Int. No. 355

By Council Members Jennings, Avella, Comrie, Jackson, Monserrate, Perkins, Sanders, Clarke, Martinez, Seabrook, Stewart and James

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the retention of candidates on eligible lists.

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

                     Section 1.  Legislative findings and intent.  The Council finds that many candidates for employment by the city and related public employers who are on eligible lists are “considered and not selected” by agencies, often without interviews.  After three such “considered and not selected” actions, such candidates are removed from the appropriate eligible list.  When such eligible list is exhausted, many agencies hire individuals who have never taken or passed a civil service examination.  This situation undermines the civil service law and the merit and fitness system on which it is based.  This legislation is intended to uphold the merit and fitness requirements of city employees.

                     §2.                     Chapter 2 of title 12 of the administrative code of the city of New York is hereby amended by adding a new §12-206 to read as follows:

                     §12-206  Requirement of retention of candidates on eligible lists.  The commissioner of citywide administrative services shall keep all candidates who are considered and not selected for appointment to a particular position by an agency pursuant to section 61 of title B of article 4 of the civil service law on the appropriate eligible list until a new eligible list is created.

                     §3.                     This local law shall take effect immediately.