Res. No. 1781
Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass S.8602/A.11697, legislation which would amend the civil service law to require the Department of Citywide Administrative Services to create a comprehensive plan for the scheduling of examinations for the competitive class and for the establishment of eligible lists.
By Council Members Gennaro, Comrie, Fidler, James, Mark-Viverito, Seabrook and Weprin
Whereas, New York State Civil Service Law § 65(5) was enacted in 2007 to bring New York City into substantial compliance with the Civil Service Law with respect to the time periods during which provisional employees can fill competitive class positions; and
Whereas, Specifically, substantial compliance means that “the total number of competitive class positions of the DCAS [Department of Citywide Administrative Services] employers filled by provisional appointments that have continued beyond the [specified appointment periods] . . . shall not exceed five percent”; and
Whereas, Section 65(5) of the Civil Service Law requires DCAS to draft a binding plan, subject to approval by the State Civil Service Commission, under which the City and its related employers will achieve such “substantial compliance” within five years of its approval by the Commission; and
Whereas, According to DCAS’ Provisional Reduction Plan, the City intends to decrease the number of provisional employees by increasing the number of competitive exams administered every year by nearly 17% and implement a number of classification and reclassification strategies, including consolidating titles within the same title series and broadbanding titles in different title series; and
Whereas, In addition, DCAS plans to develop competitive examination formats that will enable the frequent administration of exams on a larger scale; and
Whereas, S.8602/A.11697, legislation which has been introduced in the New York Legislature, would amend § 65(5) of the Civil Service Law, in relation to requiring the plan from the DCAS to include a comprehensive plan for the scheduling of examinations for the competitive class and the establishment of an eligible list; and
Whereas, S.8602/A.11697 would also require the State Civil Service Commission to review and solicit comments from interested parties on such plan and issue an opinion on the plan’s feasibility for examinations and the establishment of appropriate eligible lists; and
Whereas, S.8602/A.11697 would also provide that in any case, pursuant to this plan, no title currently in the competitive class shall be reclassified to the non-competitive class; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Legislature to pass S.8602/A.11697, legislation which would amend the civil service law to require the Department of Citywide Administrative Services to create a comprehensive plan for the scheduling of examinations for the competitive class and for the establishment of eligible lists.
LS# 5965
S.O.
9/30/08
3:43pm