New York’s civil service system was designed to eliminate favoritism and patronage in hiring and promotions to city jobs. That time-honored system is broken when it comes to promoting and retaining career civil servants, and it must be fixed.
Civil Service Law and the New York State Constitution require that appointments and promotions to city jobs be made based on merit and fitness “to be ascertained as far as practicable by competitive examination.” The person who scores highest on a civil service test should get the job, and with good reason.
New York is a world-class city in large part due to its extensive and reliable municipal workforce, which DC 37 proudly represents. DC 37 members and other public workers provide the services New Yorkers rely on. They in turn rely on the civil service system for fair promotional opportunities.
But a provision of Civil Service Law and New York City personnel rules allows agencies to pass over the top test-takers on a civil service list in favor of another, lower-scoring candidate from among the top three. In short: the person who scores the highest on a civil service test does not always get the promotion. This is an abuse of the civil service system.
Use of this “one-in-three rule” by New York City agencies erodes the quality workforce that makes our city great. It undermines fairness and creates new opportunities for favoritism, discrimination and patronage.
Its use is particularly egregious following promotion exams, because promotion from within is a cornerstone of civil service. These workers have already passed probation and have served successfully in a lower civil service title. New York City loses when the best and brightest are overlooked this way.
DC 37 has called for a meeting with the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) to determine how we can correct this injustice, which has grown up over time. It does a disservice to New Yorkers, and it must stop.
The civil service system of merit-based hiring and promotion provides fair access to city jobs where people can work and grow in talent and fulfillment. When public employees feel their contributions make a difference and their work is respected and valued, all of New York City wins. It helps our economy, too. The New York City Commission for Economic Opportunity stressed in its September 2006 report that career pathways are an essential component to reducing poverty among the working poor.
DC 37 firmly supports the principle behind Executive Order Number 4, issued by Mayor Abraham Beame in 1974, that appointments and promotions are made in list order from eligible lists. This is the only way to avoid favoritism and discrimination. For upgrades and promotions, the person at the top of the list should automatically get the job.
Our union is about helping city workers climb the ladder so they can keep New York City as great as it is. DC 37 prepares members for promotional tests to help retain these valuable public workers. Those who have prepared themselves well and scored high should be rewarded.
Permanent, hard-working civil servants who have successfully passed an exam should not be passed over. The rule should be “if you get the best grade, you get the job.”
Lillian Roberts is the executive director of DC 37, New York City’s largest public employee union, with 121,000 members in 1,000 job titles, 56 local unions and 50,000 retirees.
Civil Service Law and the New York State Constitution require that appointments and promotions to city jobs be made based on merit and fitness “to be ascertained as far as practicable by competitive examination.” The person who scores highest on a civil service test should get the job, and with good reason.
New York is a world-class city in large part due to its extensive and reliable municipal workforce, which DC 37 proudly represents. DC 37 members and other public workers provide the services New Yorkers rely on. They in turn rely on the civil service system for fair promotional opportunities.
But a provision of Civil Service Law and New York City personnel rules allows agencies to pass over the top test-takers on a civil service list in favor of another, lower-scoring candidate from among the top three. In short: the person who scores the highest on a civil service test does not always get the promotion. This is an abuse of the civil service system.
Use of this “one-in-three rule” by New York City agencies erodes the quality workforce that makes our city great. It undermines fairness and creates new opportunities for favoritism, discrimination and patronage.
Its use is particularly egregious following promotion exams, because promotion from within is a cornerstone of civil service. These workers have already passed probation and have served successfully in a lower civil service title. New York City loses when the best and brightest are overlooked this way.
DC 37 has called for a meeting with the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) to determine how we can correct this injustice, which has grown up over time. It does a disservice to New Yorkers, and it must stop.
The civil service system of merit-based hiring and promotion provides fair access to city jobs where people can work and grow in talent and fulfillment. When public employees feel their contributions make a difference and their work is respected and valued, all of New York City wins. It helps our economy, too. The New York City Commission for Economic Opportunity stressed in its September 2006 report that career pathways are an essential component to reducing poverty among the working poor.
DC 37 firmly supports the principle behind Executive Order Number 4, issued by Mayor Abraham Beame in 1974, that appointments and promotions are made in list order from eligible lists. This is the only way to avoid favoritism and discrimination. For upgrades and promotions, the person at the top of the list should automatically get the job.
Our union is about helping city workers climb the ladder so they can keep New York City as great as it is. DC 37 prepares members for promotional tests to help retain these valuable public workers. Those who have prepared themselves well and scored high should be rewarded.
Permanent, hard-working civil servants who have successfully passed an exam should not be passed over. The rule should be “if you get the best grade, you get the job.”
Lillian Roberts is the executive director of DC 37, New York City’s largest public employee union, with 121,000 members in 1,000 job titles, 56 local unions and 50,000 retirees.
