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Discussion on civil service exam fees and strategies to reduce barriers

1:11:32

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Council Member Carmen De La Rosa inquires about waiving civil service exam application fees, and DCAS officials explain their strategies to reduce barriers for applicants.

DCAS offers hardship fee waivers for various groups with financial hardships
Pilot of no-fee exams found to be ineffective due to low turnout
Bridge Exam allows applicants to pay one fee and take multiple exams
Public safety titles have been included in the latest iteration of the Bridge Exam

Carmen De La Rosa

1:11:32

Great.

1:11:33

Governor Hoco also announced that all state civil service exam application fees will be waived through December 2025 Given that the city civil service exempt fees range from $40 to a 101, and these fees can present a barrier to entry for some New Yorkers has a city considered waiving the application fees entirely.

1:12:49

My understanding though with the bridge exam is that there's a limit to which categories of work the bridge exam covers.

1:12:55

Correct?

1:13:10

What would it take to expand or scale that bridge exam to sort of cover a more cross sector of the of the workforce that is needed right now in our city?

1:13:24

Okay.

Katrina Porter

1:11:52

So I just wanna start up by saying that we're we're dedicated and we're always looking for ways to reduce barriers, you know, related to application fees or entering the civil service system.

1:12:03

Currently, Decast offers hardship fee waivers, to many different disparate groups who may have financial hardships and paying for civil service exams.

1:12:14

I also wanna mention that we have piloted no fee exams and we found that it is an ineffective method of recruitment as we may see a larger number of folks apply for exams.

1:12:27

But then when it's time to actually come in and sit for the exam, they don't show up.

1:12:31

So we don't see that as an effective method of recruiting top talent.

1:12:36

What has worked is the Bridge Exam, where applicants can pay one application fee.

1:12:42

It's a standard application fee of $40, They take one exam, and then they're able to take multiple exams Mhmm.

1:12:48

Upwards of 10 exams.

1:12:57

Mostly entry level titles.

1:12:58

Mhmm.

1:12:59

Candidates do have to meet the minimum qualifications for the titles being offered, but we have seen great success with attracting, you know, interested folks through that method.

1:13:20

Thank you.

1:13:21

So we're actually on our 3rd iteration of the bridge exam.

1:13:25

And then we have expanded it to include public safety titles.

1:13:29

So in my testimony, I had mentioned that this year we launched the public safety bridge, which is similar to the traditional bridge exam.

1:13:38

But it's really focusing on public safety titles because we do see a decrease in interest in applications for public safety jobs.

1:13:45

So we wanted to give the general public an opportunity to have, you know, to expand their their ability to apply for these type of jobs.

1:13:55

We will continue to look for creative ways to, you know, you know, reduce barriers to, you know, examinations and civil service.

1:14:04

Especially through the bridge exam.

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