Brenda Pescoran, CSC Docket No. 2024-575

BackgroundBrenda Pescoran appeals the determination of the Division of Agency Services (Agency Services), which found that, per the substitution clause for education, she did not meet the experience requirement for the open competitive examination for Senior Personnel Assistant (M0658E), Newark School District.

The subject examination was announced with a closing date of July 21, 2023 and was open to Newark residents who possessed a Bachelor’s degree and two years of technical experience in personnel work. Applicants who did not possess the education requirement could substitute additional experience on a year-for-year basis with 30 semester hour credits being equal to one year of experience. The resulting eligible list of four names promulgated on August 31, 2023 and expires on August 30, 2026. A certification consisting of all four names issued on September 7, 2023. Two eligibles were appointed from the certification, the disposition of which was recorded January 16, 2024. Two eligibles remain active.

On her application, the appellant did not indicate possession of a Bachelor’s degree. Therefore, pursuant to the substitution clause for education, she needed six years of applicable experience in total. The appellant indicated possession of 141 semester hour credits but did not indicate that she graduated. She listed her experience as a provisional Senior Personnel Assistant from July 2022 to July 2023 with Newark School District.1 She also listed her experience as Director of

1 As of November 20, 2023, the appellant was no longer serving in the title.

Admissions from December 2018 to June 2020; Work Study Program Manager from September 2012 to December 2018; Assistant Admin for Admissions from September 2017 to November 2018; and Corporate Internship Program Coordinator from November 2007 to September 2012, all with the Cristo Rey Newark High School. Agency Services credited the appellant with possession of 105 college credits, the maximum allowable for an incomplete Bachelor’s degree, which were equivalent to three years and six months of experience. Agency Services also credited the appellant with one year and one month of experience based on her Senior Personnel Assistant position. None of the other listed experience was credited as it was determined that the experience was education-focused and did not have the required experience as the primary focus. Therefore, Agency Services deemed the appellant ineligible since she lacked one year and five months of experience and thus did not meet the experience requirement set forth in the announcement.

Appellant's argumentOn appeal to the Civil Service Commission (Commission), the appellant maintains that her Work Study Program Manager and Corporate Internship Program Coordinator positions should be credited. In support, she submits a resume and letter of support.

On the resume, the appellant lists a number of duties for her Work Study Program Manager position, including the following: cultivating new client relationships to achieve full and meaningful employment of all employees, as well as ensuring the retention and growth of existing corporate work partners; maintaining and securing work-study sponsors; expanding the school’s community outreach and involvement to grow brand awareness and recruit new corporate partners; plan an annual stewardship plan in close collaboration with the corporate work-study and development teams and president’s office; managing the entire sales cycle with new partners including lead generation and cultivation, securing face-to-face meetings, selling the program, agreement execution, and onboarding; and building a database of potential partners through referrals from current sponsors, board members, and other supporters of the institution.

On the resume, the appellant lists a number of duties for her Corporate Internship Program Coordinator position, including the following: collaborating closely with the department director of the internship program and acting as a primary point of contact for interns and hiring managers across various departments; assisting in setting up, managing, and monitoring partnerships with potential recruitment sources for human resources recruiting teams, including colleges, agencies, professional groups, military and educational institutions, online ads, job fairs, and social media campaigns; administering and coordinating outreach efforts within the community; serving as a liaison between the program and industry professionals, State agencies, and volunteer groups; overseeing day-to-day administration of programs, assisting with research support activities, and maintaining effective relationships with various institutions and agencies; and overseeing the day-to-day administration of programs, outreach product development, and processes.

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.3(b)2 provides that applicants shall meet all requirements specified in the open competitive examination announcement by the closing date.

AnalysisA review of the appellant’s application reveals that she did not possess the required experience. In order for experience to be considered applicable, it must have as its primary focus full-time responsibilities in the areas required in the announcement. See In the Matter of Bashkim Vlashi (MSB, decided June 9, 2004). The amount of time, and the importance of the duty, determines if it is the primary focus. An experience requirement that lists a number of duties that define the primary experience, requires that the applicants demonstrate that they primarily performed all of those duties for the required length of time. Performance of only one or some of the duties listed is not indicative of comprehensive experience. See In the Matter of Jeffrey Davis (MSB, decided March 14, 2007). Considering the record, the best that can be said of the Work Study Program Manager and Corporate Internship Program Coordinator positions is that each had some aspects of technical personnel work, but it was not the primary focus of either position. As such, those positions still cannot be credited. Accordingly, the record reflects that the appellant did not meet the requirements for the title under test.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that this appeal be denied.

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