Deanna Drumm, CSC Docket No. 2022-1626

BackgroundDeanna Drumm appeals the determination of the Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) that she did not meet the experience requirement for the open competitive examination for Traffic Engineer (C0346C), Burlington County.

The subject examination was announced with specific requirements which had to be satisfied by the September 21, 2021 closing date. The requirements were graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil or Traffic Engineering, and four years of experience in traffic engineering work, two years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity. It was noted that graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master’s degree in Traffic Engineering could have been substituted for one year of non-supervisory experience. It was also noted that possession of an Engineer’s license issued by the New Jersey State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors could have been substituted for the educational requirement. Two applicants applied for the subject examination and one applicant was found eligible for the examination. One certification was issued (OL220030) which has not yet been disposed.

On her application, the appellant indicated that she possessed a Master’s degree in Transportation Engineering, and a Professional Engineer license. The appellant also listed that she served provisionally in the subject title from May 2021 to September 2021. Agency Services credited the appellant for her education and with one year on non-supervisory experience for her Professional Engineering license.

Agency Services also credited her with five months of general and supervisory experience for her provisional experience in the subject title. As such, Agency Services determined that the appellant was ineligible for the examination, as she lacked two years and seven months of general experience, and one year and seven months of supervisory experience.

Appellant's argumentOn appeal, the appellant maintains that she has sufficient experience to qualify for the examination, arguing that she possesses over 27 years of general experience and 22 years of supervisory experience in Traffic Engineering. In support, the appellant provides a resume on appeal, which indicates that from January 2010 to January 2019, she performed Traffic Engineering and Transportation Planning work while serving as a Project Manager at Traffic & Planning Design, Inc., and from 1994 to 2010, she performed Traffic Engineering and Transportation Planning work while serving as an Engineer in Training, Project Engineer, Project Manager, and as a Principal Engineer. The appellant also provides further details about her experience, indicating that her duties included designing yearly road programs, evaluating no passing zones, signage and striping conformance, upgrading traffic signals and preparing traffic control plans, completing traffic engineering reviews for planning boards, zoning boards, and redevelopment agencies, developing scope and land use projects for municipal, county and jurisdictional roadways, evaluating traffic studies, parking considerations, and improvements, providing traffic engineering services and installing new traffic signals, evaluating emergency advisory beacons, and participating in several road redevelopment projects.

BackgroundAgency records indicate that the appellant continues to serve provisionally in the subject title.

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.6 provides that applicants shall meet all requirements specified in the promotional announcement by the closing date. N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.1(f) provides that an application may only be amended prior to the announced closing date. For example, information submitted on appeal pertaining to duties in a given position that expands or enlarges information previously submitted is considered clarifying and is accepted. However, any documentation indicating work in a setting that was not previously listed on an application or resume cannot be considered after the closing date. Thus, the Civil Service Commission (Commission) can only consider information provided on appeal regarding the positions listed on the appellant’s original application. See In the Matter of Diana Begley (MSB, decided November 17, 2004). N.J.A.C. 4A:1-1.2(c) states that the Commission may relax a rule for good cause in order to effectuate the purposes of Title 11A, New Jersey Statutes.

AnalysisIn the present matter, Agency Services credited the appellant for her Master’s degree, with one year of non-supervisory experience for her Professional Engineering license, and with five months of experience for her provisional service in the subject title. However, on appeal she presents her resume showing that she possesses over

27 years of general experience and 22 years of supervisory experience, where her duties included experience in traffic engineering work as noted above. Such general and supervisory experience clearly qualifies her for the examination. Additionally, the list is incomplete and the appellant continues to serve provisionally in the title under test. Under these circumstances, good cause exists to relax the provisions of N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.6(a) and accept the appellant’s amended experience for eligibility purposes only, and admit her to the examination. The appellant is warned that, in the future, that she fully complete any application. Failure to do so may lead to her rejection from the examination process.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that this appeal be granted, and the appellant’s application be processed for future employment opportunities only.

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