Information Aide

Information Aide

SALARY: Range $15.00 - $21.11

TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT: Part-time

ISSUE DATE: 11/01/23

THE FINAL DATE TO FILE APPLICATIONS: 11/08/23

DATE THAT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM POSTING: 11/09/23

RESIDENCY: Candidates must have been legal residents of Tompkins County or one of the six adjoining counties (Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Schuyler, Seneca, Tioga) for at least one month immediately preceding the date of application and maintain residency. For Examinations: The eligible list resulting from the examination will be established in accordance with the final earned numerical ratings of passing candidates regardless of residence. A municipality or district may exercise its right under section 23-4-a. of Civil Service Law to request a certification of eligible candidates who have been residents of that municipality or district for at least one month prior to appointment. After the names of residents have been exhausted, Tompkins County must then certify the names of non-residents on the list.

OPEN MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Completion of at least the ninth grade.

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:

Incumbents with at least two years of permanent non-competitive class status in this title will be provided opportunities to take promotion examinations for which this title is determined, by the Commissioner of Human Resources, to be appropriate preparation. In every instance, an open-competitive examination will be held in conjunction with the promotion test.

Tompkins County is committed to Equity and Inclusion. We encourage those with similar values to apply.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:

Information Aide is an entry-level non-competitive class position consisting mainly of face-to-face public contact. The incumbent is responsible for staffing an information desk, directing visitors to governmental offices and giving out general information concerning the business conducted by the civil division. Basic clerical skills are not necessary or required in order to perform the essential functions of this position. Employees in this class must be courteous in dealing with the public and must be able to provide verbal information clearly and accurately. The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of a higher-level staff person. Supervision of others is not a function of this class. Over time, the incumbent is expected to learn, grow professionally, and take promotion examinations with the goal of transitioning to an entry-level competitive class position/title. Any such promotions will be in accordance with conditions specified in Section 52-12 of the New York State Civil Service law. The incumbent will perform all related duties as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:

• Learns as much as possible about the public agency to which assigned;
• Provides verbal information to the walk-in public regarding the location and general function of various government
• agencies or programs;
• May provide information to the public over the telephone regarding the location and function of a government agency;
• May act as an internal messenger or courier for a government agency;
• May maintain bulletin boards and furnish offices and meeting rooms with supplies;
• May set up conference rooms for meetings;
• May be required to dust, vacuum and keep the general area to which assigned clean, neat and orderly;
• Is expected to make an effort to learn elementary clerical tasks while stationed as Information Aide;
• Attends meetings, trainings, workshops as required;
• After two years of permanent non-competitive class status, the incumbent is expected to take appropriate promotion

examinations as they occur.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

• Good knowledge of the functions and layout of the civil division to which assigned;
• Specific skill sets are not generally expected or required upon hire but will be developed over time;
• Ability to successfully work with and serve a diverse local community;
• Ability to speak clearly and provide accurate information to customers of the agency;
• Ability to understand and follow oral directions;
• Ability to interact others, understand their needs and provide the information or assistance necessary;
• Ability to establish rapport and deal effectively with the public;
• Initiative, tact and courtesy are all required traits.
• Must be friendly, personable, pleasant, and outgoing.
• The employee's physical condition must be commensurate with the demands of the position.

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Originally created 2010

FURTHER INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS

Falsification of any part of the "Application for Employment" will result in disqualification.

Accepted candidates will be notified when and where to appear for the examination. If you do not receive your notice to appear at least three days before the date of the written examination, call Tompkins County Department of Human Resources at 274-5526. If an application is disapproved, due notice will be sent. This department does not make formal acknowledgment of the receipt of an application or take responsibility for non-delivery or postal delay.

Applicants must answer every question on the application form and make sure that the application is complete in all respects. Incomplete applications will be disapproved.

ACTIVE MILITARY PERSONNEL, VETERANS OR DISABLED VETERANS desiring to claim additional credit will request the Veterans Credits application form, at any time between the date of application for examination(s) and the date of the establishment of the resulting eligible list. You must meet the requirements set by NYS for these credits and they may be used only once. YOU MAY NOT CLAIM ADDITIONAL CREDITS AFTER THE ELIGIBLE LIST HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. IT IS THE CANDIDATE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO REQUEST THE VETERANS CREDIT APPLICATION FORMS AND TO SUBMIT THESE FORMS AND ANY SUPPORTING PAPERWORK BEFORE THE ELIGIBLE LIST IS ESTABLISHED. Tompkins County's written examinations are prepared and rated by the New York State Department of Civil Service in accordance with Section 23-2 of Civil Service Law. The provisions of the New York State Civil Service Rules and Regulations, which deal with the rating and review of the examinations apply.

The duration of the eligible lists may be fixed for a minimum of one and a maximum of four years and may be extended beyond four years if there has been a restriction against the filling of vacancies in that title. The candidates must complete a separate "Application for Employment" for each open-competitive and/or promotional examination that the candidate is eligible to take.

All experience required meeting the acceptable training and experience is full-time experience. (Part-time experience will be credited on a prorated basis).

Appointment from an eligible list must be made from the top three candidates willing to accept the appointment.

Tompkins County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. As part of its efforts to provide employment opportunities to the physically handicapped, Tompkins County Civil Service has adopted a rule permitting the employment of qualified physically handicapped persons without competitive examination (pursuant to Section 55 of Civil Service Law). If you meet the minimum qualifications for this position and wish to know more about this rule, please contact the Tompkins County Department of Human Resources Office.

Unless otherwise notified, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand-held, and solar or battery powered calculators. Devices with Typewriter Keyboards, Spell Checkers, Personal Digital Assistants, Address Books, Language Translators, Dictionaries or any similar devices are prohibited. You may not bring books or other reference materials.

CROSS-FILING - APPLYING FOR CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS WHEN EXAMINATIONS ARE SCHEDULED ON THE SAME DATE: When applying for examinations across multiple jurisdictions - all of which are scheduled on the same day - you must submit a Tompkins County Cross-Filing Form. This form must be submitted no later than 4:30 PM on the final filing date of the examination. On this form, list each examination that you are taking and then tell us where you would like to sit. The purpose is to ensure that all of the test materials for the various examinations that you are taking will be available in one location. If you do not provide the cross-filing form to us by the final filing date, we cannot ensure that we can accommodate your desire to cross-file. If any of the examinations are State level examinations, you must sit at the State test center. You will still need to complete the Tompkins County cross-filing form. If sitting at the State site, the State will notify you of when and where to report for your examination(s) and you should bring all admittance letters to the State site. If you are not taking a State examination, bring all admittance letters to your chosen testing site. If you have any question please call Tompkins County Department of Human Resources Department (607) 274-5526. The Cross File form is located at

FOR RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION AND HANDICAPPED PERSONS: If special arrangements for testing are required, please indicate this on your application.

ALL CANDIDATES FOR EMPLOYMENT FOR POSITIONS IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND BOCES GOVERNED BY TOMPKINS COUNTY CIVIL SERVICE MAY HAVE THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL REQUIREMENT. PER CHAPTER 180 OF THE LAWS OF 2000, AND BY REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION, TO BE EMPLOYED IN A POSITION DESIGNATED BY A SCHOOL DISTRICT OR BOCES AS INVOLVING DIRECT CONTACT WITH STUDENTS, A CLEARANCE FOR EMPLOYMENT FROM THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRED. In conformance with Section 85-a of the Civil Service Law, children of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duties 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 has served. If you are qualified to participate in this examination and are a child of firefighter or police officer killed in the line of duties 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.”

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: Applicants may be required to undergo a State and national criminal history background investigation, which will include a fingerprint check, to determine suitability for appointment. Failure to meet the standards for the background investigation may result in disqualification.

TOMPKINS COUNTY PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT, 125 EAST COURT STREET, ITHACA, NY 14850