71662-010

PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATION

CASEWORK ASSISTANT (SPANISH SPEAKING)

http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Civil-Service

· LAST FILING DATE: DECEMBER 11, 2024

· WRITTEN TEST DATE: JANUARY 18, 2025

· COUNTY ANNUAL SALARY $39,333

· GRADE 14

SPECIFICATION # 3001

APPLICATION PROCESSING FEE and FEE WAIVER

The application-processing fee is $40. Application may be made via the internet at www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Civil-Service. Payment must be made by VISA or MasterCard credit card and there will be an additional convenience fee of $1.95. An acknowledgement of receipt of application will be sent to all internet applicants via e-mail. The application processing fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.

The application processing fee may be waived for Suffolk County residents who are veterans, active duty military, members of the reserves or National Guard, auxiliary police, firefighters, members in good standing of a local fire district or ambulance company, members of a Volunteer Fire Department and volunteer CERT members. Internet applicants should complete the “Request for Application Fee Waiver and Certification” form online. All claims for application fee waiver are subject to verification.

DUTIES

An employee in this class performs paraprofessional duties of supportive service functions associated with the implementation and delivery of agency programs and services. Employees in this class are assigned to a Family and Children’s Services unit responsible for conducting parent-child visitation. The duties require proficiency in both the Spanish and English languages. The incumbent assists professional Caseworkers in the facilitation and supervision of visitation between children and their parent/guardian. The incumbent must exercise some independent judgement when assessing risk and safety of the children and while ensuring the conditions of court orders and/or orders of protection are being properly followed. Work involves considerable telephone or personal contact with clients and the general public. Supervision is received through conferences and review of work completed by a professional social service worker or administrative supervisor. Does related work as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

To be eligible, a candidate must now be serving and have served on a continuous basis with permanent or contingent permanent competitive status as a Community Service Worker or Community Service Worker (Spanish Speaking) for at least one (1) year in the jurisdiction in which the candidate seeks promotion immediately preceding the written examination date. Provisional time immediately preceding a permanent appointment to the same title(s) will be credited.

Necessary Special Requirement

At the time of appointment and throughout employment in this title, employees are required to possess a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State.

SCOPE OF THE EXAMINATION

For candidates promoting from Community Service Worker, this exam will consist of two parts:

1. The written test will cover knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:

1. Applying information;

2. Working with people in human services situations;

3. Preparing written material;

4. Interviewing.

Note: The use of calculators is recommended for this examination.

Note: 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 'General Guide to Written Tests' helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available on line at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.

II. Spanish Language Proficiency Test (Speaking): Candidates who pass the written examination and do not qualify for a waiver* of the Spanish language proficiency test will be scheduled for the language test as the needs of the service require. This part of the examination will be administered during the work week (Monday – Friday) and is designed to evaluate speaking proficiency in the Spanish language at a level appropriate for the position(s) being filled.

Note: *A candidate may qualify for a waiver of the Spanish language proficiency test if he/she passed a comparable or higher level Spanish language proficiency test administered by the Suffolk County Department of Civil Service.

Candidates must pass both parts of this examination in order to be eligible for appointment. Rank on the eligible list will be determined by the written scores only, plus veterans’ credits if applicable.

SCOPE OF THE EXAMINATION

For candidates promoting from Community Service Worker (Spanish Speaking), the written test will cover knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:

1. Applying information;

2. Working with people in human services situations;

3. Preparing written material;

4. Interviewing.

Note: The use of calculators is recommended for this examination.

Note: 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 'General Guide to Written Tests' helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available online at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.

NOTES

1. Should it become necessary to amend any part of this announcement, the Department of Civil Service reserves the right to make such amendment on the Department’s web page without notification to applicants. The most current copy of this announcement is available during the filing period at www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Civil-Service.

2. Expanded Description of the examination subtests.

3. Candidates who apply for this examination and who have not heard from the Suffolk County Department of Civil Service by January 15, 2025 are advised to contact the department before the written test date at (631) 853-5500.

N.Y.S.

DATE PREPARED: October 15, 2024

GENERAL CONDITIONS PROMOTIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT

1. Application may be made using the Suffolk County Application for Promotional Examination (Form CS-203).

2. Applicants may complete a “Request for Application Fee Waiver and Certification” form and submit it with Form CS-203.

3. Unless otherwise stated, candidates must meet the minimum qualifications by the date of the written test, or last filing date in the case of training and experience evaluations. Unless otherwise stated, part-time experience will be pro-rated.

4. Candidates found ineligible to compete in the written examination may appeal to the Department of Civil Service for reconsideration prior to the last filing date appearing on this announcement. Appeals received on or after the last filing date will not be considered.

5. Candidates who fail the examination, or who fail to appear for the examination as scheduled, will be eliminated from further consideration for purposes of this competition. Unless otherwise specified, the final rank order of the eligible list will be determined on the basis of the scores received on the written test, plus seniority and veterans' credits where appropriate.

6. Eligible applicants will be notified when and where to appear for examination. If an application is rejected, due notice will be sent.

7. Unless specifically prohibited by the examination instructions, 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.

8. Eligible lists resulting from promotional examinations are only certified to the jurisdiction in which a candidate is employed. In accordance with Section 52 of the Civil Service Law, for county service, first consideration in appointment will be given to employees in the department where a vacancy occurs after which appointments will be made from the general eligible list.

9. When an examination is prepared and rated by the Suffolk County Department of Civil Service, the provisions of the Suffolk County Civil Service Rules dealing with the rating of examination will apply.

10. When the examination is 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 which deal with the rating of examination will apply.

11. The eligible list established as a result of this examination will remain in force for at least one year and may be extended by the Department of Civil Service for a maximum of four years. Changing conditions may make it necessary to certify to future vacancies at higher or lower salaries than those announced.

12. Information regarding eligibility for veterans' credits appears on the promotional application form.

13. For each six months of continuous permanent competitive service within the jurisdiction, to a maximum of 20 years, .10 credits for seniority will be added to the scores of passing candidates only.

14. Inquiries may be made as to character and ability and all statements made by candidates are subject to verification. Some employers may require the candidate to be fingerprinted and to pass a background investigation.

15. Candidates must be medically, physically and psychologically capable of performing the duties of the job. Candidates who are appointed to positions in the Suffolk County service may be required to pass qualifying medical and/or physical and/or psychological evaluations.

16. Saturday Sabbath Observers and handicapped persons: If special arrangements for testing are required, indicate this on your application.

17. No smoking is permitted in the building or on the grounds of the examination site.

18. If you will be on active military duty with the armed forces of the United States on the date of this test, please contact the Department of Civil Service before the last filing date appearing on this announcement for alternate test date information.

19. Multiple Examinations Scheduled for the Same Date: If you have applied to take a written test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, towns, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must notify each of the local jurisdictions no later than two weeks before the test date, so they can make arrangements for taking all test at one test site. All examinations for positions in State government will be held at a State examination center. If you have any questions please call the Suffolk County Department of Civil Service at (631) 853-5500.

20. For information regarding a weather-related cancellation of this examination, please refer to our website at www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/CivilService and click on the “Weather Related Exam Cancellations” link. Civil Service Announcements are shown at the bottom of that page.

Suffolk County Department of Civil Service

725 Veterans Memorial Highway

William J. Lindsay County Complex, Bldg. # 158

P. O. Box 6100

Hauppauge, NY 11788-0099

Phone (631) 853-5500