Open Competitive

 

WESTCHESTER COUNTY
CIVIL SERVICE CAREER
OPPORTUNITIES

 

County Service · Westchester Medical Center · Towns · Villages · School Districts

Special Districts · Cities of Peekskill & Rye

 

Applications Continuously Accepted
Effective Date: 2/12/03
JBCL:  E0731

Revised: 12/26/19

 

Exam #: 02-030

Exam Date: Continuous
Evaluation of Training and Experience Only

 

SENIOR ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL

Westchester Medical Center

 

A NON-REFUNDABLE $40.00 APPLICATION FEE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATELY NUMBERED EXAMINATION FOR WHICH YOU APPLY.  SEE APPLICATION FILING FEE STATEMENT ON LAST SECTION OF ANNOUNCEMENT.

 

 

Westchester County is only accepting applications submitted on-line for our civil service examinations.  Paper Applications WILL NOT be accepted.

TO APPLY ON-LINE VISIT: WWW.WESTCHESTERGOV.COM/HR

 

 

Candidates may use computers available at the Westchester County One-Stop Employment Center, located at 120 Bloomingdale Road in White Plains, or at local libraries in Westchester County to complete the on-line application. The NON-REFUNDABLE application processing fee MUST be paid on-line using a credit card. Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express and Pre-paid cards are accepted. Please call (914) 995-2388 if you have any questions.

 

Continuous Recruitment Examinations are examinations for which applications are accepted continuously and for which eligibles are continuously interfiled according to the grade received, regardless of the date on which the application was rated.

 

A candidate’s eligibility for appointment will commence on the date the application is rated and will remain in effect for one year from that date.

 

SALARY

 

In accordance with negotiated agreement

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

 

Graduation from a school of law with a LL.B. or J.D. Degree* and either (a) four years of experience in the general practice of law, two of which must have been in healthcare law, in or for a healthcare facility; or (b) six years of experience in the general practice of law.

 

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:  Admission to the Bar of the State of New York.


 

NOTE:  (1) The number of years of experience required in the minimum qualifications is based upon the presumption of full-time employment. Part-time experience will be prorated based on a 35 hour workweek. (2) Verified and documented volunteer (unpaid) experience will only be credited when specifically allowed by the job description or examination announcement.

 

*SPECIAL NOTE: Education beyond the secondary level must be from an institution recognized or accredited by the Board of Regents of the New York State Education Department as a post-secondary, degree-granting institution.

 

ALL CANDIDATES QUALIFYING BY POST HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION MUST SUBMIT AN OFFICIAL (RAISED SEAL AND SIGNED BY REGISTRAR) TRANSCRIPT(S) TO THIS OFFICE BEFORE BEING APPROVED AND ADMITTED TO TAKE THIS EXAMINATION, UNLESS ALREADY ON FILE IN OUR OFFICE.  IF IT IS ON FILE, PLEASE INDICATE THIS ON YOUR APPLICATION.

 

If your degree and/or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside of the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency.  You can write to this Department for a list of acceptable companies providing this service; you must pay the required evaluation fee.

 

CANDIDATES MUST SEND COPIES OF THE APPROPRIATE LICENSE, CERTIFICATE, OR REGISTRATION TO WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES TO THE ADDRESS SHOWN AT THE AND OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

 

RESIDENCE

 

There are no residence requirements to participate in the examination, but preference in appointment may be given to eligibles that have been residents in the appointing jurisdiction for 30 days prior to the examination and at the effective date of appointment.

 

DUTIES

 

Under the general direction of the General Counsel, incumbents of this class are responsible for providing specialized professional services in the handling of legal matters for the Westchester Medical Center. Incumbents render legal counsel to directors, officers and employees of the Corporation, and draft, negotiate and review contracts, bonds, releases, indentures and other legal instruments. Incumbents exercise independent judgment in assigned matters, and provide limited supervision, in conjunction with others, over subordinate professional and clerical staff. Does related work as required.

 

VACANCIES

 

The eligible list established as a result of this examination will be utilized, where appropriate, for filling any current or future vacancies in all agencies under the jurisdiction of the Westchester County Department of Human Resources.

 

SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION

 

There will be no written or oral test for this examination.  Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will receive a rating based on an evaluation of their training and experience against the duties of the position.  Be as concrete and specific as possible; vagueness and ambiguity will not be resolved in your favor.

 

You are, therefore, asked to include in your application a summary of all pertinent training and experience.  You will receive a grade based upon the college degree, continuing education credits and licensed work experience detailed in your application. 

 

When completing the application, indicate all training including any formal course work which was not part of the degree program or which has not yet resulted in a degree, any continuing education programs including convocations, seminars, workshops, etc., in which you have participated over the past six years.  Specify either the number of credits received or the number of contact hours and dates of attendance.   Indicate the date that your license was first issued.


 

You must include a comprehensive description of each relevant position you have held.  Specify your title, the dates of your employment and the number of hours worked per week. 

 

Any statements made in either the official application or supplement may be checked for accuracy.  Any candidate who claims credit that he or she did not actually earn may be disqualified from this examination.

 

CANDIDATES RESPONSIBILITY: It is the responsibility of candidates to provide all necessary documentation and to complete all relevant parts of the application.  To receive credit for experience--either qualifying or against a rating scale--they must show basic information such as employer name and address, name and title of supervisor, hours worked per week, dates of employment to include month and year started and ended, etc.  A copy of a verifiable transcript for required education and a copy of the required license or professional certificate must be submitted.

 

Candidates who submit incomplete applications and documentation may be disqualified.

 

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES

1.     ELIGIBLE LISTS - Successful candidates in this examination will have their names interfiled (placed) on the continuous recruitment eligible list in the order of final scores, regardless of the date on which they filed for or took the examination.  The names of candidates will remain on the eligible list for a period of one (1) year, unless permanently appointed.

2.     FOR COUNTY EMPLOYMENT - In accordance with Westchester County’s comprehensive Drug-Free Workplace Policy and Procedures, and commitment to maintain a safe, alcohol and drug- free work environment, you may be required to submit to a urinalysis and/or blood test.

3.     FOR COUNTY EMPLOYMENT - If offered employment, you will be subject to the Westchester County Fingerprinting Policy under which your appointment may be conditioned on the results of a fingerprinting investigation.

4.     This examination will be prepared and rated in accordance with Section 23(2) of the Civil Service Law.  The provisions of the New York State Civil Service Law, rules and regulations dealing with the preparation and rating of examinations will apply to this examination.

5.     Veterans and Veterans with Disabilities, who meet the criteria set forth in the Application for Examination, may be eligible for additional credits added to their earned scores if successful in examination. CREDITS MUST BE CLAIMED AT THE TIME OF FILING YOUR APPLICATION FOR EXAMINATION AND YOU MUST ATTACH A COPY OF YOUR DD214 SEPARATION PAPERS. If claiming credit as a Veteran with a disability, attach form 102.  If these documents are not submitted within sixty days of filing your application, your claim will be denied. "Active duty members of the Armed Forces have the right to request veteran credits prior to discharge. If you are currently on active duty you should check the appropriate box on the application and attach a letter requesting the use of credits with documentation verifying your active duty status: i.e. copy of military ID, military orders, official documents indicating current service, etc."  See our website section "Special Rights for Veterans" for details regarding the use of these credits.

Veterans who previously used non-disabled veteran credits for appointment to a position in New York State or local government AND, after his/her appointment, was subsequently classified by the Veterans Administration as a disabled veteran, are now eligible for an award of additional veteran credits.  If you are claiming additional disabled veteran credits as a result of the Amendment to Section Six of Article Five of the New York State Constitution effective January 1, 2014, Form 102 Authorization for Disability Record and Form 102S Authorization for Verification of Non-Disabled Veterans Credits Use must be submitted.  Completed forms must be received by the Westchester County Department of Human Resources before an eligible list is established in order to be granted credits on that eligible list.

6.     In conformance with section 85-a of the Civil Service Law, children of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty are 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 a firefighter or police officer killed in the line of duty in this municipality, please inform this office 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.


 

HOW TO APPLY

 

APPLICATION FILING FEE: A $40.00 APPLICATION FEE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATELY NUMBERED EXAMINATION FOR WHICH YOU APPLY.  THE NON-REFUNDABLE APPLICATION PROCESSING FEE MUST BE PAID ONLINE USING A CREDIT CARD.

 

APPLICATION FEES ARE NOT REFUNDABLE.  IF YOU ARE DISQUALIFIED FROM OR FAIL TO APPEAR FOR THE EXAMINATION, YOUR FEE IS NOT REFUNDED.  THEREFORE, WE URGE YOU TO COMPARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS CAREFULLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION AND FILE ONLY FOR THOSE EXAMINATIONS FOR WHICH YOU ARE CLEARLY QUALIFIED.

 

THE APPLICATION FILING FEE IS SUBJECT TO BEING INCREASED WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.

 

APPLICATION FEE WAIVER:  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 Social 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.  The fee may also be waived for those who are serving active military duty.  Documentation proving eligibility must be submitted with each application.  All claims for application fee waivers are subject to verification.

 

INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE PROCESSED.

 

Candidates are responsible for reporting in writing, all changes in name and/or address directly to the “Recruitment and Selection Unit” at the above address.  Please include examination number on all correspondence.

 

Westchester County Department of Human Resources

Recruitment and Selection Unit
148 Martine Avenue, Suite 100
White Plains, New York 10601

 

OR

 

FAX: (914) 995-2009

 

OR

 

EMAIL: exam@westchestergov.com

 

We may contact you with exam related correspondence (i.e. Admission Notice, Notice of Exam Results, Request for Additional Information and Transcripts, Disqualification Notices etc.) through e-mail. Candidates are responsible for maintaining valid e-mail and responding to e-mail notifications regarding Westchester County Civil Service examinations.

 

Candidates, who receive disqualification notices and wish to appeal such disqualification, must do so in writing.

 

WESTCHESTER COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.  It is the policy of Westchester County to provide for and promote the equal opportunity of employment, compensation and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination because of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status.

 

www.westchestergov.com/hr