The annual NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) list of exams has been posted at the DCAS website.
The New York City fiscal year begins in July and the schedule of Annual Civil Service Exams, offering Open-Competitive exams, Promotional exams, and Qualified Incumbents Exams (QIE’s), is available. Open-Competitive exams are tests that are open to the public. The Promotional exams are for people who already work for the city and meet certain criteria for advancing within a particular position. QIE’s are the city’s way to expedite testing for those who have been working as a provisional in a title, to become permanent in that title.
The Computer-based Testing and Applications Centers (CTACs) have re-opened to the public. However, due to continued COVID-19 concerns, walk-ins are no longer accepted, and appointments must be scheduled online through OASys. Applying through OASys can only be done by using a computer – no mobile device support – so if you do not have one or do not have access to one, you can schedule an appointment to come into one of DCAS’s CTACs and schedule yourself for an exam. I always strongly recommend working with OASys at a computer with a real keyboard anyway. Sometimes OASys seemed “quirky” – it was probably me – and I had to save and/or recover information to resubmit. I also strongly recommend that you check the DCAS website and this website frequently for updates.
All eligible lists for exams for Police Officer, Police Communications Technician, Traffic Enforcement Agent and School Safety Agent which are scheduled to terminate between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 will be extended by one year. If you have a question about the status of an eligible list, per the DCAS website you can email them at LMAcustomerserviceunit@dcas.nyc.gov.
Other types of non-CTAC tests include Oral, Practical, or Essay Tests. The Notice of Examination, or NOE, usually says what kind it will be. As of March 1, 2021, all examination and eligible list related notifications will be sent by email only, you will no longer receive notifications via the US mail. This notice provides the date, time and location where you will take the test. Review this information carefully, check that your exam application information is correct and note the test date and time.
Filing for some exams has already started so check out the list of exams right away to see if you need to file. Check DCAS often to see if new ones have been added, others postponed or rescheduled, or otherwise changed.
As far as paying for the exams, you can use a major credit card, debit card, or money order (in person). If you are receiving or participating in certain forms of public assistance/benefits/programs, or are a veteran, you may qualify to have the application fee waived. Check out the Fee Waiver FAQ on the Online Application System here. You may schedule an in-person appointment through OASys for eligible list-related inquiries or examination-related inquiries at DCAS Computer-based Testing & Applications Centers (CTACs). This would be, for example, to submit a money order or to submit the documentation for a fee waiver.
If you already work for the city, and are in a provisional status, make sure you file for your Open Competitive, Promotional, or Qualified Incumbents Exam if they come up. As a reminder from some of my other posts – if you don’t see an exam for your present civil service title, do a bit of homework as to what your agency will accept as a “fallback” title. This is a permanent title in a position that is a step below your present title. If that exam is available, and your agency will consider the possibility of allowing you to “fallback” into this lower title in case of cutbacks (you MUST check with your HR department to confirm), take the exam as soon as it’s available.
If you are working as a provisional and are on an active civil service list, do what you can to get called as a permanent – check with your HR, contact your union, and stay in touch with both. If you have a Qualified Incumbent Exam for your title, make sure you file for it. If there are layoffs you want to be as secure as possible. DC37 describes the protections for permanent employees in the citywide contract. See Article XVII – Job Security here.
Comments and Questions Welcomed Here
