Investigative Specialist 2 (Law)

The Department of Civil Service may administer tests either online or with paper booklets and answer sheets. Online tests will be administered using Remote Proctoring. You may access information on remote proctoring by visiting our website at www.cs.ny.gov/testing/remote-proctoring.cfm. Your admission notice will tell you whether your test will be administered online or in a test location. You may be assigned to either Saturday or Sunday to take your test. You cannot request a day in advance or change your scheduled day.

If you previously applied for this examination scheduled for April 25, 2020, which was postponed, you do NOT need to reapply. Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the qualifications to take the examination. Additional information will be sent to previous applicants via email

Promotion examination open to all qualified employees of the New York State
Department of Law (Office of the Attorney General).

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before June 26, 2021***, you must be a qualified employee of the New York State Department of Law (Office of the Attorney General) and have had competitive or 55-b/55-c service as follows:

For No. 38-548: three months as an Investigative Specialist 1 (Law), Grade-18*.

For No. 38-549: three months as an Investigative Specialist 2 (Law), Grade-23* OR two years as an Investigative Specialist 1 (Law), Grade-18**.

*If you were permanently appointed to a qualifying title on or before March 26, 2021*** and have served continuously in this title since that date, you are eligible to file for this examination.

**If you were permanently appointed to a qualifying title on or before July 26, 2019*** and have served continuously in this title since that date, you are eligible to file for this examination.

Only the title or titles listed are qualifying.

Qualifying Experience for Appointment from the Eligible List

For No. 38-548: After one year of the service described in the Minimum Qualifications, successful candidates will be qualified for appointment from the eligible list.

For No. 38-549: After one year of service as an Investigative Specialist 2 (Law), Grade-23 OR four years of service as an Investigative Specialist 1 (Law), Grade-18, successful candidates will be qualified for appointment from the eligible list.

NOTE: Travel Requirements: Appointment to certain positions requires extensive travel within a designated area of assignment. Appointees to these positions may be required to operate a motor vehicle or otherwise demonstrate their capacity to meet the transportation needs of the job. If the position requires that you operate a motor vehicle, you must possess a driver's license valid in New York State at the time of appointment and continuously thereafter. Field work and travel expenses are reimbursed on a fixed schedule.

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Duties

As an Investigative Specialist 2 (Law), Grade-23, you would conduct a wide variety of enforcement, regulatory and licensing investigative activities to gather information and report facts. You would scope and plan the method of investigation and coordinate field activities of assignments. You would review field reports for accuracy, prepare status reports, conduct undercover field investigations and may investigate difficult and sensitive investigations with interagency task forces. You would schedule and assign work according to investigator's workload and experience. Additionally, you would provide supervision to two or more Investigative Specialists 1 (Law).

As an Investigative Specialist 3 (Law), M-1, you would conduct investigations and perform any duties performed by the Investigative Specialists 2 (Law). You would establish and implement procedures and protocols within the unit. You would review and investigate findings and recommendation of staff regarding the closing and re-opening of cases. You would schedule and assign work according to investigator's workload and experience. You would conduct field investigations and undercover investigations, serve subpoenas and transport witnesses and documents to trial. Additionally, you would provide supervision to two or more Investigative Specialists 2 (Law).

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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:	For Examination Numbers
	38-548	38-549
1. 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.	X	X
2. Evaluating information and evidence - These questions test for the ability to evaluate and draw conclusions from information and evidence. Each question consists of a set of facts and a conclusion based on the facts. The candidate must decide if the conclusion is warranted by the facts.	X	X
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.	X	X
4. Advanced investigative techniques - These questions test for knowledge of the more complicated and technical aspects of field investigations. The questions will cover such areas as: interviewing principles and practices, investigative principles, sources of information and reporting methods commonly used in field investigations, securing statements, rules of evidence and evidence collection, preparing cases for court or legal hearings, and testifying in the courtroom or in hearings. Many of the questions are situational in nature. The questions are generic rather than dealing with investigations in a particular field.	X	X
5. 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.	X	X
6. Legal terminology, procedures, and principles in the field of tort actions - These questions test for knowledge of definitions and import of terminology relating to tort actions. The questions may include examples and applications of procedures and principles in the area of tort actions. You must recognize or recall accepted descriptions or definitions of terms and may be required to analyze, appraise, and apply tasks and procedures in given situations to hypothetical cases, problems, or illustrations.		X

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.

TEST GUIDE: A Guide to the Written Test for the Investigator Series is available on the Department website at http://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.

Applicants are required to have a Personal NY.gov account and keep their email address up to date. The Department of Civil Service and other state agencies will communicate with you through email correspondence. This may include the notification of your test arrangements, 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

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. Any past due application processing fees must be paid in full prior to submitting an application. Please email ny past due application processing fees must be paid in full prior to submitting an application. regarding inquiries about any past due 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.

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

The use of cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices at your personal testing site or in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas, except as expressly authorized by the Department of Civil Service, could result in your disqualification.

S1/TC1 MME-rkv
Issued: 02/07/2020
Reissue: 4/30/21
***Revised Material: 4/30/21

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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