Sara Morgan, CSC Docket No. 2021-1196

BackgroundSara Morgan appeals the determination of the Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) that she did not meet the experience requirements for the promotional examination for Secretarial Assistant 1, Non-Stenographic (PS2248J), Rowan University.

The experience requirements for the subject examination were five years of experience in secretarial and administrative clerical work by the February 21, 2020 closing date. Successful completion of a clerical training program with a minimum of 700 classroom training hours or 30 semester hour credits in secretarial science from an accredited college or university could be substituted for one year of the experience indicated above. Additionally, applicants would be required to demonstrate proficiency in keyboarding or typing. A total of 14 employees applied for the subject examination and eight were found eligible. It is noted that there are two employees serving provisionally in the subject title, including the appellant. Certification PS210124 was issued containing the names of the eight eligibles, including the other provisional, and its disposition is due by May 18, 2021. The list expires on February 17, 2024.

On the appellant’s application, she indicated that she possessed 52 college credits in Computerized Office Administration. The appellant also indicated that she was provisionally serving in the subject title from July 2019 to the February 21, 2020 closing date, a Head Clerk from October 2013 to July 2019, a Principal Clerk Typist from March 2013 to October 2013, a Technical Assistant 3 from March 2012 to March 2013,1 a Senior Clerk from March 2011 to March 2012, a Clerk from October 2010 to March 2011, a part-time Support Service from September 2010 to October 2010, a Bookkeeper for First National Bank of Elmer from November 2008 to August 2010, and a Head Teller for Fulton Bank from November 2002 to September 2004. Agency Services credited her for having eight months of experience based on her provisional service in the subject title, but determined that she lacked four years and four months of the required experience.

Appellant's argumentOn appeal, the appellant presents that she served as a Head Clerk for five and one-half years. She submits a 2005 email from this agency that indicates that Head Clerk service counts toward the experience requirement for the Secretarial Assistant title series. The appellant also attached a 2018 classification determination that indicates that her position was properly classified as a Head Clerk. She also argues that her certificate in Computerized Office Administration was from an accredited college and included 40 credits in clerical training. Therefore, she asserts that her certificate is the equivalent to one year of experience. Further, the appellant highlights that she received an excellent performance rating for her provisional service in the subject title. Additionally, the appointing authority confirms that the appellant performed applicable secretarial duties while serving as a Head Clerk and indicates that it supports her appeal.

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.6(a) provides that applicants shall meet all requirements specified in the promotional announcement by the closing date. N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.6(c) provides that, except when permitted for good cause, applicants for promotional examinations with open-competitive requirements may not use experience gained as a result of out-of-title work to satisfy the requirements for admittance to the examination or for credit in the examination process.

AnalysisInitially, it is noted that Agency Services correctly determined that the appellant was not eligible for the subject title as the appellant needed five years of experience performing both secretarial and administrative clerical duties and the appellant did not clearly indicate on her application that she performed secretarial duties as a Head Clerk. Additionally, secretarial work involves working for an executive, including scheduling appointments, giving information to callers, reading and routing incoming mail, locating files, typing, filing, greeting visitors and conducting them to the executive or appropriate person, arranging travel schedules, placing outgoing calls, recording minutes of staff meetings, making copies of printed matter, and preparing outgoing mail. See In the Matter of Rosemarie Baylies (MSB, decided April 6, 2005). Further, a review of the job specification for Head Clerk does

1Personnel records indicate that the appellant was a Technical Assistant 3 from March 2012 to October 2013.

not indicate that incumbents in this title perform duties for an executive. As such, secretarial duties as a Head Clerk would be considered out-of-title work. However, it cannot be ignored that this agency advised the appointing authority that experience as a Head Clerk met the requirements for the subject title.2 Moreover, the appointing authority confirms that it assigned the appellant secretarial duties while serving as a Head Clerk for the required time and it provisionally appointed her in the subject title. Moreover, the appellant continues to successfully provisionally serve in the subject title after the closing date. Also, the appellant possesses a certificate in clerical training from an accredited college and she will have to demonstrate proficiency in keyboarding or typing before any potential permanent appointment in the subject title. Therefore, based on these circumstances, the Commission finds good cause to accept the appellant’s out-of-title experience as a Head Clerk, for eligibility purposes only, and to admit her to the subject examination.

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, and the appellant’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.