Investigative Officer 2 & 3 (Unemployment Insurance)

You must review important information on the New York State Department of Civil Service COVID-19 policy that applies to all candidates sitting for in-person Civil Service examinations being administered at a New York State test center. You can access our full policy on the Department of Civil Service website.

Due to current testing space limitations, candidates may need to travel to a test site to take this examination. Candidates will be notified of their test site location on their admission notice.

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

This examination is being held to fill vacancies in the New York State Department of Labor only.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before April 22, 2023, 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 an:

For Exam No. 38-898: Investigative Officer Trainee, Investigative Officer Trainee (Chinese Language), Investigative Officer Trainee (Korean Language), Investigative Officer Trainee (Spanish Language), Investigative Officer 1, Investigative Officer 1 (Chinese Language), Investigative Officer 1 (Korean Language), Investigative Officer 1 (Spanish Language), Unemployment Insurance Investigator, or Unemployment Insurance Investigator (Spanish Language).

For Exam No. 38-901: Investigative Officer 2 (Unemployment Insurance) or Senior Unemployment Insurance Investigator.

Only the title or titles listed are qualifying.

If you were permanently appointed to a qualifying title on or before January 22, 2023, 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:

For Exam No. 38-898: After one year of service at the full performance level, successful candidates will be qualified for appointment from the eligible list.

For Exam No. 38-901: After one year of the service described in the Minimum Qualifications, successful candidates will be qualified for appointment from the eligible list.

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Duties

As an Investigative Officer 2 (Unemployment Insurance), under the supervision of an Investigative Officer 3 (Unemployment Insurance), you would oversee the activities of a team of Investigative Officers 1 engaged in investigating allegations of Unemployment Insurance fraud; supervise and provide training and mentoring to Investigative Officers 1 in an assigned region; assign cases for investigation; prepare reports for supervisory staff and management as directed; review and approve completed cases; and serve as liaison with law enforcement and District Attorney offices in the geographical region.

As an Investigative Officer 3 (Unemployment Insurance), under the supervision of an Investigative Officer 4 (Unemployment Insurance), you would oversee the activities of multiple Office of Special Investigations (OSI) regional offices engaged in investigating allegations of Unemployment Insurance fraud; supervise and provide training and mentoring to lower-level Investigative Officers in an assigned region; prepare reports for supervisory staff and management as directed; review and approve all cases referred for criminal prosecution; and serve as liaison with other Department of Labor divisions.

Note:

• Travel Requirements: Appointment to certain positions requires extensive travel within an area of assignment. Appointees may need to operate a motor vehicle or have other means to meet the transportation needs of the job. If the position requires that you operate a motor vehicle, you must continuously have a valid New York State driver's license to continue employment. Field work and travel expenses are reimbursed on a fixed schedule. Overnight travel may be required.

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Subject of Examination

To be considered for appointment to this title, you must pass the written test. The written test evaluates your knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in the following areas:

	38-898	38-901
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 the candidates' abilities 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 a conclusion is warranted by the facts.	X	X
3. 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
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.	X
5. Labor Law, Rules and Regulations and Penal Law - These questions test for knowledge of those provisions, in effect January 1, 2023, of Article 18 of the NYS Labor Law and its rules and regulations and NYS Penal Law, as these relate to the prosecution of Unemployment Insurance fraud; as well as policies, procedures and directives related to the Unemployment Insurance Program and the Office of Special Investigations of the NYS Department of Labor.	X	X
6. Administrative supervision - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices involved in directing the activities of a large subordinate staff, including subordinate supervisors. Questions relate to the personal interactions between an upper level supervisor and their subordinate supervisors in the accomplishment of objectives. These questions cover such areas as assigning work to and coordinating the activities of several units, establishing and guiding staff development programs, evaluating the performance of subordinate supervisors, and maintaining relationships with other organizational sections.		X

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

If you pass, your seniority credit(s), if any, will be included in the computation of your final score. Your final score on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime Veterans' credits.

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.

Note: The Department of Civil Service may administer tests either online or with paper booklets and answer sheets.

Admission To The Test: If approved for a written test, you will receive an admission notice which will indicate your assigned test date and the way your test will be administered. Your test may be administered with paper and pencil or online at a state test site using a state-provided Chromebook. You cannot request to change your scheduled day or request a specific type of test administration.

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 FeeUnitMail@cs.ny.gov 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.

S3/TC1 DAA-rkv
Issued: 1/20/23

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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