Due to the size of the candidate population for this examination, you may be assigned to either a Saturday or Sunday test date (February 3 or 4). Your admission notice will tell you where and when you are scheduled to appear. You cannot request a day in advance or change your scheduled day.
This TRANSITION EXAMINATION is one of several concepts included in a Memorandum of Intent agreed to by New York State and CSEA, and is designed to provide opportunities for employees within state service.
An open-competitive examination is being held at the same time as this transition examination. Agencies have the option of making appointments from either list. If you meet the requirements for the open-competitive as well as the transition examination, you may wish to apply for both. The appropriate processing fee must be filed for the open-competitive examination.
The eligible list resulting from this transition examination will be used to fill one-year traineeships leading to Utility Consumer Assistance Specialist 1, G-14; and Utility Consumer Program Specialist 1, G-14.
An appointee's performance in the trainee position and in prescribed training and development programs will be observed and evaluated. The prescribed training and development program will include extensive on-the-job training and carefully designed and monitored work experience. An appointee not meeting required standards can be terminated at any time after the initial eight weeks and before completion of the traineeship. An appointee will be placed on leave from their permanent title and will revert to that title if they do not successfully complete the traineeship.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: On or before February 3, 2007, you must be a qualified employee of the New York State Department of Public Service and have had permanent competitive or 55-b/55-c service as follows:
- two years in a title allocated to G-6 or higher; if you were permanently appointed on or before March3,2005, and have served continuously in a qualifying title since that date, you are eligible to file for this examination; OR
- one year in a title allocated to G-9 or higher; if you were permanently appointed on or before March 3, 2006, and have served continuously in a qualifying title since that date, you are eligible to file for this examination.
QUALIFYING EXPERIENCE FOR APPOINTMENT FROM THE ELIGIBLE LIST: After serving the number of years at the appropriate grade level as described in the minimum qualifications, successful candidates will be qualified for appointment from the eligible list.
Note: Appointment to either title will remove your name from consideration for appointment to the other title.
SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION: There will be a written test which you must pass in order to be considered for appointment. The written test is designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:
- Evaluation conclusions in light of known facts – These questions will consist of a set of facts and a conclusion. You must decide if the conclusion is proved by the facts, disproved by the facts or if the facts are not sufficient to prove or disprove the conclusion. The questions will not be specific to a particular field.
- Interviewing – These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in obtaining information from individuals through structured conversations. These questions require you to apply the principles, practices, and techniques of effective interviewing to hypothetical interviewing situations. Included are questions that present a problem arising from an interviewing situation, and you must choose the most appropriate course of action to take.
- Understanding and interpreting tabular material – These questions test your ability to understand, analyze, and use the internal logic of data presented in tabular form. You may be asked to perform tasks such as completing tables, drawing conclusions from them, analyzing data trends or interrelationships, and revising or combining data sets. The concepts of rate, ratio, and proportion are tested. Mathematical operations are simple, and computational speed is not a major factor in the test.
- Understanding and interpreting written material – These questions test how well you comprehend written material. You will be provided with brief reading selections and will be asked questions about the selections. All the information required to answer the questions will be presented in the selections; you will not be required to have any special knowledge relating to the subject areas of the selections.
If you pass, your seniority credit(s), if any, will be included in the computation of your final score. Rank on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime veterans' credits to your final passing score.
CREDIT FOR SENIORITY: Seniority is credited at the rate of one credit for each five-year period (or fraction thereof), excluding the first year of service.
DUTIES: As a Utility Consumer Assistance Specialist Trainee, you would perform a variety of activities and tasks in connection with the investigation and resolution of consumer complaints against the electric, steam, gas, telecommunications, cable, and water service providers operating in New York State. These complaints include inadequate or substandard service, interruptions in service, disconnection of service, meter problems, billing problems, rate problems, deposit arrangements, deferred payments agreements, transferred balances, company policy, or other disputes requiring investigations and formal reply by the Department. You would also discuss energy conservation matters with consumers and provide information on utility regulation.
As a Utility Consumer Program Specialist Trainee, you would perform a variety of activities and tasks in connection with the oversight of regulated and competitive energy, telecommunications, cable, and water service providers in New York State. Tasks include data compilation and analysis related to metering activities, end user migration statistics, special rate contracts, business incentive plans, customer satisfaction surveys, or other economic and regional development incentives. You would also deal with the public and provide consumer education information to residential and business end users; state, regional, and local governments; consumer organizations and other stakeholders; attend trade shows and other public information sessions; and respond to inquiries on utility and competitively provided services.
apply information
This is an Archived Announcement.
The application filing date has passed. |
The NYS Department of Civil Service reserves the right to reject for lateness or to accept applications filed after the advertised filing period. All statements you make on your application are subject to investigation.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ELIGIBILITY FOR EXAMINATION: To be eligible to compete in this examination, you must be employed in the specified department or agency on a permanent or contingent permanent basis in the competitive class, or in the non-competitive class or labor class if specifically noted on this announcement (or be on an appropriate preferred list), and have the specified time in the specified title or salary grade. You may not compete in a test for a title if you are permanently employed in that title (unless you are still on probation) or in a higher direct line of promotion.
ADMISSION TO EXAMINATION: Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the written test three days before the date of the test, call (518)474‑6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 1].
NEW YORK STATE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity in employment, compensation and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION: Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under "Religious Accommodation." We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS IN TESTING: In addition, it is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to enjoy equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their applications. Further information is available from the Special Arrangements Unit of the Department of Civil Service at (518)457‑2487 [press 2, then press 2] in the Albany area, toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 2], or via TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) at (518) 457-8480.
MULTIPLE EXAMINATIONS SCHEDULED FOR THE SAME DAY: With the exception of written tests announced by New York City, if you have applied to take a written test announced by a local jurisdiction (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must call (518) 474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 1], no later than two weeks before the test date, to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the State examination center.
S2/TA1 DAG-dmb
Issued: 11/17/06
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