Taxpayer Services Representative 1

IMPORTANT: Unless waived, you must pay the non-refundable processing fee. For information on fee waivers, visit https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc/appinfo.cfm##Fee. It is important that you verify that you entered the correct examination number and title on your online or paper application prior to submitting. If you apply online, you should immediately review your email confirmation notice to verify that you applied for the correct examination. If you do not receive a confirmation number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT received by the Department of Civil Service. No late applications will be accepted after the filing deadline has passed.

*Due to the size of the candidate population for this test date, you may be assigned to either Saturday, February 17, 2018, or Sunday, February 18, 2018, to take your test. 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.

Interdepartmental promotion examination open to all qualified employees of New York State.

For Promotion in State Departments, Facilities, and Agencies

1. Within Promotion Units 2. Within Entire Departments 3. To Other Departments

Interdepartmental transition examination open to all qualified employees of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and the New York State Division of Tax Appeals.

These positions are located in Albany and Schenectady, New York only.

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 each examination.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before February 17, 2018, you must be a qualified employee of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance or the New York State Division of Tax Appeals and have had three months of permanent service in a competitive, non-competitive, 55-b/55-c, or labor class position allocated to Grade 4 or higher.

If you were permanently appointed to a qualifying title on or before November 17, 2017, and have served continuously in this title since that date, you are eligible to file for this examination.

Qualifying Experience for Appointment from the Eligible List

After one year of the service described in the Minimum Qualifications, successful candidates will be qualified for appointment from the eligible list.

Notes

1. In accordance with Section 52.11 of the Civil Service Law, individuals serving permanently in the non competitive or labor class in a qualifying title (including those serving under Section 55-b/55-c) who otherwise meet the requirements for taking this examination are eligible to compete in this transition examination.
2. Language Proficiency: If you pass the examination for No. 00-402 Taxpayer Services Representative 1 (Spanish Language), you will be required to demonstrate your Spanish language proficiency at a level that will ensure your ability to perform properly the duties of the position. Only enough candidates to fill current vacancies will be called to the proficiency test.
3. If you submit an application for No. 00-402 Taxpayer Services Representative 1 (Spanish Language), an application will automatically be submitted for you for No. 00-401 Taxpayer Services Representative 1 at no additional cost.

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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:

1. Evaluating conclusions in light of known facts - These questions will consist of a set of factual statements 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.
2. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.
3. Public contact principles and practices - These questions test for knowledge of techniques used to interact with other people, to gather and present information, and to provide assistance, advice, and effective customer service in a courteous and professional manner. Questions will cover such topics as understanding and responding to people with diverse needs, perspectives, personalities, and levels of familiarity with agency operations, as well as acting in a way that both serves the public and reflects well on your agency.
4. 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. You should bring with you a hand-held battery- or solar-powered calculator for use on this test. You will not be permitted to use the calculator function of your cell phone.
5. Understanding and interpreting written material - These questions test for the ability to understand and interpret written material. You will be presented with brief reading passages and will be asked questions about the passages. You should base your answers to the questions only on what is presented in the passages and not on what you may happen to know about the topic.

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.

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Duties

As a Taxpayer Services Representative 1 or a Taxpayer Services Representative 1 (Spanish Language), under the supervision of a Taxpayer Services Representative 2 or Taxpayer Services Representative 2 (Spanish Language), you would work in an environment using the latest technology and automated operations to provide information and assistance to the taxpaying public. You would answer taxpayers��� or tax practitioners��� questions by telephone, by letter, or in person concerning the provisions and requirements of the Tax Law administered by the Department; assist taxpayers in their preparation of Corporation, Income, Miscellaneous, or Sales Tax returns; and assist taxpayers in their computation of taxes, penalties, and interest due to the State. You would assist the public in the completion of all applications for licenses and registration forms and prepare written responses to requests for information. You would research Tax Department computer data files using a variety of software applications and provide explanations for account and refund adjustments, verify payments, and update taxpayer account information. You might issue taxpayer registrations, handle changes in registrations, and respond to taxpayers��� inquiries regarding assessments, including explaining the reasons for assessments, and follow-up to resolve taxpayers��� problems. You would research Tax Laws and Regulations in the more commonly used reference materials such as tax law publications, attend periodic training sessions to upgrade technical skills, and assist in training seasonal Tax Information Aides. As a Taxpayer Services Representative 1, you would be expected to act in a calm, courteous, and reasonable manner even under very difficult, highly stressful, and at times, confrontational circumstances. When assigned to a call center, you would wear a headset and would answer telephone calls which are automatically and continuously distributed by a complex telephonic system. This system does not allow for breaks between calls; when one caller disconnects, another call is automatically routed to the Taxpayer Services Representative 1. You would be expected to effectively use the telephone system and associated computer software. All calls are subject to monitoring for quality assurance.

Important: The Department of Civil Service and other state agencies may communicate with you through email correspondence. This may include the notification of your examination results and canvassing you for interest in appointment. It will be important for you to keep your email address, phone number and mailing address current by logging into https://www.cs.ny.gov/home/myaccount.

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How To Apply

If you do not receive a number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT processed.

Additional Information

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 employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, arrest and/or criminal conviction record, or any other category protected by law, 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

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 provide equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their application. Further information is available from the Test Administration Unit of the Department of Civil Service. In the Albany area, call 518-457-2487. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627. For TDD services, call NY Relay at 711 (requires a fee) or 1-800-662-1220.

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, email us at AdmissionNotices@cs.ny.gov. Please provide your first and last name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number, and we will provide you with the information you need to attend your written test. If you have an issue other than not receiving your admission notice, please contact our office at (518) 474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627. Please leave a clear concise message and provide your first and last name, last four digits of your social security number and a daytime phone number.

Taking State and Local Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

If you have applied to take a written test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must notify each of the local jurisdictions 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. For your convenience, contact information for all local civil service agencies is available on our website at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/local.cfm.

Eligibility for Examination

To be considered a qualified employee eligible to compete in this examination, you must be employed in, or on leave from, 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.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

Do not bring cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices to the test site. The use of such devices at the test site in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas could result in your disqualification.

S2/TA1 MAS-vla
Issued: 12/1/2017

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

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