Fair Hearings Specialist 1
- Written Test To Be Held
- July 20, 2019
- Applications Must Be Submitted or Postmarked By
- June 07, 2019
Exam Number | Exam Title | Salary | Salary Grade | Non−Refundable Processing Fee (Waivers available) |
---|---|---|---|---|
26-581010 | Fair Hearings Specialist 1 | $45,455 | G-14 | $35 |
26-582 | Fair Hearings Specialist 1 (Spanish Language) | $45,455 | G-14 |
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. |
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.
Minimum Qualifications
On or before July 20, 2019, you must have:
Either 1. four years of paraprofessional or professional experience* providing services to individuals in need of and/or eligible for social services programs or implementing/administering programs regulated by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, or the New York State Department of Health. College education in any field may be substituted for up to three years of the above general experience at the rate of 30 semester credit hours equaling one year of the general experience. College credit must have been received from a regionally accredited college or university. You must clearly indicate the college credit on the application form or on a separate sheet or indicate the credits on the online application in the space provided for course work.
Or 2. an associate's or higher degree in law or legal assistant/paralegal education from a regionally accredited college or university, or college or university accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS).
Or 3. completion of a legal assistant/paralegal education, qualifying non-degree certificate program where the certificate was issued by a regionally accredited or ACICS accredited college or university AND two years of paralegal experience. Completion of an external** legal assistant/paralegal certificate program is not qualifying.
*For the purpose of this examination: Qualifying paraprofessional or professional experience includes experience as a social services or welfare examiner at a local or district agency; a child protective caseworker; a social worker for a social services or child protective program; a caseworker or counselor at a registered not-for-profit or charitable agency; or setting up Social Services Fair Hearing requests and issuing aid-to-continue directives within the Fair Hearings Systems.
Non-qualifying experience: Non-qualifying experience includes but is not limited to experience where duties are primarily clerical, including such positions as receptionist, secretary, file clerk, or those performing primarily data/keyboard entry.
**Non-degree certificates of completion or diplomas awarded by a training institution or company not regionally accredited or accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), are not qualifying.
If you expect to meet the educational requirements by January 31, 2020, 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 January 31, 2020 may result in your removal from the eligible list.
Notes
- Your degree or college credit must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education. 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 New York State Department of Civil Service, Albany, New York 12239. Attention: S1KAC.
- You may file for these examinations by completing one NYS-APP application form or applying on the Internet. Unless you are eligible for a fee waiver, the indicated processing fee must be submitted for each examination listed on your application.
- Language Proficiency: If you pass the examination for No. 26-582 Fair Hearings Specialist 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.
- If you submit an application for No. 26-582 Fair Hearings Specialist 1 (Spanish Language), an application will automatically be submitted for you for No. 26-581010 Fair Hearings Specialist 1 at no additional cost.
- Background Investigation: Because of the nature of the position there is an 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.
Background Investigation/Justice Center Review: The names of all prospective employees may 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 will 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.
You will be responsible for payment of all required fees.
- Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
- New York State residence is not required.
The Positions
These positions exist in the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance in Albany and Brooklyn and in the Office of Children and Family Services in Rensselaer.
Duties
As a Fair Hearings Specialist 1, you would review and make determinations on requests for fair hearings, adjournments, withdrawals, aid continuances and complaints of non-compliance with hearing decisions from clients and their representatives. You would also respond to inquiries related to the appeals process and make appropriate referrals; and provide guidance to local districts in meeting regulatory requirements pertaining to the hearing process. You may also supervise clerical staff.
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- Ensuring effective inter/intra agency communications - These questions will test candidates' understanding of techniques for interacting effectively with individuals and agencies, to educate and inform them about topics of concern, to clarify agency programs or policies, to negotiate conflicts or resolve complaints, and to represent one's agency or program in a manner in keeping with good public relations practices. Questions may also cover interacting with the staff of one's own agency and/or that of other agencies in cooperative efforts of public outreach or service.
- 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.
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.
How To Apply
This announcement is for viewing purposes only.
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.
S1/TC1 KAC-dah
Issued: 05/03/19
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