Appellants and Appeals
A person who files an appeal is called an appellant. An appeal is a request to review a challenged action(s). Any civil service regular or probationary status state or contractually covered local government employee (e.g., county caseworker, Pennsylvania Housing Authority, etc.), or a job seeker applying for a position with the state civil service employment system may appeal a challenged action(s). The Pennsylvania State Civil Service Commission has no administrative jurisdiction over municipal civil service systems (i.e., city, township, or borough). Appeals for jobs such as municipal police officer, firefighter, etc. must be filed directly with the local municipal civil service commission.
To determine if jobs are covered by the state or a municipal civil service employment system, current civil service employees should contact their local Human Resource Office for assistance.
An appeal may challenge the merits of an appealable action(s) or allege discriminatory action(s) in violation of Act 71 of 2018 (Civil Service Reform).
A non-civil service employee may only appeal a non-selection for appointment, promotion, or eligibility determination.
An appeal must be in writing and should be submitted on the Commission's Appeal Request Form. This form includes appellant specific details about the action(s) being appealed. All relevant details pertaining to the appeal must be provided by the appellant. The Commission does not conduct independent investigations of allegations. Additional information is found in the Appeals Information Booklet and Hearing Information Booklet.
Request to Withdraw an Appeal
An appellant may withdraw an appeal at any time by filing a written request. The request can be sent by email, fax, or mail.
Email: ra-cs-legalsvcsQandA@pa.gov
Fax: 717-772-5120
Mailing Address:
State Civil Service Commission
Legal Services Office
P.O. Box 569
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17108-0569
Representation by an Attorney
Appellants and indispensable parties may, but are not required to, hire an attorney.
If an appellant or indispensable party chooses to retain one, they are responsible for securing an attorney licensed in Pennsylvania. Many county bar associations have a Lawyer Referral Service that can assist in selecting an attorney. The appellant or indispensable party is responsible for negotiating and paying the attorney's fee. The Commission has no authority to award payment of attorney's fees.
If an appellant or indispensable party chooses to retain an attorney, the attorney must complete and submit to the Commission a Praecipe for Appearance.
The agency is required to have counsel if a hearing is granted and scheduled.
