Shannan Brooks, CSC Docket No. 2025-2599

Appellant's argumentShannan Brooks requests permission to submit a late application for the promotional examination for Supervising Family Services Specialist 2 (PS0671K), Department of Children and Families

BackgroundBy way of background, the subject examination was announced open in pertinent part, to employees in the competitive division who possessed one year of continuous permanent service and were currently serving in the competitive title of Family Service Specialist 1 and Family Service Specialist 1 Bilingual in Spanish and English; or to employees who possessed one year of permanent service in any competitive title and who met the open-competitive requirements and who met the listed education and experience requirements as of the May 21, 2025, closing date. The eligible list of 442 names1 promulgated on April 23, 2026, and expires on April 22, 2028.

Appellant's argumentIn an appeal submitted in May 2025 to the Civil Service Commission (Commission), the appellant argues that she was unaware of the examination as the appointing authority did not send out any notification of the examination to her. The appellant also asserts that since she was out of the office for most of the filing period,2 she was unable to apply for the announcement that was circulated.

BackgroundAgency records indicate that 627 applicants applied for the subject examination. 2 The appellant indicates that she was teleworking on May 1, 2025 and May 2, 2025, and was then out of the office from May 5, 2025 through May 21, 2025.

In response, the appointing authority confirms that the announcement was posted prominently in the common area of the work location, as well as on its intranet and the Civil Service Commission (Commission) website. Additionally, the appointing authority notes that as the appellant did not possess one year of permanent service as a Family Services Specialist 1 or Family Services Specialist 1 Bilingual in Spanish and English, it was not required to provide the appellant with personal notification. See N.J.A.C 4A:4-21.

Agency records indicate that the appellant received a regular appointment to the title of Family Services Specialist 1, effective September 21, 2024; and a regular appointment to the title of Family Services Specialist 2, effective April 21, 2012.

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.1(e) provides, in pertinent part, that applications for examinations shall be submitted no later than 4:00 P.M. on the announced application filing deadline. N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.1(b) provides that in order to notify all employees of promotional opportunities, promotional examination announcements shall be posted on, and applications shall be made available through, the Commission web site and may also be made available through the web sites of affected appointing authorities. If an affected appointing authority does not maintain or utilize a web site, promotional examination announcements shall be conspicuously posted by the affected appointing authority at all geographic locations within the unit scope (in State service) or department (in local service) to which the examination is open. Appointing authorities shall also ensure the notification by electronic or other means of all eligibles of the promotional examination announcement. Appointing authorities shall maintain a record of promotional examination announcement postings and the notification of eligibles of the announcement. Finally, N.J.A.C. 4A:2-1.4(c) provides that the appellant has the burden of proof.

AnalysisIn this matter, agency records indicate that the appellant did not possess one year of continuous permanent service as either a Family Service Specialist 1 or Family Service Specialist 1 Bilingual in Spanish and English, as of the May 21, 2025, closing date. In this regard, agency records reveal that the appellant only received a regular appointment to the title of Family Services Specialist 1, effective September 21, 2024. Thereby providing her with only eight months of permanent service as a Family Service Specialist 1 as of the subject closing date. Consequently, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.1(b) the appellant was not required to receive personal notification. Moreover, agency records indicate that the subject announcement was posted on the appointing authority and the Commission’s websites, as well as the work location, as required by N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.1(b). Therefore, as the appointing authority was not required to provide the appellant with personal notification, the appellant has failed to establish good cause to relax the rules and permit a late application in this matter.

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.