NYC General 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under NYC civil service rules, which class of positions is filled based on competitive examination?
- Exempt class
- Labor class
- Non-competitive class
- Competitive class (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Competitive class
Competitive class positions require candidates to pass a competitive examination administered by DCAS or the relevant civil service commission.
Question 2: A city employee who believes they were passed over for promotion due to racial discrimination should file a complaint with which body first?
- The NYC Department of Investigation
- The NYC Commission on Human Rights or the EEOC (Correct answer)
- The employee's direct supervisor
- The Office of Management and Budget
Correct answer: The NYC Commission on Human Rights or the EEOC
Discrimination complaints in employment are handled by the NYC Commission on Human Rights at the city level or the EEOC at the federal level.
Question 3: What does 'canvassing' mean in the context of NYC civil service hiring?
- Conducting door-to-door surveys for a city agency
- Contacting eligible candidates on an established list to determine interest in appointment (Correct answer)
- Posting a job vacancy on a public job board
- Reviewing applications for minimum qualifications
Correct answer: Contacting eligible candidates on an established list to determine interest in appointment
Canvassing is the process by which a hiring agency contacts candidates ranked on an eligible list to determine their availability and interest in a position.
Question 4: Under NYC rules, how many working days does a permanent competitive-class employee generally have to respond to disciplinary charges before a hearing?
- 5 days
- 10 days (Correct answer)
- 30 days
- 60 days
Correct answer: 10 days
Under Civil Service Law Section 75, employees typically have 10 days to respond to written disciplinary charges.
Question 5: Which of the following is NOT a protected class under the NYC Human Rights Law?
- Sexual orientation
- Immigration status
- Political party membership (outside employment decisions)
- Partisan political activity (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Partisan political activity
Partisan political activity is not a protected class under the NYC Human Rights Law, though city employees have separate protections regarding political activity under civil service rules.
Question 6: A city employee who disagrees with a performance evaluation should:
- Refuse to sign the evaluation
- Sign the evaluation under protest and file a written rebuttal through proper channels (Correct answer)
- Submit the evaluation to the press
- Immediately file a union grievance without speaking to the supervisor
Correct answer: Sign the evaluation under protest and file a written rebuttal through proper channels
Employees should sign to acknowledge receipt (not agreement) and submit a written rebuttal through the agency's established procedure.
Question 7: What is the role of the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) in civil service?
- To prosecute employees who commit misconduct
- To administer civil service examinations and maintain eligible lists (Correct answer)
- To negotiate labor contracts with municipal unions
- To audit the financial accounts of city agencies
Correct answer: To administer civil service examinations and maintain eligible lists
DCAS administers civil service exams, certifies eligible lists, and oversees personnel rules for NYC city employees.
NYC General 3
Under NYC civil service rules, which class of positions is filled based on competitive examination?