Laboratory Technician (M0192W), CSC Docket No. 2019-2621

BackgroundThe Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills requests permission not to make an appointment from the August 23, 2018 certification for Laboratory Technician (M0192W).

The record reveals that the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills provisionally appointed Kayla Kaplan, pending open competitive examination procedures, to the subject title, effective April 10, 2017. An examination was announced with a closing date of March 7, 2018 that resulted in a list of eight eligibles with an expiration date of August 22, 2021. A certification containing the names of the eight eligibles was issued on August 29, 2018.

The appointing authority returned the certification indicating that a permanent appointment would not be made from the subject list because the provisional appointee was no longer serving.1 Specifically, it explained that the job title is no longer needed as the Supervisor of Labs is currently performing those duties sufficiently. It also states that the fiscal constraints of employing a full-time Laboratory Technician will divert public funds from other necessary public services. Therefore, it no longer needs to maintain an incumbent position in that title.

The appointing authority’s request for an appointment waiver was acknowledged, and it was advised that if its request were granted, it could be assessed for the costs of the selection process in the amount of $2,048. However, the appointing authority did not provide any additional information for the Civil Service Commission (Commission) to review.

1 Kaplan resigned on September 21, 2018.

It is noted that Kaplan is no longer serving as a Laboratory Technician (M0192W) and there are currently no employees serving provisionally pending open competitive examination procedures in the subject title with the appointing authority.

CONCLUSION

In accordance with N.J.S.A. 11A:4-5, once the examination process has been initiated due to the appointment of a provisional employee or due to an appointing authority’s request to fill a vacancy, the appointing authority must make an appointment from the resulting eligible list if there are three or more interested and eligible candidates. The only exception to this mandate may be made for a valid reason such as fiscal constraints.

In the instant matter, the examination for the subject title was generated as a result of the provisional appointment of Kayla Kaplan, who is no longer serving in the subject title. However, after a complete certification was issued, the appointing authority requested an appointment waiver, explaining that the Laboratory Technician title was no longer necessary due to the fact that the Supervisor of Labs is currently performing those duties sufficiently. Accordingly, there is a sufficient justification for an appointment waiver.

Although an appointment waiver is granted in this matter, both N.J.S.A. 11A:4-5 and N.J.A.C. 4A:10-2.2(a)2 state that if an appointing authority receives permission not to make an appointment, it can be ordered to reimburse for the costs of the selection process. While administering examinations and providing the names of eligible job candidates to the jurisdictions under the civil service system are two of the primary activities of this agency, these costly efforts are thwarted when appointing authorities fail to utilize the resulting eligible lists to make appointments and candidates have needlessly expended their time, efforts and money to take these examinations in hopes of being considered for a permanent appointment. In this case, the appointing authority’s determination that it no longer needs to maintain the position of Laboratory Technician after it appointed a provisional to that title which resulted in an examination does not provide a basis on which to waive the selection costs. Thus, although a waiver is granted, it is appropriate that the appointing authority be assessed $2,048 for the costs of the selection process.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that a waiver of the appointment requirement be granted. Additionally, the Civil Service Commission orders that the appointing authority be assessed for the costs of the selection process in the amount of $2,048 to be paid within 30 days of the issuance of this order.

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