QUESTION
How does the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) plan to remove barriers to civil service exam access, and what are future changes?
0:30:12
·
3 min
DCAS is committed to reducing barriers for civil service exam access by eliminating application fees, launching the New York City Bridge exam, piloting no-fee exams for uniform titles, and offering hardship waivers.
- Offering a single $40 fee for the New York City Bridge exam covering multiple titles.
- Piloting no exam fees for titles like police officers, school safety agents, and correction officers, which was found ineffective for increasing test-takers.
- Over half of the applicants did not show up for exams when fees were waived, presenting a resource challenge.
- Hardship waivers are available for those with financial need, with around 20% of test takers applying and receiving these waivers.
Tiffany Cabán
0:30:12
Obviously, she'd asked about sort of, like, how are we reaching people, but I'd like to also know how are we taking steps to remove barriers to access and some potential changes to the AGAN system in the in the future.
0:30:26
I know that, like, during it for an part of the FY 2024 budget, the governor announced the elimination of application fees for all state civil service exams to lower barriers to entry for New Yorkers.
0:30:35
Is this something that Decast would consider an
Katrina Porter
0:30:39
So what I will say is that we are dedicated to promoting access to civil service.
0:30:45
Civil service exam applications to reduce barriers, to registration, and to create a more efficient and effective exam process.
0:30:54
This includes offering the New York City Bridge exam where applicants can pay 1 fee to take an exam for multiple titles.
0:31:02
We launched this test type back in the fiscal year 2022.
0:31:05
What's the
Tiffany Cabán
0:31:06
amount of that fee?
Katrina Porter
0:31:08
$40.
0:31:10
For the the battery of of titles.
0:31:14
We launched this test site back and fiscal year 22, and we plan to build from this model to create a talent pipeline for the city's safety titles.
0:31:26
I also wanna mention that DCAS previously piloted no exam fees for uniform titles such as police officer a school safety agent and correction officer.
0:31:36
And ultimately, we found them to be an ineffective means to increase the number of testmakers.
UNKNOWN
0:31:41
Well, can I ask a question that?
Tiffany Cabán
0:31:43
I would did you only pilot this for for titled positions in the criminal legal system?
Katrina Porter
0:31:47
Yes.
0:31:48
So it was a pilot.
Tiffany Cabán
0:31:49
Yeah.
0:31:49
But I'm saying, like, that pilot, did it all did it only apply to positions in the criminal legal system.
0:31:54
Because I I just I just feel like it it injects sort of a a variable or a parameter or, like, or appeals to a certain kind of person or, like, it just I don't know.
0:32:08
It it seems a little odd to me to to to do a pilot, but that is limited to the criminal legal system.
0:32:15
I have other issues with, you know, why are we removing barriers to access for job titles specifically surround and punishment and control and not some of the other civil service exams where I'd like to see more people employed in, but Yeah.
0:32:29
I just found, like, curious.
0:32:30
I don't do you know why that was?
Katrina Porter
0:32:32
So it was to support the agency's recruitment efforts.
0:32:35
They, you know, had a hiring need.
0:32:37
And so they were
Tiffany Cabán
0:32:38
the only agency with the hiring need.
0:32:40
Like, all of our agencies right now are absolutely hiring need.
Katrina Porter
0:32:42
Yeah.
0:32:43
Absolutely.
0:32:43
But the the this particular effort was address their specific need.
0:32:47
Okay.
0:32:48
And so what we found in those instances is that when the application fee was waived, more than half of the folks who applied for those exams, they actually did not show up to take the test Mhmm.
0:32:58
Which is, you know, becomes a resource constraint for, you know, for Decast to administer these these exams.
0:33:06
Something else that I wanna mention is that Decast continues to grant hardship waivers for all test takers with the financial need.
0:33:13
This includes folks who are Medicaid, public assistance, unemployment, even veterans and the spouses of veterans are also eligible for fee waivers.
0:33:24
On average, 20 send of test takers do apply and receive those those hardship waivers.
0:33:31
And I'll I'll pause there.
Tiffany Cabán
0:33:33
No.
0:33:33
Thank you.
