FEE: There is a $12.50 non-refundable examination fee. When filing an application by mail, include a cashiers check or money order, payable to the Fulton County Treasurer. Do not send cash or a personal check. When filing in person with cash, the exact amount must be submitted. If the fee does not accompany the application, the application will be rejected and returned to the applicant. There will be NO REFUNDS to applicants who fail to appear for the exam or fail to meet the minimum qualifications required for admittance to the exam, therefore, applicants are cautioned to review this announcement carefully.

WAIVER OF EXAMINATION FEE FOR UNEMPLOYED AND FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS: A waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household. In addition, a waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are determined eligible for Medicaid, or receiving Supplemental Security Income payments, or Public Assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/Family Assistance or Safety Net Assistance) or are certified Job Training Partnership Act/Workforce Investment Act eligible through a State or local social service agency. All claims for application fee waiver are subject to verification. If you can verify eligibility for application fee waiver, complete a “Request for Examination Application Fee Waiver and Certification” form and submit it with your application by the close of business on the Last Filing Date as listed on the Examination Announcement. (The Request for Examination Application Fee Waiver and Certification form can be obtained from the Fulton County Personnel Department, Fort Johnstown Building, 1 E. Montgomery Street, Johnstown, New York 12095, telephone number 518-736-5574.)

APPLICATIONS: Applications are available at the Fulton County Personnel Department or on the Fulton County website www.fultoncountyny.gov. Examination applications must be obtained and filed with the Fulton County Personnel Department. The Department recommends that you do not wait until the last day to file your application. When received in our office after 5:00 PM, on the last filing date, the application will be rejected and returned to the applicant. The correct examination number and title must appear on the application form. EVERY question on the application should be answered and complete in all aspects. Under “Duties” you must describe the nature of the work personally performed by you, with estimated percentages of time spent on each type of work. This department does not acknowledge receipt of applications or take responsibility for non-delivery or postal delay.

Failure to notify this office of a change of address may result in disqualification for examination or certification for appointment following examination.

Any application you may have previously filed will not gain you admittance to this exam. You must refile a separate Application for Examination during the official filing period as set forth in this announcement.

DISQUALIFICATION OF EXAMINATION APPLICATIONS:

When an application for an examination is disapproved by the Director of Personnel, the candidate will be given ten (10) calendar days to appeal this determination. Your appeal must clearly demonstrate that you meet or exceed the minimum qualifications as set forth on the examination announcement. Additional information must be pertinent, detailed and accurate. Your appeal must be in writing, addressed to the Personnel Department, 1 East Montgomery Street, Johnstown NY 12095, and received in this department no later than 5:00pm of the tenth calendar day. If the tenth calendar day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the candidate will have until 5:00pm that following Monday to submit their appeal.

PLEASE POST CONSPICUOUSLY AT A HEIGHT REACHABLE BY PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS AND WITH OTHER MOBILITY IMPAIRMENTS - REMOVE AFTER LAST FILING DATE 

RESIDENCY: Candidates must, at the time of examination and at least four (4) months prior thereto, be a resident of Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Montgomery or Saratoga County. 

Preference in appointment from open-competitive lists may be given to candidates who have been residents of the locality in which appointment is to be made for four (4) months prior to the date of the written test. For appointment in some jurisdictions you may be required to become a resident thereof in accordance with law or resolution.
 

* * * IMPORTANT CANDIDATE NOTICE * * *

Candidates who have taken a Caseworker examination during July 1 – Dec 31 of this year must submit a signed Caseworker Examination Declaration with the application clearly indicating where and when the examination was taken.

Candidates who file for Caseworker examinations with more than one civil service agency will be required to use the score received in this exam subject to the following terms and conditions:

A candidate is permitted to take a Caseworker examination prepared by the NYS Department of Civil Service only once during each of the following defined periods: January 1 - June 30 or July 1 - December 31.

A candidate who applies and is approved for more than one Caseworker examination during the same six-month period (July 1 – Dec 31) is required to use the score resulting from a single test administration for all examinations held during the same six-month period.

The candidate must inform the civil service agency if he/she has previously taken a Caseworker examination in any other civil service agency and provide the location and date the examination was taken.

A candidate must pay application fees for each examination requiring such fees.

A candidate's placement on resultant eligible list(s) and duration of eligibility for appointment will be determined by the civil service agency conducting the examination(s).

LOCATION OF POSITIONS/VACANCY: Vacancies occur in the Fulton County Office for the Aging and Fulton County Department of Social Services.

ELIGIBLE LIST: The eligible list will remain in existence for a period of one (1) year, unless extended by the Director of Personnel to a maximum of four (4) years. When a list has existed for more than one year, it may terminate upon the establishment of a new list. This list will be used to fill this vacancy and any other appropriate full-time or part-time competitive vacancy occurring in an agency under the jurisdiction of the Fulton County Personnel Officer, anytime during the life of the eligible list.

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS: May be made if you require a religious accommodation, are a disabled person, or deprived of participation on the scheduled date due to active military service. Specific information must be requested when filing your application.

APPLYING FOR CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS WHEN EXAMINATIONS ARE SCHEDULED ON SAME DATE: If you have applied for any other civil service examinations to be given on the same test date for employment with New York State or any other local government jurisdiction excluding New York City, you must make arrangements to take all the examinations at one test site.

If you have applied for both State and local government examinations, you must notify Fulton County of your intent to take both a State and a local government examination. When taking both a State and a local government examination you will be requirement to take all your examinations at a State examination center. You will be advised by letter when and where to report for your examination.

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 site. All examinations for positions in State government will be held at a State examination center. For this examination call (518) 736-5574 or write to the Fulton County Personnel Department, Fort Johnstown Building, 1 E. Montgomery Street, Johnstown, New York 12095.

2024 SALARY: $27.46 

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES (Illustrative but not exhaustive):

Interviews clients about issues of safety, family and personal problems, finances, child care, employment, and physical and mental impairments to determine their nature and degree;

Secures information, such as physical, psychological, family, social and related factors to assess the family's/individual's situation and evaluates these and client's capacities and functioning;

Counsels client individually or in groups regarding plans for meeting needs and assists client to mobilize his inner capacities and environmental resources to improve social functioning;

Aids clients to modify attitudes and patterns of behavior by increasing client self awareness of his or her own strengths and weaknesses;

Reviews existing case records for available information for use in formulating a plan of service;

Works closely with other agency staff personnel in carrying out the plan for services;

Serves as a liaison with various agencies to which individuals and families can be referred for services; community resources and other organizations;

Periodically reviews cases to determine changes in the individual's or family's situations affecting need for service;

Establishes a helping relationship with individuals/families to support and assist in managing changes necessary to resolve identified problems;

Prepares various written documents and completes progress notes often through use of electronic systems;

Provides financial management and guardian services;

In conjunction with supervisory staff, assesses need for court intervention and prepares information and provides assistance necessary for filing and processing of court case;

Provides transportation of children and/or adults to facilitate case plan or management;

When assigned the duties of certifying foster parents, provides MAPP (Model Approach to Partnerships in 

Parenting) training and recruitment/certification activities;

May handle emergency after-hour situations through phone or field contact.

WHEN ASSIGNED TO OFFICE FOR THE AGING (In addition to the above duties):

Works with Social Workers in identifying the needs of elderly who are in a pre-discharge situation to assure availability and continuity of needed services upon their discharge from either a hospital or a health related facility;

Develops case assessments involving the effectiveness of services provided the elderly and prepares recommendations for future actions based on follow-up home visits;

Acts as an advocate for the aged in dealing with public and private agencies;

Provides direction and assistance to the elderly to enable each to develop a capability to work independently wherever possible to satisfy their needs;

Works closely with a variety of public service agencies to make and receive referrals for services for the elderly.

The above examples of duties are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must meet the following requirements on or before the last filing date:

Graduation from high school, possession of a high school equivalency diploma, or a high school individual education plan diploma and either:

1. Possession of a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited or a New York State Registered college or university; or

2. Be certified as a Registered Nurse with one year of experience in that profession.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

1) Department of Social Services incumbents must be available to assume after-hours casework assignments as required. Assignments may be weeknights, weekends, and holidays. Office for the Aging incumbents may be required to work evening programs/events.

2) Possession of a valid New York State driver’s license.

All experience required to meet the minimum qualification section is PAID. 

Part-time experience will be pro-rated as follows:

16-23 hrs/wk….1/2 time 24-31 hrs/wk….3/4 time 32+ hrs/wk….full-time

EITHER #1 OR #2 MUST ACCOMPANY YOUR APPLICATION:

1. If qualifying by A (education option), a copy or photocopy of your official academic transcript showing courses taken and degree conferred (if a degree is required) must accompany your application. If submitting a photocopy, this office must be able to verify it is an official transcript. Your transcript does not have to be submitted in a sealed envelope from the Registrar’s Office. If your transcript, as previously described, does not accompany your application, your application will be disqualified and you will be given ten (10) days to submit documentation to substantiate your qualifications. If you fail to provide a copy or photocopy of your official transcript within the ten (10) day period, you will not be allowed to participate in the examination.

Your degree and/or college credit must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the NYS Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. If your degree and/or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency from a 

member company of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES). You can write to the Examination Information Desk of this Department for a list of NACES members who provide this service. You must pay the required evaluation fee.

2. If qualifying by B, a copy of your license and current registration by the New York State Education Department must accompany your application. Otherwise your application will be disqualified and you will be given ten (10) days to submit documentation to substantiate your qualifications. If you fail to provide appropriate documentation within the ten (10) day period, you will not be allowed to participate in the examination.

SUBJECTS OF EXAMINATION: The written, multiple-choice test will be designed to measure knowledges, skills and/or abilities in the following areas:

1. Establishing and Maintaining Effective Helping Relationships in a Social Casework Setting: These questions test for an understanding of the factors contributing to the development and maintenance of productive client-worker relationships. You will be provided with descriptions of specific client-worker interactions and asked to select the appropriate responses. The questions cover such topics as confidentiality, time management, professional ethics and referral techniques.

2. Interviewing (Caseworker): These questions test for an understanding of the principles and techniques of interviewing and their application to specific client-worker situations. You will be provided with a series of concrete interviewing situations for which you will be required to select an appropriate course of action based on an analysis of the situation, the application of the information provided and the ramifications of various interviewing principles and strategies. You will also be asked questions about the interviewing process and various interviewing techniques.

3. Preparing Written Material: These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order and then asked to choose from four suggestions the order for the sentences.

The NYS Department of Civil Service has published a test guide intended for candidate preparation use for this particular examination. This test guide contains important test-related information as well as sample test questions similar to the questions that will be used in this written test. The NYS Department of Civil Service is making a copy of this test guide, Caseworker Series, and other related information available on its web site at https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.

CALCULATOR POLICY: Quiet, hand-held, solar or battery powered calculators are PERMITTED. 

Devices with typewriter keyboards, “Spell Checkers”, “Personal Digital Assistants”, “Address Books”, “Language Translators”, “Dictionaries”, or any similar devices are prohibited.

AT THE EXAM THE USE OF CELLULAR PHONES, BEEPERS, ETC. IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

VETERANS’ CREDITS: Veterans, Disabled Veterans, or candidates currently in the armed forces claiming the additional credit allowed veterans in competitive examination, must apply for such credit while filing their examination application or at any time between the date of the application but prior to the date of the establishment of the resulting eligible list. The time periods, for which veterans’ credit is permitted, are defined in Question 12 on the examination application. To receive additional veterans’ credit you must file a separate Veterans’ Credit Application including acceptable supporting documentation for each examination. Veterans’ Credit is added only to the score of the examination when the candidate’s passing grade is 70 or higher.

CHILDREN AND SIBLINGS OF FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY CREDIT: In conformance with sections 85-a and 85-b of the Civil Service Law, children and siblings of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty shall be entitled to receive an additional ten points in a competitive examination for original appointment in the same municipality in which his or her parent, sister or brother has served. If you are qualified to participate in this examination and are a child or sibling of a firefighter or police officer killed in the line of duty in this municipality, please inform this office of this matter when you submit your application for examination. A candidate claiming such credit has a minimum of two months from the application deadline to provide the necessary documentation to verify additional credit eligibility. However, no credit may be added after the eligible list has been established. Children and siblings of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty credit is added only to the score of the examination when the candidate's passing grade is 70 or higher.

RATING AND REVIEW: This written examination is being prepared and rated by the New York State Department of Civil Service in accordance with Section 23.2 of the Civil Service Law and Section 7.1 of the State’s Civil Service Rules and Regulations. No reviews of any kind will be permitted nor will any appeals be accepted. The Personnel Department, at the request of a candidate, will verify the accuracy of his/her score, and notify the candidate in writing.

NOTICE TO APPEAR: Approved applicants will receive a Notice to Appear for the written examination providing the location and time. Late arrivals will not be admitted into the exam room under any circumstance. Please contact this office if you have not received a notice to appear for the written examination by July 6, 2024. 

ANY LAST-MINUTE CHANGE OR CANCELLATION WILL BE BROADCAST OVER RADIO STATION WENT (AM 1340) BETWEEN 6 AND 8 AM ON THE DATE OF THE EXAMINATION.

FULTON COUNTY DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, CREED, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, MARITAL STATUS, SEX, RELIGION, AGE OR DISABILITY IN EMPLOYMENT OR THE PROVISIONS OF SERVICES.

ISSUED: 5/2/24