The voters of Ventura County approved Ordinance No. 382 creating a civil service system in 1944. The system is now set out in the Civil Service Ordinance, that is, sections 1341 through 1352-24 of the Ventura County Ordinance Code. The ordinance is authorized by section 31100 et seq. of the Government Code.

The Civil Service Commission is a commission of limited jurisdiction. It has no powers except those which have been conferred upon it expressly or that are necessarily implied therefrom. (Ferdig v. State Personnel Bd. (1969) 71 Cal.2d 96; Wheeler v. City of Santa Ana (1947) 81 Cal.App.2d 811.)

The Civil Service Commission is charged with the duty of ensuring that qualified persons are appointed to the service of the County of Ventura. The Commission acts as a Board of Review to hear petitions by civil service employees and applicants for civil service positions, and to grant or deny those petitions.

Each of the five commission members are volunteers and are appointed by the Board of Supervisors. They must be registered voters and residents of the County of Ventura and may not hold any paid office of, or be employed by, the County of Ventura.