(a) The Director shall conduct competitive examinations at such times and places as he deems necessary or desirable to meet the needs of the Classified Service.

(b) Unless specifically provided otherwise in examination announcements, applications for admission to examinations shall be accepted on a continuing basis.

7.2 Public Notice of Open Competitive Examinations.

(a) The Director shall give reasonable public notice of each open competitive examination in advance of the deadline date for filing applications.

(b) Notices of open competitive examinations shall be posted on a bulletin board maintained at or near the principal office of the Department of State Civil Service. The Director may also advertise tests in such publications as he deems appropriate and use any other means he considers necessary or desirable to bring the notice of the examinations to the attention of the general public and to those qualified for admission.

(c) Each official notice shall state the place and manner of making application, and any other information which the Director considers pertinent and appropriate.

7.3 Amended and re-enacted effective March 15, 1966 as a part of Rule 7.9.

7.4 Minimum Qualifications and Retest Eligibility Standards

(a) The Director shall establish Minimum Qualifications for each job in the classified service. These Minimum Qualifications shall be included as part of the job specification for each classified job. Appointees to any classified job must meet the Minimum Qualifications established for that job unless exempted under provisions of Rules 7.9a) 2 c), 7.9 a) 2 d), 8.16 d), 8.18, or 5.8. The Director may order the removal or separation of any employee found to have been appointed who does not meet the Minimum Qualifications.

(b) A person whose employment is prohibited by any law or Rule shall not be admitted to any examination, except that where, the Director finds there exists reason to believe that the prohibition will cease to exist within a reasonable time, an applicant may be admitted to the examination and certified for a position but such person shall not be appointed as long as his employment is prohibited.

(c) Whenever age limits are specified in the qualification requirements such age limits shall not apply to any applicant who has had at least one year of experience in the Classified Service in the class of position for which he makes application to be examined.

(d) An applicant who is admitted to a continuously open Civil Service written test series, except those covered by rule 7.4(d)2 may test up to three (3) times for the same test series in any twelve (12) month period provided at least four (4) weeks have elapsed from the date he or she last took that examination.  When an applicant repeats a test, the applicant’s official grade shall be the highest grade obtained on the examination.

1. An applicant who receives a score based on an experience and training rating, except for those covered by rule 7.4(d)2 may apply for the same eligible list up to three (3) times in any twelve (12) month period provided at least four(4) weeks have elapsed from the date he or she last applied for that eligible list. The applicant's official grade shall be the most recent examination.

2. The Director may designate certain exams or selection procedures for which he will establish retest eligibility that is different from that established by rules 7.4(d) and 7.4(d)1. This will be done in cases where the cost of administration per examinee, nature of the test, or other factors make it advisable to limit retesting. The applicant's official grade shall be the most recent examination.

(e) Repealed, effective February 10, 1976.

(f)  The Commission shall establish mandatory training for employees who occupy or are appointed to designated supervisory, managerial or administrative jobs. Each department shall advise employees who occupy these jobs of the training requirements. Employees who fail to meet the required training within the specified period of time may be disciplined or removed in accordance with Chapter 12 of the Civil Service Rules.

7.5 Rejection of Application.

(a) The Director may reject the application of any person for admission to examination or refuse to examine any applicant

1. Whose employment in the Classified Service would be prohibited by law; or

2. Whose conduct has been infamous or disgraceful; or who

3. Does not meet the Minimum Qualifications established for the job for which he or she applied; or

4. Is physically unfit to perform effectively the duties of a position of the class; or

5. Is addicted to the habitual use of drugs or intoxicating liquors to excess; or

6. Has been adjudged guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction of a crime involving moral turpitude; or

7. Has been dismissed from the public service for delinquency or misconduct or has been permitted to resign in lieu thereof; or

8. Has made a false statement of any material fact or has practiced or attempted to practice deception or fraud in his application, or examination, or otherwise in securing or attempting to secure eligibility for appointment for either himself or others.

(b) The Director shall, except in unusual circumstances, reject any application filed after the time fixed for closing receipt of applications as announced in the public notice of the tests, or after a specific number of applications, announced in the public notice of the tests, has been received.

(c) A person whose application has been rejected under this Rule shall receive prompt written notification from the Director. Specific reason(s) for such action will be included in the notification.

(d) An applicant whose application has been rejected or on whom a personnel action has been returned because of a determination that he does not meet the Minimum Qualifications for a job shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to have his case reviewed by the Director or the Director's designated representative. The applicant shall request such a review by writing a letter to the Director. The request must be made within 30 days of the original notification by forms CS-7 or CS-35. The Director's decision shall be final in these matters unless there is an allegation that his ruling has been discriminatory.

7.6 Postponement and Cancellation of Tests.

In the event that a sufficient number of qualified candidates have not made application for a test, the Director may extend the last filing date and postpone the date of test, or cancel the administering of the test and shall, in each such case, give suitable notice thereof.

7.7 Contents of Tests.

The tests for positions of each class shall be practical in their character and, so far as may be, shall relate to those matters which will fairly test the relative capacity and fitness of the candidates to discharge the duties of characteristic positions of the class to which they seek to be appointed with due reference also to ability to develop in such ways as to merit advancement to positions of higher classes. No question shall be so framed as to elicit information concerning the political, factional, or religious opinions or affiliations of an applicant.

7.8 Open Competitive Examinations.

(a) Examinations for entrance to the classified service shall be conducted on an open competitive basis, be practical in nature, and be constructed to reveal the capacity of the applicant for the particular class of position for which he is competing. Examinations may be assembled or unassembled and may consist of a rating of training and experience, length of service, a written objective test, a performance test, an oral examination, or any combination thereof.

(b) Repealed, effective January 1, 1975.

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