Department of Civil Service

Administrative Assistant 2

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*Salary
$58,046 (CSEA) $58,066 (M/C)

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.

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

For Promotion in State Departments, Facilities, and Agencies

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

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before January 18, 2025, you must be a qualified employee of New York State and have had 45 days of permanent competitive, non-competitive NY HELPS*, or 55-b/55-c service as an Administrative Assistant 1, Administrative Assistant 1 (French Language), Administrative Assistant 1 (Russian Language), Administrative Assistant 1 (Spanish Language), Administrative Assistant Trainee 1, Administrative Assistant Trainee 1 (French Language), Administrative Assistant Trainee 1 (Russian Language), Administrative Assistant Trainee 1 (Spanish Language), Administrative Assistant Trainee 2, Administrative Assistant Trainee 2 (French Language), Administrative Assistant Trainee 2 (Russian Language), Administrative Assistant Trainee 2 (Spanish Language), Examination Composition Assistant, Law Department Document Specialist, Office Assistant 2-Keyboarding, Office Assistant 2-Keyboarding (Spanish Language), Secretary 1, or Secretary 1 (Spanish Language).

If you have received a permanent appointment to a qualifying title listed and served provisionally** in that title immediately preceding your permanent appointment, such provisional service may be counted towards meeting the time in title required for this examination.

Only the title or titles listed are qualifying.

If you were permanently appointed to a qualifying title on or before December 4, 2024, and have served continuously in this title since that date, you are eligible to file for this examination.

*If you were permanently appointed via the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide (NY HELPS) program to a qualifying title in the non-competitive class on or before December 4, 2024, and have served continuously in this title since that date, you may apply for this examination.

**If you were permanently appointed to a qualifying title and had provisional service in the same title immediately preceding the permanent appointment, such provisional service may be counted towards meeting the time in title required to apply for this examination. Your provisional appointment must have been on or before December 4, 2024, to qualify for this examination.

Qualifying Experience For Appointment From The Eligible List: After one year as described in the Minimum Qualifications, successful candidates will be qualified for appointment from the eligible list. Successful Trainees will be qualified for appointment after one year of service at the full performance level.

If you have received a permanent appointment to a qualifying title listed and served provisionally in that title immediately preceding your permanent appointment, such provisional service may be counted towards meeting the time in title required for appointment from the eligible list.

Employees appointed to a non-competitive position via the NY HELPS program to a qualifying title in the non-competitive class will have their names restricted from appointment from the eligible list until their position is covered-in to the competitive class by action of the New York State Civil Service Commission or otherwise obtain permanent competitive status in the position.

Additional Requirements for Appointment:

1. 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);
   • be investigated through a Criminal Background Check (CBC). You must report all convictions. 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 law;

   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.

   You are responsible for payment of all required fees.

2. Medicaid and Medicare: To be eligible for appointment and 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). You may be barred from appointment, or your employment may be terminated at any time if you are listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of these lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program).
3. Language Proficiency: If you pass the examination and apply to a title which requires language proficiency, you must demonstrate your language proficiency at a level that will ensure your ability to perform the duties of the position properly. The proficiency test will only be given to enough candidates to fill current vacancies.

The Positions: These positions exist in various New York State Agencies and are located statewide.

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Duties

As an Administrative Assistant 2, you would serve as the principal administrative support position in an office; organize and coordinate administrative activities; and direct the information flow. You would work for a manager who has a wide range of responsibilities. Under the supervision of higher-level staff, you would perform a variety of tasks that enable managers and program staff to accomplish the mission of the agency. You would review incoming correspondence and draft responses where appropriate; review outgoing correspondence; research background information; transmit instructions to staff and conduct follow-up. You would handle telephone calls and visitors and respond to questions; coordinate and arrange meetings; establish office procedures; design, set-up, and maintain office filing systems (including electronic); resolve day-to-day operational problems; coordinate information flow by acting as a liaison among key executives, staff and other employees, and the public; and operate equipment which requires the skilled use of a standard alpha-numeric keyboard to produce correspondence, reports, and other agency documents. You would work under broad guidelines, select the best course of action from a number of alternatives, and set your own priorities based on a review of the work to be performed and your knowledge of the program and office procedures.

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Subject of Examination

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

1. Grammar, usage, punctuation, and sentence structure - The grammar and usage questions test for the ability to apply the basic rules of grammar and usage. The punctuation questions test for knowledge of the correct placement of punctuation marks in sentences. Each question contains four sentences. You must choose the one sentence that contains a grammatical, usage, or punctuation error (the sentence which is INCORRECT). The sentence structure questions test for the ability to recognize sentences that are CORRECTLY constructed.
2. Office practices - These questions test for a knowledge of generally agreed-upon practices governing the handling of situations which typists, secretaries, and office assistants encounter in their work, as well as a knowledge of efficient and effective methods used to accomplish office tasks. The questions cover such topics as planning workflow; setting priorities; dealing effectively with staff, visitors, and callers; filing and retrieving information; safeguarding confidentiality; using office equipment; and making procedural decisions and recommendations which contribute to a well-managed office.
3. 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.
4. Understanding and interpreting written material - These questions test for the ability to understand and interpret written material. You will be presented with brief reading passages and will be asked questions about the passages. You should base your answers to the questions only on what is presented in the passages and not on what you may happen to know about the topic.

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.

Admission To The Test: If approved for a multiple-choice 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 notification of your application status, 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

Apply On line

You will need a personal NY.gov ID to apply for this examination. If you do not have a personal NY.gov account, please create an account.

Administrative Assistant 2

You Can Also

• Download examination application NYS-APP form; or
• Email cs.sm.examinfo@cs.ny.gov to request NYS-APP forms; or
• Obtain an NYS-APP form from a State agency or facility personnel/business office; or
• Request NYS-APP form by calling the Department of Civil Service in the Albany area at 518-457-2487 or toll free at 1-877-697-5627.

The NYS Department of Civil Service reserves the right to reject for lateness or to accept applications filed after the advertised filing period. All statements you make on your application are subject to investigation.

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 multiple-choice 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 Accommodation Unit of the Department of Civil Service at Testaccommodation@cs.ny.gov.

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 multiple-choice 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 multiple-choice 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 multiple-choice test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this multiple-choice 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.

S1/TB2 JFG-dah
Issued: 11/1/24

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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