Approval was given by the government of the day to the Public Officers Memorial Committee for the formation of the Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA) on 6 May 1919.
As such public officers were unable to seriously press their claims for improvements until 1918 when the First World War had ended and the country's economic conditions became less acute.
Being closely linked with the government (this being a product of having the Colonial Secretary as the Honorary President) the Association focused on primarily using petitions and persuasion rather than direct confrontation to secure improvements in the service.
The association also gained equal representation with government on a number of important committees which had been set up to consider reforms to the service.
In 1939 the Jamaica Civil Service Thrift Society Ltd. was formed to render financial assistance to the association's members.
In 1956 the Jamaica Civil Service Housing Company Ltd. was established to assist the members in acquiring their own homes.
During the 1950s the JCSA was able to lease and buy land which would go on to play an important role in the development of the Association and the services that they offer.
Additionally the association was also able to acquire twenty acres of land in each parish for housing civil servants through its contractual agreements with the government.
Despite their initial close relationships with the government, following the country's independence, the association found it increasingly difficulty to secure the improvements that its members desired through petitions and advocacy.
It was stated that the position should be full-time and in January 2011, Mrs. Chelsie Shellie-Vernon- Senior Director of Conciliation at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security was appointed the association's first General Secretary.