Civil Service, Department of

Mission

The Department of Civil Service is charged with providing human resource management services to State and local governments. The Department assists State agencies with workforce recruitment and placement services, administers tests, oversees job classifications, and administers benefits.

Organization and Staffing

The agency is organized into the following divisions: Merit and Fitness, Employee Benefits, Classification and Compensation, and Commission Operations and Municipal Assistance.

The New York State Civil Service Commission, a separate entity, comprises three members: the President of the Commission, who is also the Commissioner of the Department of Civil Service, and two other commissioners. The Commission adopts and modifies rules governing a wide range of State civil service matters.

Budget Highlights

The FY 2018 Executive Budget recommends $55.4 million ($14.5 million General Fund; $39.0 million Internal Service Funds; and $1.9 million Special Revenue Funds-Other) and a workforce of 347 FTEs, unchanged from FY 2017.

Program Highlights

Executive Direction: The agency leadership provides operational management of the agency and strategic direction for the State as it relates to workforce management. With its agency partners, the Department is actively supporting Civil Service Reform Initiatives such as: title consolidation/skill development; knowledge transfer/succession planning; employee recognition; and exam system modernization. In addition, as the administrator of one of the nation’s largest employer-sponsored health plans, the Department strives to provide comprehensive and affordable health insurance coverage for its participants, while protecting the State’s taxpayers through cost-effective management.
Classification and Compensation: The Classification and Compensation Division is responsible for establishing and maintaining a sound title and position classification system for State government in a manner that ensures equitable pay that is adaptable to market conditions. The Department recently launched a new initiative, C&C Direct, to allow for a better alignment between Civil Service and agency managers in developing classification and compensation solutions.
Staffing Services Division: The Staffing Services Division is responsible for assisting State agencies with staffing the State workforce, which includes providing merit system guidance; planning, developing and implementing examinations; recruiting and placing personnel; and establishing, maintaining and certifying eligible lists. The Department is currently working on updating strategies to improve communications with agencies and candidates, as well as simplifying the examination process.
Testing Services Division: The Testing Services Division is responsible for the development, scoring, and validation of State and local examinations as well as the administration of State examinations. The Department is focused on modernizing its approach to test delivery, enabling greater use of computerized testing and increasing efficiencies in the examination process. The Exam System Modernization initiative includes many projects and program enhancements including increased use of core competency testing to reduce reliance on customized examinations; weekday testing; and enhanced electronic communication.
Employee Health Service: The Employee Health Services Division provides: medical examination services to determine the ability of pre-employment candidates and agency employees to safely perform the essential duties of a State job title; and occupational health screenings to assist agencies in maintaining the health and safety of their employees throughout the State. The Department has implemented Lean principles to address increasing workload volumes and recently completed a project to assess procedures involving workflow in one of its medical clinics.
Employee Benefits Division: The Employee Benefits Division administers the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP), which covers 1.2 million State and local government employees, retirees, and their families. In addition, the Division also manages several other benefit programs, including worker’s compensation, dental insurance, vision care benefits, short-term and long-term disability insurance, and life insurance. Since 2013, the Department has worked with the Department of Health to align the health care purchasing strategies of the New York State Medicaid Program and NYSHIP, which focus on the expansion of Medical Homes and performance-based provider contracting. These efforts align with the Department’s goal of improving care and health, while lowering costs.
Commission Operations and Municipal Assistance: The Commission Operations Division provides support services to the State Civil Service Commission. The Municipal Assistance Services program provides oversight, advice, and examination assistance to 95 local civil service agencies as required by Civil Service Law.

ALL FUNDS
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Category	Available FY 2017	Appropriations Recommended FY 2018	Change From FY 2017	Reappropriations Recommended FY 2018
State Operations	55,488,000	55,488,000	0	0
Total	55,488,000	55,488,000	0	0

ALL FUND TYPES
PROJECTED LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT BY PROGRAM
FILLED ANNUAL SALARIED POSITIONS
Program	FY 2017 Estimated FTEs 03/31/17	FY 2018 Estimated FTEs 03/31/18	FTE Change
Administration and Information Management
General Fund	14	14	0
Internal Service Funds	15	15	0
Commission Operations and Municipal Assistance
General Fund	13	13	0
Personnel Benefit Services
General Fund	24	24	0
Internal Service Funds	129	129	0
Personnel Management Services
General Fund	120	120	0
Special Revenue Funds - Other	5	5	0
Internal Service Funds	27	27	0
Total	347	347	0

STATE OPERATIONS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY FUND TYPE
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Fund Type	Available FY 2017	Recommended FY 2018	Change
General Fund	14,553,000	14,553,000	0
Special Revenue Funds - Other	1,896,000	1,896,000	0
Internal Service Funds	39,039,000	39,039,000	0
Total	55,488,000	55,488,000	0
Adjustments:
Transfer(s) From
Special Pay Bill
General Fund	(50,000)
Appropriated FY 2017	55,438,000

STATE OPERATIONS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Program	Available FY 2017	Recommended FY 2018	Change
Administration and Information Management
General Fund	2,074,000	2,074,000	0
Internal Service Funds	3,246,000	3,246,000	0
Commission Operations and Municipal Assistance
General Fund	717,000	717,000	0
Personnel Benefit Services
General Fund	1,580,000	1,580,000	0
Special Revenue Funds - Other	300,000	300,000	0
Internal Service Funds	29,356,000	29,356,000	0
Personnel Management Services
General Fund	10,182,000	10,182,000	0
Special Revenue Funds - Other	1,596,000	1,596,000	0
Internal Service Funds	6,437,000	6,437,000	0
Total	55,488,000	55,488,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF PERSONAL SERVICE APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2018 RECOMMENDED
(dollars)
Program	Total		Personal Service Regular (Annual Salaried)
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
Administration and Information Management	2,009,000	0	2,008,000	0
Commission Operations and Municipal Assistance	702,000	0	701,000	0
Personnel Benefit Services	1,458,000	0	1,402,000	0
Personnel Management Services	9,838,000	0	8,907,000	0
Total	14,007,000	0	13,018,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF PERSONAL SERVICE APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2018 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program	Temporary Service (Nonannual Salaried)		Holiday/Overtime Pay
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
Administration and Information Management	0	0	1,000	0
Commission Operations and Municipal Assistance	0	0	1,000	0
Personnel Benefit Services	45,000	0	11,000	0
Personnel Management Services	900,000	0	31,000	0
Total	945,000	0	44,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2018 RECOMMENDED
(dollars)
Program	Total		Supplies and Materials
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
Administration and Information Management	65,000	0	9,000	0
Commission Operations and Municipal Assistance	15,000	0	3,000	0
Personnel Benefit Services	122,000	0	60,000	0
Personnel Management Services	344,000	0	36,000	0
Total	546,000	0	108,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2018 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program	Travel		Contractual Services
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
Administration and Information Management	35,000	0	11,000	0
Commission Operations and Municipal Assistance	0	0	12,000	0
Personnel Benefit Services	0	0	55,000	0
Personnel Management Services	27,000	0	279,000	0
Total	62,000	0	357,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2018 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program	Equipment
Program	Amount	Change
Administration and Information Management	10,000	0
Personnel Benefit Services	7,000	0
Personnel Management Services	2,000	0
Total	19,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - OTHER THAN GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2018 RECOMMENDED
(dollars)
Program	Total		Personal Service
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
Administration and Information Management	3,246,000	0	1,819,000	0
Personnel Benefit Services	29,656,000	0	11,667,000	0
Personnel Management Services	8,033,000	0	3,119,000	0
Total	40,935,000	0	16,605,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - OTHER THAN GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2018 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program	Nonpersonal Service
Program	Amount	Change
Administration and Information Management	1,427,000	0
Personnel Benefit Services	17,989,000	0
Personnel Management Services	4,914,000	0
Total	24,330,000	0

Note: Most recent estimates as of 1/17/2017

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