LAFD’s speed hiring and 5 must-read headlines

The Los Angeles Fire Department has begun hiring for the first time since 2009, and there is tremendous demand for a job with the agency. You’d think the city would be able to select the very best candidates -- the ones with the highest test scores, the most training and expertise in medical response, which has become a significant part of a firefighter’s job. Think again.

The city has a first-come, first-served hiring model. Last year, the city had 70 open slots. About 6,500 applicants passed the exam and were asked to submit a physical agility certification on April 22 in order to be eligible for an interview. Because there were so many applications arriving by email, fax and in person, city officials decided to only consider candidates whose paperwork was received within the first 60 seconds. Apparently one of the best qualifications to be a firefighter in Los Angeles is a fast Internet connection.

This is a bad way to hire. One of the knocks against the LAFD is that it doesn’t have enough women or minorities to reflect the larger city population. That’s a challenge that can’t necessarily be solved easily; the city is barred from giving hiring preferences based on gender or race. Other cities and fire agencies have already adjusted their screening process to at least consider higher test scores, reporters Robert J. Lopez and Ben Welsh reported.

One last observation: Perhaps the city needs to reconsider the entry-level pay scale. If the LAFD has thousands of applicants for dozens of jobs, the city can afford to pay less and still attract candidates. And the city could give some of the money to entry-level police officers because the Los Angeles Police Department is struggling to hire qualified recruits.

Headlines:

California Bill Would Offer Tax Breaks to Shelter Pet Adopters, Capitol Public Radio

People who adopt shelter pets would get a state tax refund up to $100 under a bill in the Legislature. Supporters of the measure say it would help save animal lives, save public money and offset adoption fees.

State lawmaker makes new bid to change teacher dismissal rules, Los Angeles Times

A state lawmaker introduced a bill Wednesday that would attempt to streamline the process for dismissing California teachers accused of misconduct. The proposed bill by state Sen. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) also would strive to make the dismissal process less expensive. Recent attempts to change rules have wilted under opposition from teachers unions.

Warning: This Piece is About Warning Labels, Fox and Hounds

Let’s accept for the sake of argument that labeling serves as a positive instrument of information for consumers. Information is a good thing and allows consumers to make decisions. But if that is true for sugary drinks, why should it not be true for other goods and services? More labeling would dull the intended effect of labels and add to businesses burdens if [state Sen. Bill Monning’s] bill model is followed.

Ron Unz, a mo’ money man on the minimum wage, Los Angeles Times

The sometimes conservative, sometimes libertarian Republican entrepreneur-turned-activist is collecting signatures for an initiative to raise the state’s minimum wage to $12.

Documentary explores collapse of visual effects company that worked on ‘Life of Pi’, Daily Breeze

While “Life After Pi” portrays the drama surrounding the bankruptcy, the film also serves as a call to action to help save Hollywood’s visual effects industry, which has been hit hard by foreign competition. The documentary highlights the problem with a sobering statistic: 21 visual effects companies closed or filed for bankruptcy from 2003 to 2013.

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