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Council Member De La Rosa advocates for waiving civil service exam fees
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Council Member Carmen N. De La Rosa speaks in support of Introduction 671-A, which aims to waive civil service examination fees for high school students and first-time applicants. She emphasizes the importance of this legislation in addressing high vacancy rates in city agencies and removing financial barriers to civil service careers.
- De La Rosa highlights the current 5% vacancy rate across city agencies, equating to over 15,000 empty positions.
- The legislation targets fees ranging from $40 to $101 for entry exams, plus additional hidden costs.
- The council member urges her colleagues to vote in favor of the legislation to make the application process more accessible and attract more New Yorkers to civil service careers.
Carmen N. De La Rosa
0:35:56
Thank you.
0:35:56
I wanna thank speaker Adams and colleagues for your support and attention to this important piece of legislation, intro six seventy one, which we will be voting on shortly.
0:36:06
As chair of the committee on civil service and labor, we have been tracking and sounding the alarm on the high vacancy rates across our city agencies.
0:36:14
Despite the council's best efforts to fight against mayoral pegs and cuts, a 5% vacancy rate average across the board remains today, translating to over 15,000 empty desks, unanswered phone calls, and the redistribution of responsibilities to an already overworked and burned out municipal workforce.
0:36:33
The civil service exam is required for 80% of the city's government position.
0:36:38
It is unthinkable that as we try so hard to staff our agencies and hire to fill the gaps in our city work workforce, there remains financial barriers that can make hiring unfeasible and inequitable.
0:36:51
Fees for exams can range from $40 to a hundred and $1, and that's just the cost of an entry exam.
0:36:58
Exam takers can expect to incur hidden costs such as study materials, transportation, to and from interviews and exams, and more.
0:37:07
Inaccessible fees should not deter high school students or new applicants from seeking civil service careers.
0:37:13
That's why the council is looking to pass intro six seventy one, which will will require DCAS to waive the civil service examination fee for individuals who are enrolled at any public, private, or charter high schools in New York City or who are first time applicants for civil service.
0:37:30
Intro six seventy one says to New Yorkers, we want you to work for New York City, and we are optimistic about the positive outcomes of a favor application process for the future of civil servants who are urgently needed in our city.
0:37:44
I urge you to vote in favor of this legislation at this time.
0:37:47
Thank you.