For information contact: Marc Carey 518-457-9375
New York State Civil Service Commissioner Daniel E. Wall today announced that applications for virtually all Civil Service examinations can now be filed on-line.
The on-line filing program via the Department website – www.cs.state.ny.us -- will include all regularly scheduled open competitive examinations. Those choosing to file on-line will be able to pay their application fee by credit card, using a secure payment system. The Department of Civil Service offers about 150 open competitive examinations every year with about 50,000 applicants. Fees range from $20 to $40 per applicant. Previously, only applicants seeking to take promotional exams had the ability to file on-line since those exams involve no application fee.
“This new service will dramatically increase our ability to serve our customers -- people seeking employment in State service – in a more convenient and timely fashion, while at the same time significantly decreasing the amount of paperwork and manual data entry that must be handled by Department staff, allowing us to operate more efficiently,” said Commissioner Wall. “This is an example of the Department modernizing its business tools to better serve our customers.”
It is expected that in addition to on-line filing and fee payment, the new system will ultimately allow on-line minimum qualification reviews, and responses to evaluations of training and experience test questionnaires. Job applicants will see an increase in convenience since they will not have to re-enter information when filing subsequent applications for other jobs and will be able to view their application history on-line.
The reduction in the number of applications filed in paper form is expected to expedite application processing and ensure that applications received are complete at the time they are filed.
The program is a product of the Department’s Strategic Directions initiative, an intensive departmental review instituted by Commissioner Wall. “This is just the first of several service enhancements we expect to implement in coming months as we fulfill our commitment to serve the public in the most efficient and effective way possible,” said Commissioner Wall.
Strategic Directions was undertaken to update and refine the Department’s business practices to develop ways to best serve its customer base – ranging from individuals seeking State employment to assisting the State administration and its operating agencies with workforce management issues.