Samantha Mauro, CSC Docket No. 2019-2907

BackgroundSamantha Mauro appeals the determination of the Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) that she did not meet the experience requirements for the open competitive examination for Human Services Specialist 2 (C0143A), Warren County.

The subject examination had a closing date of February 21, 2019. The education requirement for the subject announcement was 60 college credits. The experience requirements were one year of experience involving any combination of the following: securing/verifying information and making determinations or recommendations relating to eligibility or qualifications of applicants for loans, insurance, credit, employability, and/or job training services, or entitlements to cash awards, financial benefits or adjustment and settlement of insurance claims; investigations involving the collection of facts and information by observing conditions, examining records, interviewing individuals, and preparing investigative reports of findings; or investigating, establishing and/or enforcing support obligations in a welfare board or agency, court system or related agency. A total of 13 individuals applied for the subject examination which resulted in a list of four eligibles with an expiration date of April 3, 2022. Certification OL190394 was issued and one eligible was appointed and the other eligibles were removed from the certification.

Agency Services credited the appellant with having met the education requirement based on her Bachelor’s degree and credited her with six months of experience based on prorating her experience as an Intern Case Manager for 20 hours per week from August 2017 to May 2018, but determined that she lacked six months of experience. Personnel records indicate that the appellant was provisionally appointed to the subject title in March 2019. Moreover, as indicated previously, no eligibles remain on the list. Therefore, the Civil Service 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- 2.3(b) and accept the appellant’s experience gained after the closing date, for eligibility purposes only, and admit the appellant to the subject examination.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that the appeal be granted, and Samantha Mauro’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.