Human Resources / Civil Service

Responsibilities

The Human Resources Department (HR) serves as staff and advisor to the Civil Service Commission (C.S.C.), which involves the testing and recruitment of all candidates employed in the Town's classified service, in accordance with Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity objectives. HR conducts the recruitment, promotion, and appointment of all Civil Service positions for the Town of Hamden, as well as the recruitment and filling of all non-classified positions.  The hiring process consists of advertising to recruit for open positions, and the pre-screening, testing, rank, and selection of qualified applicants to fill vacancies.  HR is responsible for the composition of clear and concise job descriptions that include the minimum qualifications for each bargaining-unit position, as negotiated and approved by all unions.  

Human Resources is responsible for: 

• Developing, coordinating, and executing all policies, practices, and procedures for the employees of the Town of Hamden. 
• Overseeing and providing advice on employee relations and behavioral management for all Town departments.  
• The onboarding, separation, upgrading, reclassification, termination, and retirement of Town employees.
• Administering the Life Insurance and Health Insurance benefits for all 414 active Town employees (plus their covered dependents) and for 476 retirees, as well as administering the Town’s Pension fund.  
• Administering the Town’s Employee Assistance Programs and all required Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs.  
• Creating, managing, and maintaining all personnel files. 
• Acting as administrator to the C.S.C., and organizing council meetings, composing agendas, and recording minutes. 

Key Objectives:

• To continuously develop recruitment processes; to effectively secure most qualified candidates for hire; to ensure that the Town employs and retains the most qualified employees in order to convey the best possible service to the taxpayers of Hamden.
• To coordinate employee relations and administer benefits for Town of Hamden employees; to provide employees with accurate information regarding pension; to facilitate the objectives of the Civil Service Commission.

Staff

The Human Resources/Civil Service Department consists of the following staff positions:

• Director of Human Resources/Executive Secretary to the Civil Service Commission
• Human Resources Officer
• Administrative Assistant 
• Benefits Manager

Director of Human Resources

The Director of Human Resources represents the Town in all labor relations negotiations, complaints before the State Board of Labor Relations, grievance hearings before the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration, and unemployment hearings before the State Employment Division.

The Director of Human Resources also works directly with the Town's Risk Manager regarding Workers' Compensation related matters and attends hearings before the Workers' Compensation Commission. Looking to work for the Town of Hamden? Please see the Job Opportunities page for a current list of job openings. The Town of Hamden is an AA/EEO Employer.

Benefits

Retirement benefits are administered by a third party through the Human Resources Department for employees in the Town Pension Plan.

Retirement benefits for employee’s retired through the Connecticut's Municipal Employees Retirement System (CMERS) plan are administered through the State.

Teachers retire benefits are administered through the State Teachers Retirement Board.

Employees' Medical Benefits Information: Anthem BCBS

Pension Information:

All Town of Hamden Retirement Plan Pension recipients should contact the Pension Accountant if they have questions regarding any changes in the amount of their monthly pension payments.  

Oshuan Alvarez 
Finance Department 
oalvarez@Hamden.com
Pension Accountant
Town of Hamden
2750 Dixwell Avenue
Hamden, CT 06518
(203) 287-7017

If an updated Federal Tax withholding form was not submitted by November 4th 2022, please follow the link below to download the IRS W4P form and submit to the Pension Accountant. The Deadline to submit these forms is January 10th in order to correct your February 2023 Pension payments.  

www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4p.pdf

Important note: 

It is important to contact a Tax professional if Tax guidance is needed to complete the IRS W4P form. 

The Pension Accountant will not provide Tax advice or guidance on your Federal withholding selections.