Public Safety Telecommunicator First Responder Apprentice, CSC Docket No. 2024-1119

BackgroundThe Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) requests the creation of the title, Public Safety Telecommunicator First Responder Apprentice, State Police, and that it be allocated to the non-competitive division of the career service in accordance with N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2.

By way of background, the Department of Law and Public Safety, Division of State Police (State Police) requested the creation of the following new title series, and the assignment of the title Public Safety Telecommunicator First Responder Apprentice, State Police title to the non-competitive division of the career service:

Public Safety Telecommunicator First Responder Apprentice, State

Police (NC-O15)

Public Safety Telecommunicator First Responder, State Police (C-O17)

Senior Public Safety Telecommunicator First Responder, State Police (C-O20)

Supervising Public Safety Telecommunicator First Responder, State

Police (C-R22)

Chef Public Safety Telecommunicator First Responder, State Police (C- M25, &25)

Agency Services indicates that the new title series will be replacing a State Police series that already exists as a variant series to the base “Public Safety

Telecommunicator” series. It presents that the main difference between this new title series and the variant series it will be replacing is that it will have an apprentice title as opposed to a trainee title. Agency Services provides that this two-year apprentice program increases the experience amount required through the rest of the series, and therefore, increases the class code of each level in the series. It notes that the titles in this new series shall be assigned to the same bargaining units as the variant series it will be replacing.

Agency Services recommends that the apprentice level of the series be allocated to the non-competitive division of the career service because it meets the criteria set forth in N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2(c), which states “competitive testing is not practical due to the nature of the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the job.” Specially, it indicates that the title has no experience requirements, and an apprentice-level appointee will be trained on the job; hence, there is no skill set to be tested.

Additionally, to maintain the title count in the title classification system, the State Police requested to inactivate the following titles in the variant series the new series will be replacing:

Public Safety Telecommunicator, State Police (C-O16)

Senior Public Safety Telecommunicator, State Police (C-O19)

Supervising Public Telecommunicator, State Police (C-R21)

Chief Public Safety Telecommunicator, State Police (C-M24; &24)

Further, as the State Police was unable to locate an additional title to inactivate in place of the apprentice level, Agency Services will inactivate the local title Sheriff’s Officer Sergeant/Training Officer (05770), which has been unencumbered since August 23, 2012.

Additionally, Agency Services advises that it has provided notice and the opportunity to review the proposal to all collective negotiations units and all articulated issues have been reviewed and resolved. Finally, Agency Services requests that the changes specified become effective beginning on the first pay period following Commission approval of these actions.

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:3-3.3(a)2 provides that the Chairperson or designee shall implement and administer the classification plans, including establishing new titles, abolishing unnecessary titles and consolidating titles where a single title is appropriate for the grouping of position with similar qualification, authority, and responsibility. N.J.A.C. 4A:3-3.7(a) provides that trainee, apprentice, recruit, and intern titles may be established in State and local services to provide for entry level employment. N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2(a) states that the Commission shall allocate and reallocate career service titles between the competitive and non-competitive divisions. N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2(c) states that a job title may be placed in the non- competitive 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 a new title series, inactivate the titles specified, and allocate the newly created Public Safety Telecommunicator First Responder Apprentice, State Police title to the non- competitive division of the career service. In this regard, the Public Safety Telecommunicator First Responder Apprentice, State Police title has no experience requirements as the skills required to perform the job are gained 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. In this regard, apprentice level appointees would be required to complete both a two-year 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 as indicated above. This action shall be effective the beginning of the first pay period following the issue date of this decision.

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