Ellen Metzgar, CSC Docket No. 2022-124

BackgroundEllen Metzgar appeals the determination of the Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) which found that she did not meet the experience requirements for the promotional examination for Executive Assistant (PC2913B), Sussex County.

The subject examination announcement was issued with a closing date of November 23, 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. These requirements included graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree, and three years of experience in program management with responsibility for planning, organizing, coordinating, staffing, reporting, and budgeting, or in assisting an executive with program development and implementation. Applicants who did not possess the required education could substitute additional experience as indicated on a year-for-year basis with thirty semester hour credits being equal to one year of experience. Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Management, or related field could be substituted for one year of experience. As there were no eligible candidates, the examination was cancelled on July 15, 2021.

Appellant's argumentThe appellant indicated that she possessed a Bachelor’s degree and she listed four positions on her application: provisional Executive Assistant, Keyboarding Clerk 4, Keyboarding Clerk 3, and Secretary to the Sheriff. She was credited with eleven months in her provisional position and was found to be lacking two years, one month of required experience.

On appeal, the appellant claims she has 18 years in a management role, and she provides a description of her duties. She states that she has been examining new legislation (NJHFMA fund), implementing it, and training staff for data entry in the online portal; assisting the Sheriff, Undersheriff, Captain, Lieutenants, Sergeants and Sheriff’s Officers, in addition to a staff of seven office assistants, with weekly foreclosure sales staff duties, implementation, and assignments; interpreting court orders and assigning appropriate staff to the task with instruction; coordinating off site asset sales, assigning appropriate staff, advising the Sergeant and Undersheriff; instructing and assisting staff to appropriately address ‘public window’ inquires; organizing and coordinating daily, weekly, monthly and annual tasks of six staff members in the office; planning and implementing programs and updates to processes and procedures in the office; being responsible for daily staffing and office coverage; coordinating training upgrades and implementation of any new programs the State or County and/or Judge, Court or Governor may require; supervising the establishment of administrative procedures required by new legislation or directives regarding levies, foreclosures, summons and civil matters received by the Sheriff; managing the Sheriff’s Civil Office and assigning tasks and duties, and assigning cross training; managing personnel related policies and union contract compliance, ensuring necessary target dates and/or deadlines are met; maintain document compliance with office policy for monetary distribution of funds received from various sources; managing reports, forms and regulations to satisfy the Sheriffs obligations for compliance with the annual audit; creating reports and disbursement monthly to the County Treasurer; preparing a monthly report for the Treasurer describing the monies being forwarded and their origin; acting as liaison with other county agencies to process outside sources’ requests; consulting County Counsel for an interpretation of issues and statutes; consulting with data processing specialists in designing and installing data processing management information systems and required payroll format updates; coordinating staff for efficiency, proficiency and processing and training staff to discern documents’ contents to comply with proper procedure, rules, and changes via written and oral instruction; assisted installing protective barriers in the civil office and the foreclosure sale area; and coordinating staff remote and in- office schedules.

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.

AnalysisIn the present matter, a review of the documentation demonstrates that the appellant should be admitted to the subject examination. Agency Services determined that the appellant’s experience as the Secretary to the Sheriff did not include program management or assisting an executive with program development. Although the appellant’s experience does not precisely mirror the requirements contained in the announcement, the Civil Service Commission (Commission) is satisfied that the totality of her varied levels of experience performing complex administrative support work as far back as March 2003 warrants her admission to the subject examination. Additionally, the appellant continues to serve provisionally in the title under test and the examination was cancelled due to a lack of qualified applicants. Accordingly, admitting the appellant to the subject examination will provide her with the opportunity to obtain permanent status as well as to provide an eligible list to the appointing authority.

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.