Cynthia Santiago, CSC Docket No. 2022-1515

BackgroundCynthia Santiago appeals the determination of the Division of the Agency Services (Agency Services), which found that she was below the minimum requirements in experience for a qualifying examination for Administrative Analyst 3, Fiscal Management.

By way of background, the appellant was appointed provisionally, pending a qualifying examination (PAQ), in the Administrative Analyst 3, Fiscal Management title, effective October 9, 2021. Agency Services processed the qualifying examination for the appellant to determine if she possessed the necessary qualifications for the subject title, and it determined that she did not possess such qualifications. The requirement for the Administrative Analyst 3, Fiscal Management title is graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree including or supplemented with 21 semester hour credits in any combination of accounting, business administration, economics, or finance courses, and three years of experience in work involving fiscal analysis and evaluation, budgeting, and management operations in government, business, and/or a management consulting firm. It is noted that applicants who did not possess a Bachelor’s degree, but who possessed the 21 semester hour credits in the above- noted fields, could substitute the remaining education with experience as indicated above on a year-for-year basis with 30 semester hour credits being equal to one year of experience.

As the appellant indicated on her application that she possessed an Associate’s degree in Applied Science and Accounting, Agency Services credited her with 97 college credits pursuant to the substitution clause. The appellant also indicated on her application that she served provisionally in the subject title from October 2021 through November 2, 2021, the date of her qualifying application; as an Auditor 3 from January 2016 to October 2021; as an Accountant 2 from July 2011 to January 2016; and as a Supervising Accountant from September 2007 to May 2010. Agency Services credited the appellant with three years of applicable experience for her provisional service in the subject title and her service as a Supervising Accountant. However, Agency Services did not credit her with any additional applicable experience. Accordingly, Agency Services determined that the appellant did not qualify as she lacked 10 months of applicable experience.

Appellant's argumentOn appeal to the Civil Service Commission (Commission), the appellant provides an explanation of the duties she performed while serving provisionally in the subject title and in her underlying permanent titles. The record evidences that the appellant continues to serve provisionally in the subject title. As such, the appellant possesses an additional

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.6(a) provides that applicants shall meet all requirements specified in the examination announcement by the closing date. N.J.A.C. 4A:1- 1.2(c) provides that the Commission may relax a rule for good cause, in a particular circumstance, in order to effectuate the purposes of Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes Annotated.

AnalysisAt the outset, a “Qualifying Examination” requires candidate to demonstrate on the application for the subject examination that he or she possesses the necessary education and experience for a particular title in order to effectuate a lateral or demotional title change to the title with permanent status. Moreover, the information indicated on the appellant’s application is essentially equivalent to responses on a multiple-choice, or an “assembled” examination, and is considered the “test papers” that would potentially result in the appellant’s appointment if found eligible for the subject examination. In the instant matter, Agency Services determined that the appellant was not eligible for the subject examination, as she lacked 10 months of applicable experience. However, the record reflects that the appellant continues to serve provisionally in the subject title and has gained an additional one year of applicable provisional experience. Under these circumstances, it is appropriate to accept the appellant’s provisional experience gained since November 2, 2021, the date she initially submitted the application for the qualifying examination, and find that she now meets the requirements for the subject title.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that this appeal be granted, and the appellant’s experience gained after November 2, 2021, be accepted as qualifying for the title of Administrative Analyst 3, Fiscal Management.

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