Pamela Medina, CSC Docket No. 2019-1424

BackgroundPamela Medina appeals the determination of the Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) that she did not meet the experience requirements for the promotional examination for Employee Relations Coordinator (PS4300K), Department of Human Services.

The education requirement for the subject announcement was a Bachelor’s degree. The experience requirements were six years of experience in labor relations work involving grievance procedures, processing unfair labor practices, arbitration and public employee contract negotiation, employer-employee contract or agreement interpretation and administration, two years of which shall have been in conducting employee appeal and grievance hearings. Applicants who did not possess the required education could substitute additional experience as indicated on a year for year basis with 30 semester hour credits being equal to one year of experience by the April 23, 2018 closing date.

On her application, the appellant did not indicate a Bachelor’s degree or any college credits. Agency Services credited the appellant for three years of general experience and experience conducting employee appeal and grievance hearings based on her provisional service in the subject title from October 2017 to the closing date and as a Personnel Assistant from April 2015 to October 2017, but determined that, per the substitution clause for education, that she lacked seven years of general experience. It did not credit her experience as a Human Resource Consultant 2 or Technical Program Assistant dating back to October 2002.

The Civil Service Commission (Commission) finds good cause under N.J.A.C. 4A:1-1.2(c) to relax the provisions of N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.6(a), which provides that all requirements must be met by the closing date, for eligibility purposes only, and admit the appellant to the subject examination based on the totality of her provisional service in the subject title, her service as Personnel Assistant, and her service as a Human Resource Consultant 2 and Technical Program Assistant, dating back to October 2002 which primarily involved various labor relations and other employment issues in the Commission’s Division of Appeals and Regulatory Affairs. Further, the examination has been cancelled due to a lack of qualified applicants and the appellant continues to serve provisionally in the subject title.

This determination is limited to the instant matter and does not provide precedent in any other matter.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that the appeal be granted, the cancellation of the examination be rescinded and Pamela Medina’s application be processed for prospective employment opportunities only.

ClosingThis is the final administrative determination in this matter. Any further review should be pursued in a judicial forum.