Resolution calling upon the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services to develop an online portal for civil service applicants

Res. No. 937

Resolution calling upon the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services to develop an online portal for civil service applicants

By Council Members Miller, Chin, Gentile, Koo, Lander, Mendez, Richards, Rose and Menchaca

Whereas, Civil Service jobs with the City of New York are created under the authority of the New York State Civil Service Commission, as set forth in the New York State Civil Service Law; and

Whereas, Under the State Civil Service Law, localities with local civil servants must have a local Civil Service Commission; and

Whereas, The New York City Charter designates the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) as the local civil service commission for the City; and

Whereas, Civil service positions with the City are filled by a process that begins with competitive exams offered by DCAS in two testing centers, one in lower Manhattan and the other in Downtown Brooklyn; and

Whereas, After taking an exam, applicants must wait for the results, then be placed on an eligible hire list, interviewed, be picked from a list and be appointed to a position, and with such process, according to DCAS, potentially taking greater than six months and even up to four years; and

Whereas, At present DCAS offers applicants for civil service positions no options for checking the status of their applications online; and

Whereas, An online portal where applicants for City civil service positions could track the status of their exam(s), current position on eligible list(s), etc., would provide transparency to a process that is currently opaque; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services to develop an online portal for civil service applicants.

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MWC

LS 5938

11/25/15