Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin and the Republican-dominated Legislature in February dismantled the state’s civil service system, eliminating job-applicant exams, centralizing hiring decisions and removing protections or “bumping rights” for senior employees during layoffs. 

Under the new law, probation periods for new employees at state agencies can be extended from the current six months to two years; layoffs will be based on job performance; and merit bonuses will be introduced. Most of the changes will take effect on July 1 and will affect about 30,000 state employees. 

Democrats warned that the new law will open the door to patronage and cronyism in state agencies. A handful of other states, including Arizona, Tennessee and Colorado, have also scaled back civil service protections. 

Walker, who stripped most public employees of their collective-bargaining rights in 2011, had hoped to ride his war against unions into the White House, but his candidacy failed to catch fire and he dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination in September 2015. 

Associated Press, Feb. 12