Steven Errickson, CSC Docket No. 2021-1359

BackgroundSteven Errickson appeals the determination of the Division of Agency Services which found that he did not meet the experience requirements for the promotional examination for Building Services Coordinator 1 (PS2782U), Department of the Treasury.

The subject examination announcement was issued with a closing date of March 23, 2020. The examination was open to employees in the competitive division who had an aggregate of one year of continuous permanent service as of the closing date in any competitive title and who met the open competitive requirements. These requirements included two years of experience in property maintenance, including scheduling, coordinating, and expediting alteration, renovation, and repair work, and vendor management. The appellant was found to be below the minimum experience requirements. As the appellant was the sole applicant, the examination was cancelled on March 24, 2021.

The appellant listed three positions on his application and resume; provisional Building Services Coordinator 1, Senior Stock Clerk, and Helper/Clerk Driver. He was credited with one year, one month of experience in the first position, and was found to be lacking eleven months of experience. Official records indicate that the appellant’s position underwent a classification review. Based on a determintion dated October 16, 2019, the position of Stock Clerk was reclassified as Building Services Coordinator 1 effective March 30, 2019.

Appellant's argumentOn appeal, the appellant states that he has over three years of experience performing applicable tasks since 2017 when he began working with the OIT Office Facilities team. The Director Data Center, Facilities and Disaster Recovery confirmed those duties. In support, the appointing authority confirms out-of-title work. It indicates that the appellant managed the Facilities team service request and incidents, including determining the course of action and assignment to personnel or a vendor; performing facility maintenance inspections; maintaining the facility room and record retention room logbooks; and serving as a backup to building maintenance management service team lead. Similar duties were submitted at the classification review.

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.6(a) provides that applicants shall meet all requirements specified in the promotional examination 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 may not use experience gained as a result of out-of-title work to satisfy eligibility requirements. N.J.A.C. 4A:1-1.2(c) states that the Commission may relax a rule for good cause in particular situations, on notice to affected parties, in order to effectuate the purposes of Title 11A, New Jersey Statutes.

AnalysisInitially, the appellant was correctly deemed to be ineligible for the subject examination since he lacked the minimum requirements in experience. However, the appointing authority has indicated that the appellant performed out-of-title duties for at least an additional three years. The appellant accrued one year, one month of experience in his provisional position prior to the closing date, and he remains in his provisional position. The examination was not competitive, and based on the documentation submitted and under these circumstances, good cause exists to accept the appellant’s out-of-title work experience to accept the appellant’s additional experience beyond the closing date, and admit him to the examination.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that this appeal be granted, and the appellant’s application be processed.

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