Emergency Medical Technician Trainee, CSC Docket No. 2022-1620

BackgroundThe Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) requests the creation of the local government noncompetitive title of Emergency Medical Technician Trainee.

Agency Services notes that the City of Vineland (Vineland) petitioned it to create the title of Emergency Medical Technician Trainee (EMT Trainee). Specifically, Vineland indicated that it would utilize this title to reduce staffing shortages. Under this new title, Vineland would train appointees and have them sign a pledge agreement to remain employed by Vineland for two years following certification. Vineland would pay the course fees for those hired as an EMT Trainee and also compensate them with an hourly rate while they are enrolled in EMT school. Upon receiving certification and successfully completing the trainee period, appointees would be eligible for advancement to the Emergency Medical Technician (01724) title in accordance with Civil Service procedures.

In response to questions regarding whether it is permissible for a trainee without a license, certification, or training, to “assist” licensed EMTs in emergency situations in any capacity, and whether assisting an EMT constitutes “impersonating an EMT” as described in N.J.A.C. 8:40A-7.1(a), the Department of Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) advised that it is permissible for trainees to assist licensed EMTs so long as they do not “state [that] they are an EMT or wear a certification ‘patch’…”. OEMS also advised that trainees “should always be under the close supervision of a certified EMT when acting in the capacity as a trainee.”

Incumbents in the EMT Trainee title would receive on-the-job training in the administration of emergency medical care, treatment, and transportation and would assist certified EMTs and paramedics in providing emergency medical care. As an EMT Trainee, appointees would be required not only to successfully complete EMT training issued by the Department of Health, but to also obtain a valid Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification within the training period.

Agency Services indicates that it would be appropriate to assign this title to the noncompetitive division of the career service. In this regard, it states that competitive testing is not practical for this title due to the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the job as this is a trainee title. The title has no experience requirement; hence there is no skill set to be tested. The required skill set would be gained on the job during the on-the-job training. It also notes that a title specification has been developed for EMT Trainee to accommodate this request. Finally, Agency Services requests that the creation and allocation of this title to the noncompetitive division become effective beginning on the first pay period following the Civil Service Commission’s (Commission) approval of these actions.

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:3-3.6(a) states, in pertinent part, that the Commission may determine that a new title or title series is necessary. N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2(a) states that the Commission shall allocate and reallocate career service titles between the competitive and non-competitive divisions. N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2(c) states that a job title may be placed in the non-competitive division on an ongoing or interim basis when it is determined that competitive testing is not practicable due to the nature of the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the job.

AnalysisBased on the foregoing, ample reasons exist for the creation of the subject title and to allocate the EMT Trainee title to the non-competitive division of the career service. In this regard, the EMT Trainee title is a trainee position with no experience requirements as the skills required to perform the job are gained through on-the-job training. Given the lack of an experience requirement, competitive testing is not practicable since the knowledge, skills and abilities associated with this title are evaluated during the mandatory training period. In this regard, appointees will be required to not only to successfully complete EMT training issued by the Department of Health, but to also obtain valid CPR certification within the training period.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that this request be granted, and the local government title of Emergency Medical Technician Trainee be established and allocated to the non-competitive division of the career service. This action shall be effective the beginning of the first pay period following the issue date of this decision.

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