GENERAL INFORMATION BULLETIN No. 17-04
TO: Department and Agency Directors, Human Resources and Affirmative Action Officers
FROM:Scott DeFruscio, Director of Staffing Services
SUBJECT: Professional Career Opportunities (PCO) Eligible Lists
DATE: July 5, 2017
This General Information Bulletin (GIB) explains the policies for appointment from the eligible lists established from the PCO examination. It replaces GIB #14-03, Professional Career Opportunities (PCO) Eligible Lists.
Eligible Lists
Five (5) types of eligible lists have been established from the results of the PCO examination, and the policies for appointment vary between lists. Four (4) of these types of lists are Generalist Job Titles lists and one (1) is a Select Job Titles list. The last page of this GIB lists the various eligible lists. Below are descriptions of the types of eligible lists:
- The Generalist Job Titles list (No. 26-240) contains the names of all successful candidates for the PCO examination who indicated that they hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in any field or who indicated they will receive a bachelor’s or higher level degree on or before September 1, 2018.
- Generalist Job Title eligibles who indicated they meet the qualifications for the Diversity Management list are on list No. 40-000. The minimum qualifications for the Diversity Management lists are shown below in the “Requesting a Diversity Management List” section of this GIB.
- Generalist Job Title eligibles who indicated proficiency in certain languages other than English are on a list for the language parenthetic, even if the language parenthetic is not currently used for a PCO title (the list numbers vary by language, as shown on the last page of this GIB).
- Generalist Job Title eligibles who indicated the language proficiency and also meet the qualifications for the Diversity Management list are on a language parenthetic, Diversity Management list (the list numbers vary by language). The minimum qualifications for the Diversity Management lists are shown below in the “Requesting a Diversity Management List” section of this GIB.
- The Select Job Titles list (No. 50-000) is for titles where additional qualifications beyond a bachelor’s degree are required. The minimum qualifications for the Select Job Titles are shown here: www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc/pco-titles.cfm. The minimum qualifications for the Diversity Management list are shown below in the “Requesting a Diversity Management List” section of this GIB. Applicants filled out an optional, online questionnaire asking about their language proficiency, diversity management background, college course work, college credits, certifications, and work experience. Their responses to the Questionnaire qualify them for the Select Job Titles, including those requiring proficiency in a language other than English and those positions needing diversity management skills.
Ordering Certifications through ELMS
To order a certification in ELMS, enter the appropriate Title Code and select the list number associated with that title. Procedures for requesting a Diversity Management list are described below.
Note that if a title series has a list for the trainee title and for the journey level title, and one of those lists is exhausted (has less than three acceptors for the position) and the other is not exhausted, the viable list must be considered.
Requesting a Diversity Management List
The Department of Civil Service (Department) established a Diversity Management list for the Generalist Job Titles (No. 40-000), Diversity Management lists for the language parenthetic lists for the Generalist Job Titles (the list number varies by language), and Diversity Management sublists for the various Select Job Titles. The minimum qualifications for Diversity Management are:
- 30 semester credit hours in the study of people of diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds; gender; socioeconomic class; sexual/affectional orientation; or disability, with no more than six of the semester credit hours in a language area; OR:
- One or more years of active involvement or work experience with or for a Community Group or Advocacy Organization whose mission or goal is to promote practical solutions to ensure equality of rights and/or remove barriers of discrimination based on racial, ethnic, and cultural background; gender; socioeconomic class; sexual/affectional orientation; or disability. Appropriate part-time and volunteer involvement or experience which can be verified will be accepted on a prorated basis.
Examples of a qualifying Group or Organization include, but are not limited to, an equal employment opportunity (EEO) or civil rights organization, a sorority or fraternity, a minority neighborhood association or organization whose mission or goal is to promote practical solutions that address the challenges faced by individuals due to their racial, ethnic, and cultural background; gender; socioeconomic class; sexual/affectional orientation; or disability (e.g. Centro Civico, NAACP, Out & Equal, the Aids Council).
Before requesting a Diversity Management list certification for a position, the agency must:
- Complete Form ATT-PCODM1 and Form ATT-PCODM2 to document that the position requires a need for an understanding of diversity management or equal opportunity principles.
- Email Form ATT-PCODM2 to the PCO Unit at PCO@cs.ny.gov.
- File Form ATT-PCODM1 and Form ATT-PCODM2 in the agency human resources office.
Agencies may use either the base list for the title or the Diversity Management list for the title to fill positions. For example, when an agency is using the Select Job titles list to fill a Jobs Program Specialist position, the agency can use either the Jobs Program Specialist base list for the title or the Jobs Program Specialist – Diversity Management list for the title. When requesting a base list or a Diversity Management list, agencies are bound to that list for that position for one year, unless the list is exhausted.
Email Canvasses
Applicants were instructed to provide their email address and to keep their email address current so the Department and other State agencies can communicate with them. To expedite canvassing of the list, agencies may email canvass the eligibles in accordance with Advisory Memorandum #16-01, PCO Email Canvasses; https://www.cs.ny.gov/ssd/pdf/am16-01.pdf.
Minimum Qualification Review
Minimum qualification review for the PCO exam, including for the Select Job Titles, has been decentralized to agencies. Agencies must thoroughly review the qualifications of all appointees prior to appointment and documentation must be kept by agencies.
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s or higher level degree in any field or indicated they will receive one on or before September 1, 2018 to be eligible for the PCO examination. Eligibles must have a bachelor’s or higher degree prior to appointment. Prior to September 1, 2018, agencies must review the qualifications of eligibles to verify that they hold a bachelor’s or higher level degree in any field at the time of appointment. After September 1, 2018, agencies must verify the qualifying degree for the PCO exam was received on or before September 1, 2018. To determine if the college attended meets accreditation requirements, click on the following link: https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx
, select the “Search By Accrediting Agency” tab and scroll through the Institutional Accrediting Agencies to find the Regional accrediting agencies.
Restricted Eligibles
Eligibles who indicated they do not yet hold a bachelor’s or higher degree have been given a non-certifiable restriction on the PCO eligible list(s). Also, eligibles who indicated they will receive a master’s or higher degree after September 1, 2017 are restricted from appearing on the Select Job Title lists, if they need the master’s or higher degree to qualify for the title. In each of these cases, the restrictions will be removed on the 15th of the month prior to the month they indicated they will receive their degree. Please note that the list restrictions on May graduates will be removed on April 15.
Foreign Degrees and Coursework
Where the applicant indicated a foreign degree(s), the Department requested the applicant provide us with an evaluation of the foreign degree(s) and advised the applicant they need to provide agencies the evaluation of the foreign degree(s) at the interview. If an applicant indicated a foreign degree and did not provide a foreign degree evaluation from an acceptable company or the evaluation of the foreign degree(s) did not show the degree(s) was the equivalent of a bachelor’s or higher-level degree in the United States, the applicant will not appear on the certification until the applicant provides us an acceptable evaluation of their degree. If an applicant did not indicate on their PCO application that they have a foreign degree, the Department could not follow this process. Therefore, the eligible’s name could appear on a certification.
Applicants were instructed to provide course by course evaluations of their foreign coursework at the interview if they used foreign credits to qualify for a Select Job Title. It is the agency’s responsibility to review the type of college degree and/or the course by course listing to determine if the eligible is qualified for Select Job Titles that require a specific college degree or college course work.
If an eligible cannot provide an acceptable evaluation of their foreign degree(s) or the course by course evaluation needed for a Select Job Title, agencies can code them temporarily unavailable (TI) for the life of the cert. Be sure to explain this carefully and encourage the eligible to get the needed evaluations. Information about the companies that provide the evaluations is available in the PCO FAQs on the PCO Dashboard at https://www.cs.ny.gov/pco/.
DQ Process for PCO Titles
The Department has developed a process to quickly determine whether someone should be disqualified for appointment to a Generalist Job Title or a Select Job Title. However, since the eligible is entitled to due process, the eligible must remain active and be coded as a non-select (NS) on the list certification while the Department conducts its review.
If an agency determines an eligible does not hold a bachelor’s or higher level degree, the agency should email the PCO Unit at PCO@cs.ny.gov and provide documentation to support this finding. The PCO Unit will contact the eligible and if they cannot provide proof of a qualifying degree, will remove or restrict the individual from eligibility on PCO lists.
For Select Job titles that are in multiple agencies, if an eligible does not have the qualifications to be on a Select Job Titles list, the agency must email the PCO Unit at PCO@cs.ny.gov and provide documentation clearly demonstrating why the person is not qualified. The documentation must include interview results with the eligible or responses to an agency questionnaire asking about the minimum qualifications. A resume from the eligible is not sufficient.
Upon receiving sufficient agency documentation, the Department will contact the eligible, share the agency’s findings, request proof from the eligible that he/she is qualified and provide time for the eligible to provide the necessary proof. If it is found that the eligible is qualified, the agency will be notified and instructed to consider the eligible. If it is found that the eligible is not qualified, the agency will be notified and the applicant will be removed from the eligible list.
Agencies with agency specific Select Job Titles will be sent emails and instructions on how to work with the Department to disqualify eligibles from their lists.
Transfers and Other PCO Appointments
The standard rules for transfer described in the Voluntary Transfer Checklist https://www.cs.ny.gov/ssd/Manuals/SPMM/1800Appointments/1840D%20Voluntary%20Transfer%20Checklist%20TM-71.htm shall apply for transfer into and between PCO titles, except as described below.
Transfers will be allowed directly to the appointment title from titles within two salary grades. For example, a G-11 employee can only be transferred to a trainee title within two grades of the employee’s current title. Advancement after transfer to a Trainee title requires a year as a trainee unless the transfer is without a change in the employee’s title.
The determination as to how the impact of a transfer between PCO titles during the first year of the traineeship will affect the length of the traineeship is at the agency’s discretion. Time served in the original title may be considered credited time if both traineeships go to the same level. For example, time served as an Education Trainee 1, which goes to Education Program Assistant, G-14, cannot be credited toward the first year of a traineeship to a G-18 title.
Transfer between any of the PCO titles, where the employee’s title changes during the second year of the traineeship, will require that the transferee complete a full year in the new Trainee 2 title prior to advancement unless, at the acquiring agency’s discretion, the employee is early advanced. If the transferee doesn’t change title with the transfer, the agency has the discretion to credit time served as a Trainee 2.
Transfer between any of the PCO titles during the first year in the journey level title will require the transferee complete the probationary period required by Rule 4.5 (b) (4) of the Rules for the Classified Service.
Civil Service Law section 70.4 transfers will be allowed based on a current or past PCO or PCT passing score or a current or past PATT passing score (if the transferee holds a bachelor’s degree) to Generalist Job Titles and Select Job Titles as long as the transferee did not fail a more recent holding of the PCT, PCO or PATT. For transfers to Select Job Titles, the transferee must meet the minimum qualifications for the Select Job Title. There is no requirement that the transferee previously submitted the PCO questionnaire. Prior to appointment, the agency must submit to their Staffing Services Representative Form ATT-00271 (available in the Examinations section of the DCS Business Suite), a NYS-APP and other supporting documentation showing the eligible’s qualifications, and an attestation the eligible meets the minimum qualifications. Documentation must be kept at the agency.
Early advancements during the traineeship will only be allowed in accordance with SPMM Advisory Memorandum #15-01. A Trainee 2 who was advanced after completing year one of the traineeship and who transfers to the same or a different title, whether in the same or a different agency, may be considered for early advancement to the full title after six months of service subsequent to the transfer. The agency must send an email to their Staffing Representative prior to submitting the NYSTEP transaction for the early advancement attesting that the Trainee 2 is performing the full range of duties and responsibilities of the G-18 position.
Advanced Placement from PCO Lists
All advanced placement decisions are at the agency’s discretion. By allowing advanced placement entry at the Trainee 2 or journey level title, we expect agencies will be better able to attract candidates for their positions. Advanced placement minimum qualifications are available in the Examinations section of the DCS Business Suite at https://www.cs.ny.gov/pco/advanced.placement.MQ.pdf.
When using the Trainee lists, the standard rules of reachability still apply; however, the level at which the traineeship is filled can be determined by the qualifications of the candidate selected. For example, if experience is required for advanced placement and the top three acceptors have no experience, agencies must fill the vacancy at the Trainee 1 level by selecting one of those acceptors. Agencies cannot skip three Trainee 1 level acceptors to reach a candidate who meets the qualifications for advanced placement at the Trainee 2 or journey level.
Advanced placement appointments are made directly from the eligible list to the Trainee 2 or to the journey level title. Once a permanent trainee appointment has been made, the agency cannot give the employee an advanced placement appointment in that series; the appointee must progress through the traineeship. For example, if an appointee has nine months of the twelve months of experience needed for advanced placement, the appointee cannot be advanced after three months. Also, if an agency appoints someone as a Trainee 1 and later finds they could have advanced placed the appointee as a Trainee 2, an advanced placement appointment to the Trainee 2 will not be allowed.
The advanced placement minimum qualifications for all PCO titles are viewable in the Examinations section of the DCS Business Suite. Experience must be professional experience. Experience in a clerical, secretarial or administrative title cannot be considered as professional. For example, work as a Head Clerk (Personnel), Payroll Examiner, or Payroll Specialist is not professional experience and cannot be used for advanced placement.
An eligible list for the journey level title does not block advanced placement appointments, except that a promotion list for a title must be exhausted before advanced placement from a PCO list to the same title can be allowed.
Process for advanced placement appointments:
- Generalist Job Titles - Advanced placement appointments need the approval of the agency’s Staffing Services Representative. Possession of the required education and/or experience is to be determined by the appointing authority at time of interview. Prior to appointment, the agency must submit to their Staffing Services Representative Form ATT-00271 (available in the Examinations section of the DCS Business Suite), a NYS-APP and other supporting documentation showing the eligible’s qualifications, and an attestation the eligible meets the advanced placement minimum qualifications and is reachable on the list. Documentation must be kept at the agency.
- Select Job Titles – Possession of the required education and/or experience is to be determined by the appointing authority at the time of interview. Agencies do not need to forward documentation to the Department; documentation is to be retained in agency records. The agency submission of the NYSTEP transaction is the agency’s attestation the appointee meets the requirements for advanced placement and is reachable on the list.
Effect of an Appointment from a PCO List
For Generalist Job titles an appointment from one of the Generalist lists will inactivate an eligible for appointments at that grade level from all of the Generalist lists, with the provision that inactivations will be dependent on the salary grade of the journey level of the traineeship. For example, if an eligible is appointed to a traineeship leading to G-16, they will be inactivated on the Generalist lists for all traineeships leading to a title at G-16 and below, but will remain active for all traineeships leading to a title above G-16.
Additionally:
- Appointees from the Generalist Job Titles lists will remain active for titles filled from the Select Job Titles list No. 50-000.
- Appointees from a Select Job Titles list will remain active for titles filled from the Generalist Job Titles lists.
- Appointees from the Select Job Titles list No. 50-000 will remain active for all other Select Job Titles for which they qualify that are filled from No. 50-000.
- An appointment to a base title filled off list No. 50-000 will inactivate the eligible on the Diversity Management list for the Select Job Title and an appointment off a Diversity Management list for a title will inactivate the eligible on the Select Job title list for the base title.
PCO List Numbers
| List Number | List Name |
|---|---|
| 26240 | PCO - Generalist Job Titles (Generalist) |
| 40000 | PCO - Generalist - Diversity |
| 40001 | PCO - Generalist - Chinese Language |
| 40002 | PCO - Generalist - Chinese Language - Diversity |
| 40003 | PCO - Generalist - Creole Language |
| 40004 | PCO - Generalist - Creole Language - Diversity |
| 40005 | PCO - Generalist - Farsi Language |
| 40006 | PCO - Generalist - Farsi Language - Diversity |
| 40007 | PCO - Generalist - French Language |
| 40008 | PCO - Generalist - French Language - Diversity |
| 40009 | PCO - Generalist - Italian Language |
| 40010 | PCO - Generalist - Italian Language - Diversity |
| 40011 | PCO - Generalist - Korean Language |
| 40012 | PCO - Generalist - Korean Language - Diversity |
| 40013 | PCO - Generalist - Manual Communication |
| 40014 | PCO - Generalist - Manual Communication - Diversity |
| 40015 | PCO - Generalist - Polish Language |
| 40016 | PCO - Generalist - Polish Language - Diversity |
| 40017 | PCO - Generalist - Russian Language |
| 40018 | PCO - Generalist - Russian Language - Diversity |
| 40019 | PCO - Generalist - Spanish Language |
| 40020 | PCO - Generalist - Spanish Language - Diversity |
| 50000 | PCO - Select Titles |
Information and Contacts
- PCO Dashboard http://www.cs.ny.gov/pco/
- PCO Unit email: PCO@cs.ny.gov
- Phone: (518) 473-5151