Various Titles, CSC Docket No. 2026-2534

BackgroundThe Department of Health (DOH) requests that various titles be reallocated to the noncompetitive division of the career service on an interim basis to facilitate the hiring of staff in the Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner (OCSME).

As background, Union County submitted a letter of intent to enter into a shared service agreement with the Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office (NRMEO). This agreement is due to the unsuccessful effort to recruit a suitably qualified forensic pathologist as County Medical Examiner. The DOH explained that pursuant to the Revised State Medical Examiner Act (Act), N.J.S.A. 26:6B-1, et. seq., the OCSME is responsible for the oversight of New Jersey’s medical examiner system. This includes advising on mergers of county offices, N.J.S.A. 26:6B-9, and ensuring all counties have access to medical examiner services, N.J.S.A. 26:6B-2; N.J.S.A. 26:6B-7. In accordance with the Act at N.J.S.A. 26:6B-7e, the Chief State Medical Examiner also has operational control of two State medical examiner facilities, the NRMEO and the Southern Regional Medical Examiner Office.

The NRMEO is currently engaged in daily medicolegal death investigations, autopsies, and morgue operations. The NRMEO has the morgue and operational capacity to assume the responsibility of Union County’s medical examiner operations but requires additional staff. Absorption of Union County’s current staff will provide NRMEO with the advantage of well-trained staff that have familiarity with the geography and population of Union County.

The OCSME was transferred from the Department of Law and Public Safety to the DOH on September 1, 2018, in accordance with legislation. Specifically, P.L. 2018, c. 62 passed on July 3, 2018 and directed, inter alia, the transfer of the OCSME to the DOH. Following the implementation of the aforementioned legislation, OCSME has had major reorganizations such as the absorption of the NRMEO that is contemplated in this request. The DOH explains that absorbing current Union County staff will lower training time and resource needs, minimize errors, and reduce the operational gaps that typically occur when hiring less experienced personnel. Specifically, the DOH requests that the following individuals be appointed by way of interim noncompetitive appointments:

State

County County Title and Title Employee Code State Title Code

Secretarial Assistant 1, Non- Kathryn Bell Secretary (07086)

Stenographic 12505C

Investigator County Georgette Brusso Medical Examiners

Office (02183) Investigator 1, OCSME 56805C

Investigator County Corinne

Medical Examiners Finkbinder

Office (02183) Investigator 1, OCSME 56805C

Investigator County Gabrielle

Medical Examiners Jimenez

Office (02183) Investigator 1, OCSME 56805C

Clerk 1 (01245) (part Cindy Theissen time) Technical Assistant 52522

The Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) indicates that there are active open competitive eligible lists for Investigator 1 OCSME (S0927E) and Technical Assistant (S1354D and S0640F), but these lists are respectively exhausted and incomplete for the location of Essex County, which is where the affected employees will report upon effectuation of the merger. 1 Thus, based on the foregoing, Agency Services also requests that the listed titles be reallocated to the noncompetitive division of the career service on an interim basis under N.J.A.C. 4A:3- 1.2(c)3, for one pay period, to allow the DOH to appoint the staff from the Union County Medical Examiner’s Office and avoid disruption of its operations.

1 The record reflects that the DOH also intends to appoint other employees serving in the Union County

Medical Examiner’s Office to the titles of Assistant Medical Examiner (10059) and Forensic Morgue Technician (01581). However, these titles are respectively assigned to the unclassified service and the noncompetitive division of the career service. As such, no formal action is required with respect to these particular intended appointments.

Agency Services advises that the affected negotiations representatives were notified and afforded 30 days to submit comments. No comments have been received.

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2(a) provides that the Civil Service Commission (Commission) shall allocate and reallocate career service titles between the competitive and noncompetitive divisions.

N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2(c) provides that a job title may be placed in the noncompetitive division on an ongoing or interim basis when it is determined by the Commission that it is appropriate to make permanent appointments to the title and one or more of the following criteria are met:

1. Competitive testing is not practicable due to the nature of the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the job;

Analysis2. Certification procedures based on ranked eligible lists have not or are not likely to meet the needs of appointing authorities due to such factors as salary, geographic location, recruitment problems and working conditions; or

3. There is a need for immediate appointments arising from a new legislative program or major agency reorganization.

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2(e) provides, in pertinent part, that prior to any reallocation from the competitive to noncompetitive division, whether on an ongoing or interim basis, an administrative review shall be conducted and notice of the proposed reallocation shall be sent to affected appointing authorities and negotiations representatives. The notice shall designate the period of time, which in no event shall be less than 20 days, during which written comment may be submitted, and may provide for a public hearing.

AnalysisBased on the record, ample reasons exist to reallocate the requested titles to the noncompetitive division on an interim basis for one pay period to effectuate the requested appointments based on N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2(c)3. In this regard, the OCSME is assuming responsibility for Union County’s medical examiner operations, and the requested reallocation will allow the DOH to appoint experienced personnel. Additionally, N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2(g) provides that if a title is designated noncompetitive on an interim basis, at the end of the interim noncompetitive period, which shall be no greater than one year, the job title shall be redesignated as competitive. Individuals appointed during the interim noncompetitive period shall, upon successful completion of their working test periods, attain permanent status in the competitive division.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that the specified titles be reallocated to the noncompetitive division title of the career service on an interim basis, for one pay period, in order to effectuate the appointments of the named employees into the appropriate titles in the Department of Health. It is further ordered that such action shall commence on May 30, 2026, the first day of the pay period following this approval.

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