G E N E R A L     I N S T R U C T I O N S

1.         RESIDENCY:  Candidates for vacancies in city departments, Utica City School District, or the Municipal Housing Authority must have been legal residents of the City of Utica for at least four months immediately preceding the date of the written test.  Pursuant to Local Law, all employees promoted by the City of Utica shall be, or within six months of such promotion become, a resident of the City of Utica.  United States Citizenship is no longer a requirement, with the exception of Police Officer candidates.

2.         SABBATH OBSERVER/DISABLED CANDIDATES/MILITARY MEMBERS: Applicants whose religious beliefs or military service prevent their taking examinations on the scheduled date and disabled candidates who require special accommodations to take the test should indicate the need for special arrangements on their application.

3.         VETERANS: Veterans or disabled veterans who have served on active duty during the creditable periods of war will be eligible for veterans credits.  Eligible veterans must submit with their application all the necessary forms along with a certified copy of their Honorable Discharge Form (DD-214) prior to the establishment of the eligible list.  An option of waiving these credits will be allowed after completion of the examination.  Veteran’s credits can only be added to a passing score.  It is incumbent upon the applicant to request the necessary forms from this office.  SPECIAL NOTICE TO ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES:  Beginning January 1, 1998, the Constitution was amended to permit a candidate currently in the armed forces to apply for and be conditionally granted veteran’s credit in examinations.  Any candidate who applies for such credit must provide proof of military status to receive the conditional credit.  No credit may be granted after the establishment of the eligible list.  It is the responsibility of the candidate to provide appropriate documentary proof indicating that the service was in time of war, as defined in Section 85 of Civil Service Law, and that the candidate received an honorable discharge or was released under honorable conditions in order to be certified at a score including veterans credits.

4.         APPLICATIONS:  Unless otherwise indicated on this announcement, the candidate shall complete one "Application for Examination or Employment" (form MSD 330) for each examination he/she wishes to take.  Candidates must record the examination number and title on the application.  Applicants must answer every question on the application form and make sure that the application is complete in all respects.  INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BE DISAPPROVED!

5.         FILING FEE:  A NON-REFUNDABLE FEE OF $10.00/$15.00/$30.00 IS REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATELY NUMBERED OPEN-COMPETITIVE OR PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATION FOR WHICH YOU APPLY.  THE $15.00 FEE APPLIES TO ALL EXAMINATIONS IN THE UNIFORMED PROTECTIVE SERVICES SERIES . The $30.00 fee applies to any non-resident.  The required fee must accompany your application. Send or bring the MONEY ORDER, made payable to Utica Municipal Civil Service Commission., and write the exam number(s) and your social security number on the money order. DO NOT SEND OR BRING CASH, as the City cannot be responsible for cash payment. CHECKS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. You are urged to compare your qualifications carefully with the requirements for admission, and file only for those exams for which you are clearly qualified. No refunds will be made to applicants who are denied, disqualified or fail to appear. FURTHER, applicants shall pay the cost of any required physical examinations or drug screening or other medical tests that may be required as part of the examination process or as a condition of employment.

6.                   APPLICATION FEE WAIVER: A waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household.  In addition, a waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are determined eligible for Medicaid, or receiving Supplemental Security Income payments, or Public Assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/Family Assitance or Safety Net Assistance) or are certified Job Training Partnership Act/Workforce Investment Act eligible through a State or local social service agency.  All claims for application fee waiver are subject to verification.  If you can verify eligibility for application fee waiver, complete a “Request for Application Fee Waiver and Certification” form and submit it with your application by the close of business on the Application Deadline as listed on the Examination Announcement.

7.          ADMISSION NOTICE:  Approved candidates will be notified when and where to appear for the examination.  No one will be admitted to the examination without the official admission notice.  If an applicant is disapproved, due notice will be sent.  IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR ADMISSION NOTICE THREE DAYS BEFORE THE DATE OF THE WRITTEN OR PERFORMANCE TEST, NOTIFY THIS OFFICE IMMEDIATELY.  Notice to appear for the test does not constitute approval of your application by the Utica Municipal Civil Service Commission.  Further review of application for minimum requirements may be made after the written test.

8.         ALTERNATE TEST DATES:  In certain circumstances that fall under the alternate test date policy established by this department, an alternate test date may be arranged.  Such requests are subject to verifications.

9.         EMERGENCIES:  If an emergency prevents you from appearing for the examination, please notify this office no later than 10:00 A.M. on the Monday following the test date (Tuesday, if Monday is a holiday), providing verifiable documentation of the reasons.

10.        MULTIPLE EXAMINATIONS:  In some instances it may be possible to take other examinations scheduled on the same date for state, county, or another local civil service division.  Please indicate this on your application (attach additional sheet) so arrangements can be made for one test holding.  Specify the exam title(s), exam number(s), the jurisdiction(s) offering the other exam(s), and the test site at which you wish to be tested.  In addition, application for examination and notice of participation in multiple examinations must be given to the other jurisdiction(s) involved.

11.        ADDRESS CHANGE:  Failure to notify this office of a change of address may result in disqualification for examination or certification for appointment following examination.  No attempt will be made to locate candidates who have moved.

12.        ELIGIBLE LISTS:  Appointments from an eligible list must be made from the top three candidates willing to accept appointment.  The duration of an eligible list must be not less than (1) nor more than (4) years.  Changing conditions may make it advisable to certify to future vacancies at higher or lower salaries than those announced.

13.        PROMOTION EXAMINATIONS:  Points will be added to an eligible score as following:  Seniority*...For Each Year 0.4%.  *Rating of seniority is based on the length of continuous completion class service in the jurisdiction up to a maximum of 20 years.

14.        SPECIAL REQUIREMENT FOR APPOINTMENT IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND BOCES: Per Chapter 180 of the Laws of 2000, and by Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, to be employed in a position designated by a school district or BOCES as involving direct contact with students, a clearance for employment from the State Education Department is required.

15.        All applications must be filed with the Utica Municipal Civil Service Commission on or before the last filing date.

16.        This office reserves the right to reject for lateness, applications filed after the advertised filing period.  The Utica Municipal Civil Service Commission does not make formal acknowledgment of the receipt of an application or take responsibility for non-delivery or postal delay.

17.        Candidates must be medically and physically capable of performing the duties of the position and may be required to take examinations to establish this condition.

18.        Federal and State Law prohibit discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin.

19.        Unless otherwise notified, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand-held, solar or battery powered calculators.  Devices with typewriter keyboards, "spell checkers", "personal digital assistants", "address books", "language translators", "dictionaries", or any similar devices are prohibited.  You may not bring books  or other reference materials.

20.        This examination will be prepared and rated in accordance with Section 23(2) of the Civil Service Law.  The provisions of New York State Civil Service Law, rules and regulations dealing with the preparation and rating of examinations will apply to this examination.

21.        Appropriate probationary rules apply to all appointments from Open Competitive and Promotional Lists.

22.               SPECIAL CREDIT FOR CHILDREN OF FIREFIGHTERS and POLICE OFFICERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY: In accordance with Section 85-a of the Civil Service Law,

children of Firefighters and Police Officers killed in the line of duty shall be entitled to receive an additional ten (10) points in a competitive examination for original appointment in the same municipality in which his of her parent has served.  If you are qualified to participate in this examination and are a child of a Firefighter or Police Officer killed in the line of duty in this municipality, please inform this office of this matter when you submit your application for examination.  A candidate claiming such credit has a minimum of two (2) months from the application deadline to provide the necessary documentation to verify additional credit eligibility.  However, no credit will be added after the Eligible List has been established.

23.               The number of years of experience required in the minimum qualifications is based upon the presumption of full-time employment.  The minimum qualifications for examinations do not provide for the acceptance of part-time experience, unless specifically stated on the examination announcement.  Employment less than thirty-five (35) hours per week will be considered as part-time. 

24.               Experience claimed on examination applications must be an integral part of the position, not incidental. The work experience claimed to qualify for an examination cannot be out-of-title, incidental, overlapping, enhanced, or fabricated. 

**THE CITY OF UTICA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER**

For applications or further information, please contact:  Utica Municipal Civil Service Office at 792-0225