New York State of Opportunity

Principal Employment Security Clerk

Written Test To Be Held
July 20, 2019
Applications Must Be Submitted or Postmarked By
June 07, 2019

 

Exams Included on This Announcement
Exam Number Exam Title Open to Employees of Salary Salary Grade Non−Refundable Processing Fee (Waivers available)
38-418 Principal Employment Security Clerk Labor, Department of $48,728 G-14 $15
38-439 Principal Employment Security Clerk (Spanish Language) Labor, Department of $48,728 G-14
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.

Promotion examination open to all qualified employees of the New York State
Department of Labor.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before July 20, 2019, you must be a qualified employee of the New York State Department of Labor and have had three months of permanent competitive or 55-b/55-c service as follows:

Either A: as a Senior Employment Security Clerk, Senior Employment Security Clerk (Chinese Language), Senior Employment Security Clerk (Creole Language), Senior Employment Security Clerk (Korean Language), Senior Employment Security Clerk (Polish Language), Senior Employment Security Clerk (Russian Language), or Senior Employment Security Clerk (Spanish Language);

Or B: in a clerical/keyboarding/secretarial position allocated to Grade 9 or higher.

A list of qualifying B titles is available at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/announcements/38418qualifying.cfm

Only the title or titles listed are qualifying.

If you were permanently appointed to a qualifying title on or before April 20, 2019, 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.

Eligibles who meet the “B” qualifications, and who are subsequently appointed to an “A” title, may request to have their name added to the “A” list, once they have completed the one year of service in the “A” title. The request should be submitted in writing to the NYS Department of Civil Service, Albany, New York 12239; Attention: S-2/SER.

Order of Certification

The order of certification of this eligible list will be:

  1. "A" eligibles
  2. "All" eligibles

The Positions

The majority of positions are located in the Telephone Claims Center (TCC) in Endicott and Troy, and in Albany central offices.

Notes

  1. Language Proficiency: If you pass the examination for No. 38-439 Principal Employment Security Clerk (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.
  2. If you submit an application for No. 38-439 Principal Employment Security Clerk (Spanish Language), an application will automatically be submitted for you for No. 38-418 Principal Employment Security Clerk 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 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.
  2. 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
  3. Office management - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices of planning, organizing and controlling the activities of an office and directing those performing office activities so as to achieve predetermined objectives such as accomplishing office work within reasonable limits of time, effort and cost expenditure. Typical activities may include but will not be restricted to: simplifying and improving procedures, increasing office efficiency, improving the office work environment and controlling office supplies.
  4. Supervision - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of a work unit toward predetermined objectives. The concepts covered, usually in a situational question format, include such topics as assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; maintaining work standards; motivating and developing subordinates; implementing procedural change; increasing efficiency; and dealing with problems of absenteeism, morale, and discipline.
  5. Understanding, interpreting, and applying written material based on unemployment issues according to the New York State Labor Law - These questions test for the ability to read, understand, and apply the provisions of the New York State Labor Law to hypothetical case situations. You will be provided with a brief reading selection from the New York State Labor Law, Commissioner's Regulations, or a Departmental Directive along with a set of facts describing the hypothetical case situation and be required to answer a series of questions which require applying the law, regulation, or directive to the case. All information needed to answer the questions is contained in the reading selections. No prior knowledge of that information is necessary, but you may be required to perform arithmetic computations or interpret tabular data in order to answer the questions.

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 Principal Employment Security Clerk or Principal Employment Security Clerk (Spanish Language), you would supervise Senior Employment Security Clerks who provide services related to accepting, processing, and certifying claims for unemployment insurance benefits; review unemployment insurance contribution information to make determinations of employer liability; provide customer service in the administration of employer accounts; or assist in the administration of job placement and employer services.

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

This announcement is for viewing purposes only.

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 SER-klr
Issued: 05/03/2019

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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