Tax Compliance Agent

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.

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 February 17, 2018, you must have:

For Nos. 26-427 & 26-428:

Either 1. two years of full time experience in a position where your primary responsibility is communicating effectively in person or by telephone to resolve customers��� issues and/or problems and explaining programs, policies, or procedures OR the collection of debts, which must include contacting debtors in person or by telephone for the purpose of arranging payment;

Or 2. 30 semester credit hours of college-level study AND either one year of full time experience in a position where your primary responsibility is communicating effectively in person or by telephone to resolve customers��� issues and/or problems and explain programs, policies, or procedures OR one year of full time experience in a position where your primary responsibility is the collection of debts, which must include contacting debtors in person or by telephone for the purpose of arranging payment;

Or 3. 60 semester credit hours of college-level study.

For Nos. 26-429 & 26-430:

Either 1. three years of full time experience in a position where your primary responsibility is communicating effectively in person or by telephone to resolve customer���s issues and/or problems and explaining programs, policies, or procedures OR the collection of debts, which must include contacting debtors in person or by telephone for the purpose of arranging payment;

Or 2. 60 semester credit hours of college-level study AND either one year of full time experience in a position where your primary responsibility is communicating effectively in person or by telephone to resolve customer���s issues and/or problems and explaining programs, policies, or procedures OR one year of full time experience in a position where your primary responsibility is the collection of debts, which must include contacting debtors in person or by telephone for the purpose of arranging payment;

Or 3. 30 semester credit hours of college-level study AND either two years of full time experience in a position where your primary responsibility is communicating effectively in person or by telephone to resolve customer���s issues and/or problems and explaining programs, policies, or procedures OR two years of full time experience in a position where your primary responsibility is the collection of debts, which must include contacting debtors in person or by telephone for the purpose of arranging payment.

Non-Qualifying Experience: Experience limited to positions such as cashier, supermarket clerk, department store clerk, forms processor, bartender, wait staff, hair stylist, receptionist, tax preparation, and data entry forms processing is NOT qualifying.

If you expect to meet the educational requirements by September 30, 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 September 30, 2018 may result in your removal from the eligible list.

Notes

1. Your degree or 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 degree or 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: S2MAS.
2. Transition examinations are also being held for these positions.
3. Although transition examinations are being held, it is expected that appointments will be made as the result of these examinations open to the public.
4. The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and the New York State Department of Labor have the option of making appointments from either the list resulting from this examination open to the public or the list resulting from the transition examination. If you meet the requirements for both examinations, you may wish to file for both. The processing fee must be paid for this examination unless you are eligible for a fee waiver.
5. If you pass the examination for No. 26-428 Tax Compliance Agent Trainee (Spanish Language) or No. 26-430 Tax Compliance Agent 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.
6. If you submit an application for No. 26-428 Tax Compliance Agent Trainee (Spanish Language), an application will automatically be submitted for you for No. 26-427 Tax Compliance Agent Trainee at no additional cost. If you submit an application for No. 26-430 Tax Compliance Agent 1 (Spanish Language), an application will automatically be submitted for you for No. 26-429 Tax Compliance Agent 1 at no additional cost.
7. 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.
8. Background Investigation: Because of the nature of the position there may be 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.
9. Background Investigation: Any candidate selected for a position at the Department of Taxation and Finance will be subject to a review of their tax return submissions by the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance. Employment of a candidate is conditioned upon a finding by the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance that the candidate is in compliance with all local, state and federal tax laws. In accordance with federal government requirements, the employment of any candidate selected for this position is conditioned upon successfully completing a background investigation including a criminal history record check (fingerprint check).
10. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
11. New York State residence is not required.
12. The eligible list resulting from this examination will be used to fill one-year traineeships leading to Tax Compliance Agent, G-14.

The Positions

Tax Compliance Agent Trainee and Tax Compliance Agent 1 positions exist in the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and in the New York State Department of Labor. Tax Compliance Agent Trainee (Spanish Language) and Tax Compliance Agent 1 (Spanish Language) positions exist in the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance only. Positions are located statewide.

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Duties

As a Tax Compliance Agent Trainee or Tax Compliance Agent Trainee (Spanish Language) at the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, you would work in the field to enforce compliance with New York State tax laws, rules, and regulations. You would collect state taxes, interest, penalties, delinquent tax returns, and other financial obligations from businesses and/or individuals who have failed to respond to normal correspondence and assessment methods in order to effect payment of delinquent taxes. You would be required to maintain current knowledge of New York State tax laws, rules, regulations, and procedures; and the required state tax returns and tax due dates in order to answer taxpayer inquiries. You would explain to the taxpayer the basis of the tax bill (assessment), the computation of penalties and interest, and other compliance regulations as required. You would work with various state, county, and local agencies and use other sources of investigative information for the purpose of locating delinquent taxpayers, determining their financial ability to pay, or obtaining knowledge of other liens or liabilities against taxpayers��� assets and properties. When necessary, you would enforce the collection of delinquent taxes, penalties, interest, and other financial obligations through income executions, seizures, or levies on the assets of the taxpayer. You would also assist in the sale of seized assets and prepare and submit detailed reports of each case handled. You would also check retail vendors and flea markets for compliance with sales tax regulations. In connection with these assignments, off shift work may be required.

As a Tax Compliance Agent Trainee at the New York State Department of Labor, you would work in the field collecting delinquent state Unemployment Insurance contributions, interest, penalties, delinquent contribution returns, and other financial obligations from employers who have failed to respond to normal correspondence and assessment methods. You would be required to maintain current knowledge of the state Unemployment Insurance law, required returns, and return due dates in order to answer employer inquiries. You would explain to the employer the basis of contribution bill (assessment), the computation of penalties and interest, and other compliance regulations as required. You would work with various state, county, and local agencies and utilize other sources of investigative information for the purpose of locating delinquent business firms or individuals, determining their financial ability to pay, or for knowledge of other liens or liabilities against employer���s assets and property. When deemed necessary, you would enforce the collection of delinquent contributions, penalties and interest through income executions, seizures, or levies on the assets of the employer. You would also assist in the sale of seized assets and prepare and submit detailed reports of each case handled. In connection with these assignments, off-shift work may be required.

As a Tax Compliance Agent 1 or Tax Compliance Agent 1 (Spanish Language), at the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, you would work in the field to enforce compliance with the New York State tax laws, rules, and regulations. You would collect state taxes, interest, penalties, delinquent tax returns, and other financial obligations from businesses and/or individuals who have failed to respond to normal correspondence and assessment methods in order to effect payment of delinquent taxes. You would be required to maintain current knowledge of New York State tax laws, rules, regulations, and procedures; and the required state tax returns and tax due dates in order to answer taxpayer inquires. You would explain to the taxpayer the basis of the tax bill (assessment), the computation of penalties and interest, and other compliance regulations as required. You would work with various state, county, and local agencies and use other sources of investigative information for the purpose of locating delinquent taxpayers, determining their financial ability to pay, or obtaining knowledge of other liens or liabilities against taxpayer���s assets and properties. When necessary, you would enforce the collection of delinquent taxes, penalties, interest, and other financial obligations through income executions, seizures, or levies on the assets of the taxpayer. You would also assist in the sale of seized assets and prepare and submit detailed reports of each case handled. You would also check retail vendors and flea markets for compliance with sales tax regulations. In connection with these assignments, off-shift work may be required. The ability to work independently is crucial.

As a Tax Compliance Agent 1, at the New York State Department of Labor, you would work in the field collecting delinquent state Unemployment Insurance contributions, interest, penalties, delinquent contribution returns, and other financial obligations from employers who have failed to respond to normal correspondence and assessment methods. You would be required to maintain current knowledge of the state Unemployment Insurance law, required returns, and return due dates in order to answer employer inquiries. You would explain to the employer the basis of the contribution bill (assessment), the computation of penalties and interest, and other compliance regulations as required. You would work with various state, county, and local agencies and utilize other sources of investigative information for the purpose of locating delinquent business firms or individuals, determining their financial ability to pay, or for knowledge of other liens or liabilities against employer���s assets and property. When deemed necessary, you would enforce the collection of delinquent contributions, penalties and interest through income executions, seizures, or levies on the assets of the employer. You would also assist in the sale of seized assets and prepare and submit detailed reports of each case handled. In connection with these assignments, off-shift work may be required.

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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.

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

ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS ONLY. To apply go to https://www.cs.ny.gov/dashboards/start/tax-compliance-agent.cfm.

NOTE: the non refundable application processing fee must be paid online via a credit card unless you qualify for a waiver.

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.

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, 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.

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 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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