PEP, September 2009: Civil Service exams you can take

State law calls on municipalities to sharply reduce current numbers of provisional employees, and the state Civil Service Commission is insisting that New York City begin by January 2009 to replace provisionals who have served longer than four months when civil service lists exist with appointments from the lists. Union members who are provisionals should take civil service tests they are eligible for to become permanent civil service workers. Listed below are exams with 2009 filing periods.

Tips for members who want to take exams

Review the exam schedule monthly at the Dept. of Citywide Administrative Services, www.nyc.gov/dcas. The list below is subject to change.

New exams open for filing on the first Wednesday of each month (except holidays). If a scheduled exam is going to be postponed or canceled, the change will be announced at the start of the scheduled filing period.

Read about the duties of the job and the education and experience needed to see if you qualify. Most civil service exams require a filing fee. Check the official Notice of Examination (NOE) for details.

At the beginning of the filing period, read the NOE. You can apply online and pay your application fee by credit, debit or bank card, or you can print out the required application forms. You can also get the NOE and application forms by mail.

Or you can visit the DCAS Application Center in person during the scheduled filing period to request the NOE and the forms. It’s on the 17th floor at 2 Lafayette St. in Lower Manhattan (near the corner of Lafayette Street and Reade Street, where Lafayette merges into Centre Street, two blocks north of City Hall). The entrance is on Lafayette, next door to the Municipal Credit Union. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, except holidays.

You should know that filing dates, test dates and qualifications are all subject to change. You can get updates by calling 311 (or 212-NEWYORK from outside the city) and asking for civil service information.

Take a test prep course through the DC 37 Ed Fund

District Council 37 has responded to members’ need to pass civil service examinations by offering a number of test prep courses through the DC 37 Education Fund. Only members and agency-fee payers eligible for Education Fund benefits may participate. For upcoming courses, check the fund listings in PEP or on the DC 37 Web site, www.dc37.net.

Signing up for a union test prep course does not register an employee to take the civil service test. The Education Fund does not cover filing fees for civil service examinations. Members must submit their applications and filing fees for exams to the Dept. of Citywide Administrative Services. For more information, visit their Web site at www.nyc.gov/dcas. In the list, OC means open competitive and P means promotional.