Glenn Abrams, CSC Docket No. 2022-984

Appellant's argumentGlenn Abrams requests permission to a late application for the promotional examination for Police Sergeant (PM4505C), Atlantic City.

BackgroundBy way of background, the subject examination was announced on October 1, 2021 with an application filing deadline of October 21, 2021, and all applications had to be received by 4:00 p.m. on that date. The subject examination has not yet been administered.

Appellant's argumentIn support of his request, the petitioner states that he inadvertently overlooked the examination announcement because of personal circumstances. He also indicates that he attempted to complete the application via his cell phone approximately one week before the deadline but after the application deadline he discovered that his application was not successfully processed. In addition, he emphasizes that he immediately sent a certified letter with the instant request upon realizing that a technical issue had occurred. He also advises that he spent a significant sum on a preparatory course for the Police Sergeant examination which he asserts is strong evidence of his intent to complete an application for it. Based upon the foregoing, he requests an opportunity to take the subject examination.

BackgroundAgency records do not indicate that the petitioner began an application for the PM4505C examination on the Online Application System (OAS) prior to the application deadline.

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.6(a)4 provides that applicants for promotional examinations shall submit an application on or before the announced application filing date. This provision is necessary for Agency Services to properly process the voluminous applications it receives for various examinations. See In the Matter of Andrew Romeo (MSB, decided September 22, 2004). N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.1(e) states that unless otherwise provided for by the Chairperson or designee, applications for open competitive and promotional examinations shall be submitted to the Civil Service Commission no later than 4:00 p.m. on the announced application filing date.

AnalysisIn the instant matter, applications for the subject promotional examination were due by the application filing deadline of October 21, 2021. Although the petitioner describes an unfortunate set of circumstances, there does not appear to be a basis to relax the above-noted requirement. In this regard, the OAS User Guide, available on this agency’s website, states in pertinent part:

Once you successfully submit your application and complete the payment process, you will receive a confirmation page which you should print for your records. This confirmation page will also be sent to the email address you provided in your User Account (emphasis added).

See New Jersey Civil Service Commission Announcement and Online Application System User Guide 26, available at: https://www.nj.gov/csc/seekers/jobs/pdf/Online_Application_System_User_Guide.pdf. As such, even assuming, arguendo, that the petitioner started and attempted to submit an application for the subject examination, based upon the aforementioned instructions he should have been aware that his application was not successfully submitted, given his indication that he did not receive a confirmation via this agency’s website or via email. Accordingly, based upon the foregoing, there is not a sufficient basis to relax the above-noted requirement.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that this request be denied.

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