Field Representative Housing Trainee, CSC Docket No. 2023-1332

BackgroundThe Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) requests the creation of the noncompetitive title of Field Representative Housing Trainee, Housing Assistance Program.

Agency Services states that the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has requested creation of the subject title to assist with work involving housing assistance programs and function as the entry-level title in the Field Representative Housing, Housing Assistance Program title series.1 After successful completion of the 12- month training program, incumbents would be eligible for advancement to the title of Field Representative Housing, Housing Assistance Program. To be consistent with other titles in the Field Representative Housing, Housing Assistance Program title series, the new title will be restricted to the DCA.

Agency Services maintains that it would be appropriate to assign this title to the noncompetitive division of the career service. In this regard, it states that the subject title would be an entry-level title where incumbents would need to possess a Bachelor’s degree, but would not be required to possess any applicable experience. Agency Services presents that because there would be no experience requirement associated with this title, there would be no skill set to be tested. Therefore, it avers

1 DCA has also confirmed inactivation of the variant title, Principal Field Representative Housing,

Code Compliance (64394C) within the subject title series, which agency records indicate took effect on June 20, 2020.

that the allocation of the Field Representative Housing Trainee, Housing Assistance Program title would be consistent with N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2(c), which permits such an allocation when “[c]ompetitive testing is not practicable due to the nature of the knowledge, skills and abilities associated with the job.”

Agency Services also advises that it has notified the appropriate negotiations representatives of the foregoing proposal. 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 Civil Service Commission (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 noncompetitive divisions. N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2(c) states, in pertinent part, that a job title may be placed in the noncompetitive 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 to create the title of Field Representative Housing Trainee, Housing Assistance Program and to allocate it to the noncompetitive division of the career service. Given the lack of an experience requirement, competitive testing is not practicable since the knowledge, skills and abilities associated with this title will be developed 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. Specifically, appointees would be required to complete a 12-month training period, as well as the required four-month working test period prior to attaining permanent status.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that this request be granted and that the title of Field Representative Housing Trainee, Housing Assistance Program be established and allocated to the noncompetitive division of the career service. It is further ordered that this action be effective the first pay period following the Commission’s approval.

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