On September 7, 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul signed two pieces of legislation to expand access to employment opportunities in civil service.
One, Chapter 358 of the Law of 2023, requires the Department of Civil Service and municipal civil service commissions to provide civil service examination announcements to local Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), school districts, public colleges, public universities, local social services districts, and, to the extent practicable, job training programs.
The other, Chapter 356 of the Laws of 2023, provides that time spent as a provisional employee be counted towards satisfying an employee's probationary period upon receiving a permanent appointment in the same title. The bill provides "Notwithstanding the foregoing or any law or rule to the contrary, any person appointed provisionally in accordance with section sixty-five of this title who receives a permanent appointment to the same title shall have all time spent as a provisional appointment credited to any probationary term that is required upon permanent appointment to a position."