Information For Employees Seeking Transfer
The Civil Service Law and Rules provide the conditions under which permanent employees in the competitive class may transfer to a different title, agency or geographic location. You must take the initiative by contacting agencies directly or by looking for vacancies on the Governor's Office of Employee Relations' website at https://statejobs.ny.gov/
State agencies have broad discretion in choosing to fill a particular job by transfer. If you wish to be considered for transfer, you should provide a current resume describing your work experience, and/or educational background and the mechanism you believe could facilitate your transfer.
What Is A Transfer?
A transfer is the movement of a permanent competitive class employee from a position in one title to a position in a different title, or from a position in one agency to a position in another agency. Both positions must be within the competitive class. Transfers are voluntary and occur with the consent of the employee after nomination by the appointing agency and the approval of the Department of Civil Service. Approval by the agency from which the employee is transferring is not required in order for the transfer to occur.
The Civil Service Law defines three different kinds of transfers:
- Section 70.1 allows transfer without further examination from one title to another when a sufficient degree of similarity exists between the minimum qualifications, tests and/or duties of the specific titles involved. The appropriateness of transfer is decided on a title-by-title basis at the request of personnel offices of state agencies. This section of the law also allows employees to transfer to another agency in the same title.
- Section 70.4 allows transfer to a title which is not similar, but where the employee meets the qualifications for the title. Usually the employee must pass an examination open to the public for the title before transfer can be approved.
- Section 52.6 allows transfer between administrative titles at the same or similar salary grade. Administrative titles are those involving law, personnel, budgeting, methods and procedures, management, records analysis or administrative research.
What Are The Requirements For Transfer?
Generally, you must have had at least one year of permanent service in your current title and your current salary grade, and the transfer can be to the same or any lower salary grade, but cannot be to a title more than two salary grades (or one M grade) higher than your current title. If you are currently serving probation, you may be eligible to transfer. Transfers may not be approved if mandatory reemployment lists exist for the title to which transfer is sought.
Where can I find information on the titles to which I may be eligible to transfer?
The Glossary of Titles Inquiry Tool (GOT-IT) website provides career mobility and transfer information for State titles. You may visit this website at: https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/
What Are The Effects Of Transfer On Employee Status?
- Probation and Leave Of Absence - Transferees are usually required to serve a probationary period in their new title. For titles at or below Grade 13, the probationary term is 8 to 26 weeks. For titles at or above Grade 14, the probationary term is 12 to 52 weeks. At the discretion of the new agency, the probationary period may be waived at the time of the transfer. However, if you transfer to a title which requires a traineeship, you must serve the probationary period designated for that traineeship. If you transfer and are serving a probationary period, you must be granted a leave of absence from your former title for the length of your probationary period.
- Standing On Existing Eligible Lists - Transferees who are on leave from their former title remain eligible for appointment from promotion eligible lists in their former agency until completion of probation. Standing on general portions of interdepartmental promotion lists or on open-competitive lists is not affected by transfer. If you completed your probationary period and have served at least 26 weeks in your new agency, you may request that your name be added to your new agency's departmental portion of an interdepartmental eligible list by completing form S-211.1 "Request to Change Individual Status on Interdepartmental Promotion Eligible Lists".
- Retirement Benefits - Status in the Retirement System is not affected by transfer.
- Seniority - A transfer will not affect your seniority date for credit in future promotion examinations or for layoff purposes. However, your layoff rights will be affected after transfer because probationers are laid off before permanent employees in the same title who are not on probation. For more information about layoffs, refer to the booklet "Information for State Employees Affected By Layoff" available in agency personnel offices or on our website at: www.cs.ny.gov/employees/state.
- Salary - Salary determination is a complex matter, handled by the Office of the State Comptroller through your agency personnel or finance office. Salary determination is further complicated by the different pay scales for the various negotiating units. Questions regarding salary may be directed to your agency's personnel office.
- Leave Credits - Upon transfer from one agency to another, personal, sick and vacation leave credits are transferred and you are entitled to cash payment for unused compensatory time (up to 30 days). However, if you transfer between units or institutions of the same department, (for example within the Office of Mental Health), you cannot receive cash payments. Such credits are transferred to the new unit or institution along with personal, sick and vacation leave.
For More Information:
| Employee Health Insurance | Leave Accruals | Retirement | Salary |
| (518) 457-5754 | (518) 457-2295 | (518) 474-7736 | Contact your Personnel Office |
For information concerning a specific transfer, contact the Career Mobility Office at 1-800-553-1322 or email: cmo@cs.ny.gov
The Department of Civil Service has Outreach & Information Centers locations which you may visit or call.