Alexander Alvarado, CSC Docket No. 2021-818

BackgroundAlexander Alvarado appeals the decision of the Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) which found that he did not meet the experience requirements for the open competitive examination for Management Specialist (M0561B), Newark School District.

The subject examination announcement was issued with a closing date of August 21, 2020 and was open to residents of Newark City and New Jersey who met the announced requirements. These requirements included graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree, and two years of experience in the review, analysis, and evaluation of budget, organization, and administrative practices and recommending improved methods, and/or administrative experience in varied phases of business, industrial, or government involving the organization, direction, planning, coordination, or control of programs or activities. Applicants who did not meet the educational requirement could substitute additional experience as described on a year-for-year basis with thirty semester hour credits being equal to one year of experience. The appellant was found to be below minimum requirements in experience. There are 46 admitted applicants and the examination has not yet been held.

Appellant's argumentThe appellant indicated on his application that he had a Bachelor’s degree, and he listed the following positions: provisional Management Specialist from July 2020 to the August 21, 2020 closing date; Senior Manager from November 2017 to June 2020; Customer Support Specialist with AccelaSchool from March 2016 to October 2017; Custom Application Developer with Highmark Companies from May 2013 to

BackgroundOctober 2015; and Principal Data Processing Systems Programmer from August 2009 to May 2013. Official records indicate a similar yet different employment history. The records indicate that the appellant was provisionally appointed as a Management Specialist in November 2017. Prior to that he was a Principal Data Processing Systems Programmer from February 2012 to May 2013, a Technical Assistant MIS from August 2010 to February 2012, and a temporary Systems Analyst from October 2009 to May 2010. None of the appellant’s experience was accepted, and he was found to be lacking two years of required experience.

Appellant's argumentOn appeal, the appellant argues that he possesses applicable experience as he manages software customizations regarding student information systems and data collection and reporting. He states that he is on a team that administers a school lottery, manages several reporting systems, and assists in standard maintenance processes of data. He argues that this work influences the organization and planning of various programs.

CONCLUSION

When an applicant indicates extensive experience in titles established under the State Classification Plan, it is appropriate to utilize the job specifications to determine the primary focus of the duties of incumbents serving in career service titles. In the eligibility screening process, reliance on the job specifications to determine the primary focus of duties for incumbents of a particular title or title series provides a standardized basis on which Agency Services can compare what an applicant indicates on his or her application to what incumbents in a particular title series generally perform. In order to maintain the integrity of the State Classification Plan, Agency Services cannot simply accept carte blanche how an applicant describes his or her experience when such a barometer exists. In this regard, it is noted that N.J.A.C. 4A:3-3.4 contemplates that employees are appointed to a title appropriate to the duties to be performed in the title and will not be assigned duties other than those properly pertaining to the assigned title which the employee holds. See In the Matter of William Moore (MSB, decided May 10, 2006).

On appeal, the appellant maintains that he performed required duties while as a provisional Management Specialist for the last two years. In this regard, the duties listed on appeal and on the application are not similar to the announced experience requirements. The focus of the positions of Management Specialist and Senior Manager are system design and programming. The foci of the remaining positions involve developing applications, and programming. None of the positions involve the review, analysis, and evaluation of budget, organization, and administrative practices and recommending improved methods, or administrative experience involving the organization, direction, planning, coordination, or control of programs or activities. Each position can have only one primary focus, and the duties performed most of the time and the importance of those duties, or the preponderance of the duties, identify the primary focus of the position. The Management Specialist title was designed to assist the executive with managerial duties, such as formulation and effectuation of policies and practices. This includes internal concerns such as coordination of units, allocation and deployment of staff in areas with competing demands, application of broad policies to specific objectives, directly supervising other supervisors, formulating budgets, developing missions and objectives, developing and imposing policies and practices, and exercising prerogatives. The Management Specialist incumbent does not perform the objectives of the unit, but assists with management duties to facilitate the work, such as financial management, personnel management, property management, procurement and purchasing, space management, operational procedures, data processing, budgeting, transportation management, public information, and safety and security.

An independent review of all material presented indicates that the decision of the Division of Agency Services that appellant did not meet the announced requirements for eligibility by the closing date is amply supported by the record. Appellant provides no basis to disturb this decision. Thus, appellant has failed to support his burden of proof in this matter.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that this appeal be denied.

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