Civil
Service Examination Announcement
FILING FEE $20.00
#65236 COURT CLERK/TYPIST
OPEN-COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION
LAST DATE FOR FILING
APPLICATIONS: September 7, 2012
EXAMINATION DATE: October 20, 2012
SALARY: The starting salary varies by location.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must meet the following
requirement(s) on or before the date of the examination:
Either:
A. Graduation from high school
or possession of a high school equivalency diploma and one year of clerical
experience involving public contact; OR
B. Two (2) years of clerical
experience involving public contact; OR
C. An equivalent combination
of training and experience as indicated in A and B above.
Note: College level study may
be substituted for the above required experience on a year-for-year basis
wherein thirty (30) credit hours equals one year of experience.
WHERE COLLEGE IS A
REQUIREMENT, YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO SUBMIT COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER
5, 2012 OR YOU WILL BE UNCONDITIONALLY DISQUALIFIED. IF COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS ARE ALREADY ON FILE
WITH OUR OFFICE, INDICATE THIS ON YOUR APPLICATION. ONCE SUBMITTED, COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS WILL BE
HELD ON FILE IN OUR OFFICE FOR A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS. TRANSCRIPTS NEED
NOT BE OFFICIAL COPIES; HOWEVER, THEY MUST CONTAIN ALL INFORMATION
NECESSARY TO QUALIFY YOU FOR THIS POSITION.
NOTE: If your degree and/or college credit was
awarded by an educational institution outside of the
APPLICATION
REVIEW TOLERANCE POLICY
For
the purposes of this policy, "tolerance" shall mean the leeway given
regarding work experience when reviewing an application. Applicants lacking a
small amount of work experience when applying for promotional or
open-competitive examinations may qualify under the following conditions:
1) Candidates will be given a maximum tolerance of one (1) month.
2) Tolerance will be given only
when the minimum qualification requires one or more years of work
experience.
3) Tolerance Policy does not
apply to education or licensure/certification requirements. (See particular
examination announcement for "Anticipated Eligibility" information).
4) Tolerance Policy does not
apply where required work experience is set forth by law or rules.
5) Tolerance Policy does not
apply to enable applicants to meet residence requirements.
For
more information regarding Tolerance Policy, please contact our office at (845)
340-3550.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE
CLASS: The work involves responsibility for the
performance of a variety of clerical tasks in the Office of a Town Justice or a
Village Police Justice.
A significant portion of the work involves typing. The work is carried out in
accordance with established procedures and involves performing standardized
court procedures and related general clerical duties. The class differs from
that of Court Clerk in that Court Clerk does not perform significant typing
duties. The work is performed under the direct supervision of a higher level
employee. New or difficult assignments are explained in detail and reviewed
upon completion. Supervision of others is not normally a responsibility of the class.
Does related work as required.
SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION: Written test will cover knowledge, skills,
and/or abilities in such areas as:
1. Clerical operations with
letters and numbers
These questions test for
skills and abilities in clerical operations involving alphabetizing, comparing,
checking and counting. The questions require you to follow the specific
directions given for each question which may involve alphabetizing, comparing, checking
and counting given groups of letters and/or numbers.
2. Name and number checking
These questions test for the
ability to distinguish between sets of words, letters, and/or numbers that are
almost exactly alike. Material is usually presented in two or three columns,
and you will have to determine how the entry in the first column compares with
the entry in the second column and possibly the third. You will be instructed
to mark your answers according to a designated code provided in the directions.
3. Office record keeping
These questions test your
ability to perform common office record keeping tasks. The test consists of two
or more "sets" of questions, each set concerning a different problem.
Typical record keeping problems might involve the organization or collation of
data from several sources; scheduling; maintaining a record system using
running balances; or completion of a table summarizing data using totals,
subtotals, averages and percents. You should bring
with you a hand-held battery- or solar-powered calculator for use on this test.
You will not be permitted to use the calculator function of your cell phone.
4. Understanding and
interpreting written material
These questions test how well
you comprehend written material. You will be provided with brief reading
selections and will be asked questions about the selections. All the
information required to answer the questions will be presented in the
selections; you will not be required to have any special knowledge relating to
the subject areas of the selections.
The New York State Department
of Civil Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. However,
candidates may find information in the publication "How to take a written
test" helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available on
line at: www.cs.ny.gov/testing/localtestguides.cfm.
CALCULATORS: "Unless specifically prohibited,
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’ and any similar devices
are prohibited."
USE OF CALCULATORS IS RECOMMENDED
FOR THIS EXAMINATION.
PERFORMANCE TESTS: Performance tests are qualifying (pass/fail), if you
pass the performance test(s),
your final score for the exam will be the score that you achieve
on the written test. Candidates may be
invited to the performance test(s) in the order of the scores they achieve on
the written test. Ulster County reserves
the right to give the performance test(s) to only as many candidates as are
needed to fill available vacancies.
Performance tests will be given at a later date. Candidates will be
notified by mail.
TYPING: Candidates who receive a
passing score on the written test must also qualify on the typing performance
test (Typetest) at the rate of 35 words per minute.
Typetest is a computerized test of
keying speed and accuracy. It utilizes a
split screen format and a standard keyboard.
The computer program requires no prior knowledge of software.
The test is five minutes long
and is preceded by a three-minute practice session. The computerized typing
test screen is divided into two windows. Candidates must type the text from the
upper window into the lower window. Candidates type as much of the text as they
can during the time available.
In order to pass the test,
candidates must enter the text at a rate of at least 35 words per minute, with
at least 90% accuracy. For example, if a
candidate enters the text at 35 words per minute, the maximum allowable number
of errors is 8. A word is defined as
five characters. The rating formula
divides the total number of characters entered by five to determine the number
of words entered.
RETEST POLICY: TYPING PERFORMANCE TEST: A CANDIDATE FOR THE COMPUTERIZED TYPING
PERFORMANCE TEST MAY BE RETESTED ONE (1) MONTH AFTER THE FIRST TEST AND
AGAIN AT ONE MONTH INTERVALS UP TO A TOTAL MAXIMUM OF FOUR (4) TIMES IN A YEAR.
PERFORMANCE WAIVER: Candidates who have taken and qualified on a
typing performance, database performance and/or dictation performance test in
the past may be eligible for a waiver of one or all of these qualifying
examinations. If you wish to apply for this waiver, it will be necessary for
you to provide us with the following information at the time of filing: the
number and title of the examination, the agency for whom you took the
examination and the date of participation.
All other candidates will be required to participate in the qualifying
typing performance, database performance and/or dictation performance tests
described above.
*FEES*: Send your check or money order for twenty
dollars ($20.00) (made payable to COUNTY
OF ULSTER) with your application.
Please include the examination number, title, and applicant’s name on
your check or money order. DO NOT SEND CASH. NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED, therefore,
you are urged to compare your qualifications carefully with the qualifications
for admission and apply only for those examinations for which you are clearly
qualified.
EXCEPTION TO FEE REQUIREMENT: An exception to the processing fee will be
made for persons receiving Supplemental Social Security payments or public
assistance (Safety Net Assistance or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families),
provided Foster Care or certified Workforce Investment Act of 1998 eligible
through a state or local social service agency, and for those who are currently
unemployed. Individuals wishing to claim
this waiver of fee on the basis of Supplemental Social Security, Safety Net
Assistance or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, must certify on their
application, under number 20 Remarks, that they are receiving public assistance
and must indicate the type of assistance they are receiving, the agency
providing the assistance and their case numbers. Persons claiming this waiver
through Foster Care or Workforce Investment Act of 1998 Certification must
specify the program and name of their contact agency. Persons claiming this
waiver, who are currently unemployed must certify on their application, under
number 20 Remarks, that they are currently unemployed and must provide
documentation that they are receiving unemployment benefits or other
unemployment documentation deemed appropriate by the Ulster County Personnel
Officer. Such claims are subject to
later verification and, if not supported by appropriate documentation, are
grounds for barring appointment.
Applications may be obtained
at the
For those applications
submitted in person on the last file date, please submit no later than 4:30 PM.
All applications must be in our office no later than 5:00 PM on the last file
date. Applications postmarked by the last file date will also be accepted.
This examination
is being prepared and rated by the New York State Department of Civil Service
in accordance with Section 23‑2 of the Civil Service Law. The provisions of the New York State Civil
Service Rules and Regulations dealing with the rating of examinations will
apply to this test.
CRIMINAL
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION POLICY: In accordance with Ulster County Local Law
Number 14 of 2007, a criminal background check (including fingerprinting) will
be initiated by the Ulster County Personnel Department upon initial employment
or re-hire to Ulster County positions, and conducted by the New York State
Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), the New York State Office of
Court Administration, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
Verification Information System (IMAGE Program), or any law enforcement agency.
SPECIAL NOTE: All public agencies are required by law to
provide full and equal opportunities for minorities, women and to people with
disabilities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to compete without regard
to race, creed or national origin. Applicants requesting special testing
arrangements as a Saturday Sabbath Observer, alternate test date candidate (in
accordance with Alternate Test Date Policy), or an active member of the
military away from the area on the scheduled test date must clearly indicate
this fact on the application. All such requests must be supported by
appropriate documentation.
VETERANS: Non-disabled and disabled
veterans who wish to claim additional credits must request a Veterans Credits
application from our office. This form must be completed and submitted along
with a war service (DD214) form prior to the establishment of the
resulting eligible list. Veterans credits may only be added to a passing score
and may only be used for appointment once. Candidates currently in the
armed forces may apply for and be conditionally granted veteran’s credits. Any candidate who applies for such credits
must provide proof of military status to receive the conditional credits. You
may not claim additional Veterans Credits after the eligible list has been
established. It is the candidate’s responsibility to request the Veterans
Credits application forms and submit these forms and any required supporting
paperwork before the eligible list is established.
ADDITIONAL CREDITS FOR
CHILDREN OF FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY: In conformance 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 points in a competitive
examination for original appointment in the same municipality in which his or
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 months from the application deadline to provide the
necessary documentation to verify additional credit eligibility. However, no credit may be added after the
eligible list has been established.
APPLYING FOR CIVIL SERVICE
EXAMINATIONS IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS WHEN
EXAMINATIONS ARE SCHEDULED ON SAME DATE: If you have applied for any other Civil
Service examinations for employment with New York State or any other local
government jurisdiction, you must make arrangements to take all the
examinations at one test site.
If you have applied for both State
and Local government examinations, you must make arrangements to take
all your examinations at the State examination center by calling (518)
457‑7022 no later than two weeks before the test date.
If you have applied for other
local government examinations, call or write to each Civil Service Agency to
make arrangements. You must make your
request for these arrangements no later than two weeks before the date
of the examinations. You must notify all
local government civil service agencies with whom you have filed an application
of the test site at which you wish to take your examination(s). For this examination call (845) 340‑
3531 OR write to Ulster County Personnel Department,
*If candidates have not
received notification of this examination within four (4) days of the
examination, they should contact this office immediately.
#65236
ORIGINAL COPY: YELLOW
ISSUED: August 8, 2012