Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Expand Access to Civil Service Opportunities

Governor Kathy Hochul today signed two pieces of legislation to expand access to opportunities in civil service. Legislation (S. 5486/A. 6855) requires the Department of Civil Service and municipal civil service commissions to make civil service examination announcements to the local Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), school districts, public colleges, public universities, local social services districts, and, to the extent practicable, job training programs. Legislation (A. 7155/S. 5494) requires that any time spent as a provisional employee be counted towards an employees' probationary term upon receiving for a permanent appointment in the same title. The Governor signed the legislation in Albany at a stop on the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees’ and the Civil Service Employee Association’s “Staff the Front Lines” Bus Tour, joined by AFSCME President Lee Saunders and CSEA President Mary Sullivan.

“This legislation will help to strengthen the pipeline to civil service, allowing even more New Yorkers to heed the call to join our public workforce,” Governor Hochul said. “New York’s civil servants are the engines that keep our state moving, and from our historic plan to increase the minimum wage and index it to inflation to our initiative offering 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave to more than 150,000 state workers, my administration is committed to honoring their contributions and building a modern workforce ready to meet the needs of our state. I thank the bill sponsors for their partnership in helping attract the best and brightest workers to New York, and I will continue working with groups like AFSCME and CSEA to ensure that our hardworking civil servants have the access, benefits, and protections they deserve.”

Legislation (S. 5486/A. 6855) requires the Department of Civil Service (DCS) and municipal civil service commissions to make civil service examination announcements to the local Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), local school districts, public colleges, public universities, local social services districts, and, to the extent practicable, job training programs. These institutions would also be allowed to sign up for electronic notification of exams.

Legislation (A. 7155/S. 5494) requires that any time a public employee spends in a provisional title counts toward any required probationary time period that the employee must serve when they become a permanent employee in the same title.

State Senator Robert Jackson said, “As a proud sponsor of these vital legislations, I celebrate our commitment to fortifying the path to public service and extending an open invitation to all New Yorkers to join our dedicated civil servants. Our civil servants are the lifeblood of our state, and we're equipping them with the necessary tools. I thank Governor Hochul for signing these pivotal bills. We're not just passing laws; we're paving the way for a stronger, more inclusive public service—a modern workforce that thrives."

Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato said, “Public employees are the backbone of our State. Governor Hochul signing these bills into law ensures that we are moving our State forward by creating equity in our workforce, while also promoting the opportunities for great careers. Together, we are making it clear that our public employees and their families-the amazing men and women who work for our State, are supported.”

CSEA President Mary Sullivan said, "The Staff the Front Lines initiative started by AFSCME and its affiliates highlights the need to recruit public sector workers not just here in New York, but nationwide. As we have all seen, the public sector workforce has been downsized and decimated for quite some time now and that has to change. For the first time in a long time, we have a Governor who recognizes this dire need and who is ready to rebuild the public workforce. We proudly stand with Governor Hochul and AFSCME President Lee Saunders today as partners in this important endeavor. We thank you for your steadfast commitment to public employees and to our union."