick leave, and prescribing the form and manner of participation in the bank as provided by Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 8-50-901 - 8-50-909. The Department of Human Resources coordinates board meetings.
  • State Employee Suggestion Award Program Board

    The State Employee Suggestion Award Program, outlined in Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 4-27-101 - 4-27-105, is designed to encourage current and retired state employees to submit ideas which will improve processes or reduce costs for Tennessee state government. The State Employee Suggestion Award Program Board, which includes the Commissioners of Human Resources, Finance and Administration and General Services, along with the Executive Director of the Fiscal Review Committee and a representative from the Tennessee State Employees Association, is responsible for reviewing suggestions which have been submitted and approved for implementation within state agencies, and approving cash awards under the program guidelines for those ideas which result in documented savings.