New York Departments of Labor, Civil Service partner to fill open state jobs

If you’re thinking about a career in state government, New York is working to make it easier to get started.

The collaboration between the Department of Labor and the Department of Civil Service aims to lower barriers to entry to government jobs.

Civil Service Commissioner Timothy Hogues says the partnership includes 10 government jobs centers across the state.

“An individual can see a job opening, they can apply. Then it goes to the agency. The agency looks through the resumes, decide who they want to interview. They can interview, and then they can submit, they can offer the job. So it could be as quick as a day,” Hogues said.

With about 10,000 state government jobs open at any time, Hogues says it will streamline the hiring process, which traditionally can take months.

Promoting the initiative in Albany, Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon touted the perks of working for the state, least of all good pay.

“There’s a lot more: amazing health care benefits, including some care at no cost at all to the participants, something that young people, really- and not so young people- really want, flexible schedules for a true work life balance, because we understand if you have a family or other needs, sometimes five days in an office isn’t ideal for you, a pension,” Reardon said.

Democratic Assemblywoman Pat Fahy of the 109th District, a former state and federal Department of Labor employee, says state workers are vital to everyday life.

“Whether you are helping with the jobs where we check our clean water, make sure we have clean water, clean air, or whether you’re just helping somebody navigate the unemployment system or navigate other benefits that they may be eligible for, these are jobs that really have value,” Fahy said.

Speaking on WAMC’s Capitol Connection, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli added the effort is meant to reverse job losses caused by the COVID pandemic. The Democrat highlighted the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide or New York HELPS program.

“You don’t have to go through the usual civil service testing and the lengthy process that really can be very cumbersome and delay a hiring process, as long as you have certain established credentials. The credentials vary depending on the position you could be hired and brought in and then and then see over time, if you could work yourself into a permanent position,” DiNapoli said.

Hogues adds removing tests and testing fees for many positions also removed another invisible barrier.

“In the past, people thought that they had to know someone to get in, and so they shied away from applying. And so I think that’s what makes things different. And the amount of time it takes for an individual to apply and get a response is a huge difference as well,” Hogues said.

Reardon stressed government jobs centers in New York City, Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Plattsburgh, Poughkeepsie, Yonkers and Hicksville are for everyone, not just the unemployed.

“You don’t have to be an unemployment customer to come into a New York Job Center, and we are here to help people come back into the workforce, find their first job, people who’ve been on the bench for whatever reason, they have barriers, maybe they have disabilities, maybe they’ve been in the service, maybe they’ve been incarcerated. We’re there to help people find a path to a career, not just a job,” Reardon said.

In addition to the government jobs centers, New York has more than 100 career centers throughout the state.