8-6139

SUFFOLK COUNTY

PARALEGAL

CIVIL SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

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

· LAST FILING DATE: APRIL 26, 2023

· WRITTEN TEST DATE: JUNE 3, 2023

· COUNTY ANNUAL SALARY $43,404

· GRADE 17

SPECIFICATION # 6139

All statements made on the application may be verified and the backgrounds of successful candidates are subject to investigation by the appointing authority.

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. A separate application and processing fee are required for each examination (identified by examination number) for which you are applying. 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 or Volunteer Emergency Medical Services Agency Explorers programs, volunteer CERT members and members of the Suffolk County Police Explorers program. The fee may also be waived if you are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household and for recipients of Medicaid, SSI, Public Assistance or those in a training program under the Job Training Partnership Act/Workforce Investment Act administered by a state or local social service agency. Applicants should complete the “Request for Application Fee Waiver and Certification” form online. All claims for application fee waiver are subject to verification.

VACANCIES

The eligible list for this title will be used to fill current and future vacancies in Suffolk County departments and non-county jurisdictions under the jurisdiction of the Suffolk County Department of Human Resources, Personnel and Civil Service. There are currently two vacancies in the Suffolk County Traffic & Parking Violations Agency.

DUTIES

An employee in this class provides specialized assistance to attorneys in researching questions of law, investigating facts and preparing various legal documents. The employee may research questions of law preparatory to and during trial for reference and use by attorneys in court. Does related work as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Either:

(a) Graduation from a college with federally-authorized accreditation or registration by NY State with a Bachelor's Degree* in Paralegal Studies; or,

(b) Graduation from a college with federally-authorized accreditation or registration by NY State with a Bachelor's Degree*, and successful completion of a Paralegal Assistant certificate program** given by a college or business school with federally-authorized accreditation or registration by NY State;

(c) Graduation from a college with federally-authorized accreditation or registration by NY State with an Associate's Degree* in Paralegal Studies and two (2) years of clerical experience in a law office, at least one (1) year of which included drafting motions and doing preliminary legal research; or,

(d) Successful completion of a Paralegal Assistant certificate program** given by a college or business school with federally-authorized accreditation or registration by NY State and three (3) years of clerical experience in a law office, at least two (2) years of which included drafting motions and doing preliminary legal research.

*Please attach to the application a copy of your college transcript(s) which must have your name, college name, and date of graduation printed on it by the institution. Grade reports, incomplete transcripts and other similar documents are unacceptable. **Please attach to the application a copy of your Paralegal Assistant certificate which must have your name, college/business school name, and date of graduation printed on it by the institution. Grade reports, incomplete transcripts and other similar documents are unacceptable.

SCOPE OF THE EXAMINATION

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

1. Reading and applying laws, rules and procedures;

2. Preparing written material;

3. Organizing data into tables and charts;

4. Terminology related to criminal law, legal research and legal documents.

NOTES

1. Should it become necessary to amend any part of this announcement, the Department of Human Resources, Personnel and 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. Candidates who apply for this examination and who have not heard from the Suffolk County Department of Human Resources, Personnel and Civil Service by May 31, 2023 are advised to contact the Department before the written test date at (631) 853-5500.

LOCAL

DATE PREPARED: March 14, 2023

GENERAL CONDITIONS OPEN-COMPETITIVE ANNOUNCEMENT

1. Application may be made using the Suffolk County Application for Employment (Forms CS-205A and CS-205B).

2. Applicants may complete a “Request for Application Fee Waiver and Certification” form and submit it with Forms CS-205A and CS-205B.

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 Human Resources, Personnel and Civil Service for reconsideration prior to the written test date appearing on this announcement. Appeals received on or after the announced written test 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 score received on the written test, plus 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-checker, personal digital assistant, address books, language translators, dictionaries and any similar devices are prohibited.

8. When the examination is prepared and rated by the Suffolk County Department of Human Resources, Personnel and Civil Service, the provisions of the Suffolk County Civil Service Rules dealing with the rating of examination will apply.

9. When the written 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.

10. 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 Human Resources, Personnel and 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.

11. Information regarding eligibility for veterans’ credits appears on the open-competitive application form.

12. Pursuant to 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 added to a passing score attained in a competitive examination for original appointment in the same municipality in which his or her parent served. If you are qualified to participate in this examination, and you are the child of a firefighter or police officer killed in the line of duty, please so notify us in writing when you submit your application for examination. A candidate claiming such credit must submit appropriate documentation to verify eligibility to receive these additional credits before the eligible list is established. No additional credits will be granted after the eligible list is established.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. Residency is not required for taking any examinations. However, some jurisdictions, such as schools, libraries, etc., give hiring preference to residents. Some towns also require employees to establish residency within the township. For employment in a Suffolk County Department, with only limited exceptions set forth in Suffolk County Law, residency within Suffolk County is required within five years of employment with the county. In any case in which residency preference is given, the appointee(s) must meet a specific residency standard as defined in the Civil Service Rules.

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 Suffolk County Department of Human Resources, Personnel and Civil Service before the last filing date appearing on this announcement for alternate test date information.

19. Multiple Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day: If you have applied to take a written test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, town, 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 tests 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 Human Resources, Personnel and 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/Civil-Service and click on the “Weather Related Exam Cancellations” link. Civil Service Announcements are shown at the bottom of that page. Also check News 12 Long Island for notice of cancellation of this examination: NEWS 12 LONG ISLAND, TV CHANNEL 12 or at their website: www.news12.com.

Suffolk County Department of Human Resources, Personnel and Civil Service

725 Veterans Memorial Hwy.,

William J. Lindsay County Complex, Bldg. # 158

P.O. Box 6100

Hauppauge, NY 11788-0099

Phone: (631) 853-5500