Veterans Benefits Advisor 1

Appointees who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $3,026 annual downstate adjustment. Appointees who work in Dutchess, Orange, or Putnam Counties will receive an additional $1,513 annual mid-Hudson adjustment.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before September 9, 2017, you must have:

1. Two years of honorable active military duty in the Armed Forces of the United States;* AND
2. Three years of experience in employment counseling, military career counseling, military recruiting, guidance counseling, employment interviewing, personnel administration, teaching, labor relations; or as a Veterans’ Organization Service Officer; or in a governmental position responsible for: the explanation of benefit program and entitlement criteria to veterans and/or their families; the analysis of claims for veteran benefits; the preparation of rating decisions; and/or the direction and conduct of post decisional hearings and processing of appeals for veterans and/or their families.

*YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF YOUR DD-214 to demonstrate your veterans’ status. You may send a copy of your DD-214 to the NYS Department of Civil Service, Albany, New York 12239. Attention: S2LAK; or fax it to (518) 473-4313, or email to S2Unit1@cs.ny.gov. Please include your name and exam number on a fax cover sheet or the subject line of an email. If you are currently on active duty and wish to request a military make-up examination, please call (518) 473-6627 for information regarding this process.

Substitution: College credits may be substituted for up to two years for the required experience at the rate of 30 semester credit hours equaling one year of experience. If you are using the coursework substitution to meet the minimum qualifications you must provide the name and location of the college and a list of the courses you have successfully completed with the corresponding number of credit hours either by listing them in the “coursework” section of the online application; in the “remarks” section of the paper application; on a separate piece of paper; or by sending a copy of college transcript to the NYS Department of Civil Service, Albany, New York 12239. Attention: S2LAK; or you may fax the information to (518) 574-4313 or email to S2Unit1@cs.ny.gov. Please include your name and exam number on a fax cover sheet or the subject line of an email.

If you expect to meet the educational requirements by January 31, 2018, you can be admitted to the written test, but you cannot be considered for appointment until you submit proof of successful completion of the educational requirement to the Appointing Authority at the time of the employment interview. Failure to meet the educational requirements by January 31, 2018 may result in your removal from the eligible list.

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.

Notes

1. Your college credit must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the NYS Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. If your college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to the Examination Information Desk of the NYS Department of Civil Service for a list of acceptable companies who provide this service. This information can also be found on the Internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. You must pay the required evaluation fee. If you are applying on the Internet, you must mail the independent verification of equivalency to the NYS Department of Civil Service, Albany, New York 12239. Attention: S2LAK.
2. You must obtain accreditation by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, through the New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs, as an “agent” pursuant to Section 38C.F.R.§ 14.429 and maintain accreditation for continued employment.
3. Travel is required. Appointees to these positions are required to have a driver’s license valid in New York State to operate a motor vehicle or otherwise demonstrate their capacity to meet the transportation needs of the job.
4. If you pass the examination for No. 26-297 Veterans Benefits Advisor 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.
5. If you submit an application for No. 26-297 Veterans Benefits Advisor 1 (Spanish Language), an application will automatically be submitted for you for No. 26-296 Veterans Benefits Advisor 1 at no additional cost.
6. Background Investigation: Because of the nature of the position there is an investigative screening that may include a thorough character investigation. All convictions must be reported. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor or any falsified or omitted information may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case is determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of state and federal laws. Fingerprinting is required at the expense of the agency.
7. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
8. New York State residence is not required.

The Positions

These positions exist within the Division of Veterans’ Affairs on a statewide basis.

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Duties

As a Veterans Benefits Advisor 1, you will assist, advise, and advocate for veterans and members of the armed services and their families and survivors on concerns relating to their rights and benefits, including matters pertaining to educational training, military law, employment and reemployment, health, medical and rehabilitation services and facilities, and the provisions of laws relating to veterans’ rights and privileges. In addition, you will prepare and process claims, maintain liaison with public and private agencies which provide benefits for veterans, conduct and organize outreach efforts at various facilities, make personal appearances before local veterans and civic organizations, manage a local Division of Veterans’ Affairs Office, and perform other duties as directed. You may also supervise support staff.

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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. Interviewing—Veterans’ Services - 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.
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. 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.
4. 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.

Your final score must be 70 or higher in order to pass. Rank on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime Veterans' and Civil Service Law Section 85-a credits to your final passing score.

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, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Appointment to many positions in State government require candidates to undergo an investigative screening. This may include a thorough character investigation, a Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Record History Check, a Child Abuse Registry clearance, or other similar procedures. Candidates may be fingerprinted and may be required to pay any necessary fees for that procedure. Depending on the nature of the job, the criminal convictions discovered, or any falsified or omitted information revealed, the investigative findings may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment.

Eligibility for Employment

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States at the time of appointment and throughout your employment with New York State. If appointed, you must produce documents that establish your identity and eligibility to work in the United States, as required by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and the Immigration and Nationality Act.

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, call 518-474 6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627.

Multiple 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: http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/local.cfm

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/TC1 LAK-vla
Issued: 6/23/2017

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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