Erie County Civil Service Opportunities

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who uses Erie County Civil Service Lists?

Erie County government departments, towns, villages, school districts and special districts (e.g. Erie County Water Authority) use Erie County Civil Service lists to fill competitive class positions. Erie County lists are not used by New York State, or the Cities of Buffalo, Lackawanna or Tonawanda.

Where can I get an application and announcements?

Applications are available at Erie County Personnel (95 Franklin St., Buffalo, Room 604), all Buffalo and Erie County Public Library Branches, town and village halls, County office buildings, the New York State Employment Service and at some non-profit agencies. You can also download an application right here from the County of Erie website. If you don't already have it installed on your computer, you'll need to download free Acrobat Reader software from Adobe Systems to view and print the file.

The titles of current exams are also available on the Civil Service Exam Line, a 24 hr. taped message at 716-858- 8729.

Where are the tests held?

Most exams are held at Erie Community College - City Campus. Large exams may be held at ECC - North in Williamsville or ECC-South in Orchard Park. Exams usually begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

Is there ever a waiver of the application fee?

No. Erie County does not permit any waiver of the application fee. The fee is used to defray the costs of scheduling and holding exams. In addition, Erie County must pay New York State between $3 and $12.50 for every candidate tested for each exam. Since there are no refunds, you should carefully compare your qualifications against the announced requirements for the exam.

Are study materials available?

In most cases, neither New York State nor Erie County provides nor recommends any study materials. Some materials may be available through public libraries, public employee unions and private publishers. We can make no comment on the quality or usefulness of such materials. New York State does provide some study guides for a few specific exams. Some are available on this website while others can be accessed at www.cs.state.ny.us/msd/map.html

When will I get my test results?

Results are sent by mail 3-6 months after the written test is given. Both New York State and Erie County are working to improve upon that time. Exams are normally scored in Albany by New York State. Review of challenges made to questions after the review session and various statistical analyses of questions can add to processing time.

How can I review my test?

Some exam questions are open to review on the Saturday after the test is held. You must request this review at the test site when you finish your exam. You will be able to see the questions and answers, but not your test paper.

After you receive your grade, you can request a computational review. You will be able to review a copy of your answer paper and the answer key, but not the actual questions. This review is normally held about 2 months after you receive your grade.

I have a Bachelor's Degree and no experience. What exams can I take?

Some of the exams for which you would qualify are: Caseworker, Social Welfare Examiner, Child Protective Worker Trainee, Police Officer and Clerk.

What's the "rule of three"?

Appointing authorities must select from the top three candidates willing to accept appointment. Some examples:
3 scores of 100 (choice of 3 candidates); 1 at 100, 12 at 95 (choice of 13 since all 95's are tied); 1 at 100, 1 at 95, 4 at 90 (choice of 6).

If there are less than 3 candidates, the appointing authority can make an appointment from the remaining names on the list or can make a provisional appointment and call for another exam.

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