Interdepartmental transition examination open to all qualified employees of New York State.

Administrative Aide/Agency Program Aide

*The salary you receive will depend upon the negotiating unit of the position.

For Advancement in State Departments, Facilities, and Agencies

1. Within Promotion Units
2. Within Entire Departments
3. To Other Departments

This TRANSITION EXAMINATION is one of several concepts included in a Memorandum of Intent agreed to by New York State and CSEA, and is designed to provide opportunities for employees within state service.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before January 7, 2017, you must be a qualified employee of New York State and have had three months of permanent competitive or 55-b/55-c service in a G-5 or higher clerical, secretarial, keyboarding or paraprofessional** title set in an office environment. Qualifying titles are available at: www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/announcements/00340titles.cfm.† Only the title(s) listed is qualifying for this examination(s).

**Only paraprofessional titles in an office environment will be considered qualifying. Service in a direct care title is not qualifying experience. Examples of non-qualifying titles are: Developmental Disabilities Secure Care Treatment Aide 1; Direct Support Assistant; Food Service Worker 1; Licensed Practical Nurse; Mental Health Therapy Aide; and Security Services Assistant.

If you were permanently appointed to a qualifying title on or before October 7, 2016, 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

After one year of the service described in the Minimum Qualifications, successful candidates will be qualified for appointment from the eligible list.

Important: As the processing fee is non-refundable, 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.

Notes

1. Appointment to either title filled from the eligible list will inactivate your name from consideration for appointment from that eligible list.
2. If you are considered for appointment to a position requiring foreign language proficiency, you will be required, at the time of the employment interview, to demonstrate proficiency in speaking and reading the particular language at a level that will ensure your ability to perform the duties of the position. If other language parenthetics are established, the generic eligible list will be declared appropriate for filling vacancies in those titles.
3. If you submit an application for No. 00-341 Administrative Aide/Agency Program Aide (Spanish Language), an application will automatically be submitted for you for No. 00-340010 Administrative Aide/Agency Program Aide at no additional cost.
4. Background Investigation/Justice Center Review: In some agencies, the names of all prospective employees will be:
   
   • Checked against the Staff Exclusion List (SEL) maintained by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Prospective employees whose names appear on the SEL as having been found responsible for serious or repeated acts of abuse or neglect will be barred from appointment and may have their names removed from the eligible list(s) for the title(s);
   • Investigated through a Criminal Background Check (CBC). 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 will be determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of state and federal laws;
   and may be:
   
   • Screened against the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Prospective employees whose names appear on the SCR may be barred from appointment. (NY Social Services Law, Section 424a.)
   You will be responsible for payment of all required fees.
5. Medicaid and Medicare: In some agencies, in order to be eligible for appointment and to maintain employment, you cannot be listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of the Federal and/or State Medicaid and Medicare exclusion lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program). If you are appointed and subsequently listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of these lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program), you may be terminated from your employment.

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Duties

As an Administrative Aide, you would perform paraprofessional duties for managers and staff in an agency executive office, or for one or more professional administrative positions in various specialties such as budgeting, human resources, or administrative analysis. You would exercise a considerable amount of independent judgment in performing duties and apply various policies, procedures, laws, rules, regulations, and guidelines that require interpretation. You would also independently prepare written summaries and reports and apply agency procedures in support of your assignment. Specific duties may include, but are not limited to: compile data to be used in the preparation and analysis of agency budget submissions; monitor agency expenditures; review employee applications; compile background information for grievance and disciplinary hearings; review and revise policy and procedures manuals; review and summarize legislative proposals, reports, and other materials; review, evaluate, and analyze a variety of reports and records; and train and supervise subordinate staff. In the performance of these duties, you would have frequent oral and written communication with program and administrative staff and others outside the agency.

As an Agency Program Aide, you would perform paraprofessional duties and provide program and technical assistance for one or more professional or technical positions. You would exercise a considerable amount of independent judgment in performing duties and apply various State and Federal laws, procedures, rules, regulations, and guidelines that require interpretation. You would also independently prepare written summaries and reports and apply agency procedures in support of your specific program area. Specific duties may include, but are not limited to: gather, review, and evaluate data required by the program area; draft preliminary action plans based upon analysis of data; develop, maintain, and update database programs and models; prepare, review, and evaluate a variety of reports and records; review and process grant applications, grant awards, and contracts; monitor and manage the financial status of grants, State budgets, and contracts; assist the public in obtaining appropriate services; and train and supervise subordinate staff. In the performance of these duties, you would have frequent oral and written communication with program and administrative staff and others outside of the agency.

The duties of an Administrative Aide (Spanish Language) or Agency Program Aide (Spanish Language) are the same as those noted above, with the exception that the individual serving in the position may need to communicate at times with Spanish speaking clients.

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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 facts 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. 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.
4. Understanding and interpreting written material - These questions test how well you comprehend written material. You will be provided with brief reading selections and will be asked questions about the selections. All the information required to answer the questions will be presented in the selections; you will not be required to have any special knowledge relating to the subject areas of the selections.

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.

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.

Test Guide

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

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How To Apply

If you do not receive a confirmation 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 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, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record 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, call 518-474 6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627.

Multiple 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: http://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

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.

S1/TA1 MXT-vla
Issued: 10/21/2016
†Revised Material: 10/28/16

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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