Michael DaCosta- Meachem and Iliana Peralta, CSC Docket No. 2022-755, 2022-754

BackgroundMichael DaCosta-Meachem and Iliana Peralta appeal the determinations of the Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) which found that they were below the minimum requirements in experience for the open competitive examination for Principal Account Clerk (M0208C), Jersey City. These appeals have been consolidated due to common issues.

The subject examination announcement was issued with a closing date of July 21, 2021, and was open to residents of Jersey City who met the announced requirement of two years of experience in the preparation, maintenance and/or review and verification of financial records. Five candidates appear on the eligible list, which has been certified, but no appointments have yet been made.

DaCosta-Meachem listed three positions on his application and the attached resume: 1) provisional Principal Account Clerk from May 2021 to the July 21, 2021 closing date; 2) Commercial Account Associate (part-time, 20 hours per week) with Pep Boys from July 2017 to September 2019; and 3) Freelance Automotive Technician from June 2015 (no hours given, overlaps with both other positions). As none of this was found to be qualifying, he was found to be lacking two years of applicable experience.

Peralta listed a position provisional position as Principal Account Clerk from September 2019 to the July 21, 2021 closing date. She attached a page to the application giving duties for a position as Cashier/Customer Service, but provided no further information except her hours worked from 9 am to 4:30 pm. Official records indicate that Peralta was provisionally appointed as a Principal Account Clerk on October 2020, and was a Cashier from September 2018 to October 2020. None of this was found to be qualifying, she also was found to be lacking two years of applicable experience.

On appeal, DaCosta-Meachem provides a description of his skills, and he states that he has been allowed to work out-of-title in assisting Mechanics in getting parts and completing tasks, implementing systems for the workplace, working with vendors, and organizing vendor accounts. The appellant used the title Commercial Account Associate on his application for his second position, but on his resume, he titled this position Commercial Driver and Commercial Sales Specialist. He argues that his duties for this position included ordering supplies and parts, managing and supervising.

Appellant's argumentPeralta provides no arguments on appeal, but supplies a resume with additional positions.

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.3(b) provides that applicants shall meet all requirements specified in the open competitive examination announcement by the closing date.

AnalysisThe appellants were correctly deemed to be ineligible for the subject examination since they each lacked two years of required experience. DaCosta- Meachem described the duties of his provisional position as follows:

I am responsible for the compilation, preparation and maintenance of accounting files/records I oversee the Parts Dept for Jersey City DPW (Heavy Duty) Collect and Record information regarding equipment, vehicles etc. I Check delivery sheets when shipments are received to see that specified stores are delivered and that they are in good condition. I Unpack, weigh, count, and measure shipment contents to see that delivered products conform with the quantity and quality specified as delivered. I record the kind and quantity of stores received.

I place the delivered items in appropriate bins, shelves, and other receptacles and areas to ensure orderliness and safety. Safeguards stores against fire, theft, and damage. Issues needed equipment, materials, and supplies when given requisitions or other types of authorization. Makes periodic physical inventories of the kind and quantity of stores on hand. Keeps the storeroom clean and orderly.

Orders automotive parts. Gives assignments to employees. Prepares card indexes for stores received and establishes and maintains other needed storeroom records and files. Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information.

Overseeing the functioning of a Parts Department is not the work of a Principal Account Clerk, and the appellant was correctly not credited for this experience. The additional duties provided on appeal, assisting Mechanics in getting parts and completing tasks, implementing systems for the workplace, working with vendors, and organizing vendor accounts, also does not establish that the preparation, maintenance and/or review and verification of financial records is the primary focus of his position.

Additionally, DaCosta-Meachem’s position at Pep Boys involved generating invoices for customer and store records; responding to customer inquiries and placing orders; responding to customer issues and concerns; locating parts in-store; planning efficient routes to deliver parts on-time and safely operating a company vehicle to conduct on-time deliveries. This experience is inapplicable. The appellant’s position as a Freelance Automotive Technician is clearly inapplicable.

Peralta described the duties of her provisional position as follows:

As the Principle Account Clerk I have a list of duties. Answer phones/emails. Special Improvement District Billing/reimbursement.

Attendance. Ordering supplies. Certificate of duplicate Office Manager.

This description of duties does not rise to the level and scope of the required experience. Additionally, on the page attached to the application, the appellant states, “Currently I am cashiering, helping with liens, duplicates and customer service when needed.” She then provides short lists of duties for Cashier, Customer Service and Lien. None of the appellant’s duties include the preparation, maintenance and/or review and verification of financial records. In her appeal, the appellant includes the duty “preparation, review and verification of financial records.” Basically, she copied the experience requirement without further explanation. Her remaining duties were, “Cashier, Clerk, Duplicates of certified, Attendance, SID Billing.”

The appellants were denied admittance to the subject examination since they lacked the minimum requirements in experience. An independent review of all material presented indicates that the decisions of Agency Services, that the appellants did not meet the announced requirements for eligibility by the closing date, are amply supported by the record. The appellants provide no basis to disturb these decisions. Thus, the appellants have failed to support their burden of proof in these matters.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that these appeals be denied.

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