Chilean government initiates public employment reform commission

The Chilean government has launched a new attempt to reform public employment by appointing a ministerial advisory commission composed of 12 experts. The commission is tasked with delivering proposals within 120 days to modernize the state's administrative framework.

Central to the issue is the 1989 Administrative Statute, which is described as an excessively rigid regime that no longer meets current needs. Currently, permanent staff positions represent only about 20% of central government employment, while contract-based, fee-based, and labor code-based roles have become the norm. This shift has reportedly undermined merit-based career advancement.

Proposed reforms from various studies suggest separating political advisors from career civil servants, establishing a merit-oriented entry system, rethinking evaluation methods, and creating new dismissal and severance mechanisms. While technical diagnoses are widely shared, previous attempts by different administrations to implement these changes have failed.