Stephanie Rasmussen, CSC Docket No. 2022-197

BackgroundStephanie Rasmussen appeals the determination of the Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) that she did not meet the experience requirements for the promotional examination for Principal Account Clerk (PC0551C), Ocean County.

The subject examination’s closing date was January 21, 2021. The experience requirements were two years of experience in the preparation, maintenance and/or review and verification of financial records. The appellant was the only candidate and the examination was cancelled due to a lack of qualified candidates.

On her application, the appellant indicated that she was provisionally serving in the subject title from September 2020 to the January 21, 2021 closing date and an Inventory Control Clerk from November 2014 to September 2020. Personnel records indicate that she was provisionally serving in the subject title from October 2020 to the closing date, an Inventory Control Clerk from December 2013 to October 2020, and a Keyboarding Clerk 1 from April 2007 to December 2013. Agency Services credited the appellant for having four months of experience based on her provisional service in the subject title, but determined that she lacked one year and eight months of experience.

Appellant's argumentOn appeal, the appellant asserts that she has over seven years of required experience based on her service in different titles with the appointing authority and she describes her duties in more detail in support of her claim. Further, the appointing authority confirms that the appellant primarily performed the required duties as an Inventory Control Clerk due to retirements, resignations, and a subsequent restructuring due to privatization of kitchen services.

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.6(a) provides that applicants shall meet all requirements specified in the promotional announcement by the closing date. N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.6(c) provides that, except when permitted for good cause, applicants for promotional examinations with open-competitive requirements may not use experience gained as a result of out-of-title work to satisfy the requirements for admittance to the examination or for credit in the examination process.

AnalysisInitially, Agency Services correctly determined that the appellant was not eligible for the subject title as she did not clearly indicate that she was performing the required duties as an Inventory Control Clerk, and if she did, these would be out- of-title duties. However, on appeal, the appointing authority confirms that the appellant was performing the required duties as an Inventory Control Clerk for the required time due to business necessity. Moreover, the appellant continues to serve provisionally in the subject title and the examination was cancelled due to a lack of qualified candidates. Accordingly, in this matter, the Civil Service Commission finds good cause under N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.6(c) to accept the appellant’s verified out-of-title experience, for eligibility purposes only, and admit her to the examination.

This determination is limited to the instant matter and does not provide precedent in any other matter.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that the appeal be granted, the cancellation of the examination 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.