Steven Riccio, CSC Docket No. 2021-644

BackgroundSteven Riccio appeals the determination of the Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) which found that he did not meet the experience requirements, per the substitutional clause for education, for the promotional examination for Management Information Systems Coordinator (PC0603B), Morris County.

The subject examination announcement was issued with a closing date of January 21, 2020, and 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 announced requirements of possession of a Bachelor’s degree, and five years of experience in the analysis and development of management information systems, two years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity with responsibility for the coordination and/or planning, and/or implementation of data processing systems. Applicants who did not possess the required education could substitute experience as indicated on a year for year basis. A Master’s degree in business, finance, accounting, public administration or data processing may be substituted for one year of the non-supervisory experience. As there were no admitted candidates, the examination was cancelled on November 23, 2020.

On his application and resume, the appellant listed the following positions: provisional Management Informations Systems Coordinator from December 2006 to the January 21, 2020 closing date, Network Administrator from April 1998 to December 2006, and Restaurant General Manager. Official records indicate that the appellant was a provisional Management Informations Systems Coordinator from

December 2018 to the January 21, 2020 closing date, a Senior Techician, Management Information Systems from August 2013 to December 2018, a provisional Senior Systems Analyst from August 2011 to August 2013, and a Systems Analyst from December 2006 to August 2011. Agency Services credited the appellant with four months for his 10 college credits. Therefore, per the substitution clause for education, the appellant was required to possess nine years, two months of experience, which includes two years of supervisory experience. He was credited with ten years of the appllicable general experience and one year, two months of supervisory experience based on in his provisional position. As such, the appellant would need eight months of supervisory experience to qualify for the examination.

Appellant's argumentOn appeal, the appellant argues that he accrued applicable experience in his career. He believes that various courses he has taken should be accepted in lieu of college credits.

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:1-1.2(c) provides that a rule may be relaxed for good cause in a particular circumstance in order to effectuate the purpose of Title 11A, New Jersey Statutes.

AnalysisIn the present matter, a review of the documentation demonstrates that initially, Agency Services correctly determined that the appellant was not eligible for the subject examination. As of the announced closing date, the appellant only had one year and two months of the required supervisory experience and would need an additional ten establish eligibility for the subject examination. Additionally, although the appellant’s prior experience does not precisely mirror the requirements contained in the announcement, the Civil Service Commission (Commission) is satisfied that the totality of his varied levels of performing work with management information systems since 1999 warrants his admission to the subject examination. Further, the subject examination has been cancelled since the appellant was the only applicant and he continues to serve provisionally in the title under test. As such, good cause exists to accept the appellant’s provisional experience after the closing date as well as the totality of his experience and admit him to the subject examination.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that this appeal be granted, the examination cancellation be rescinded, 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.