The NY HELPS (Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide) Program – Local has been a valuable tool for local government agencies, helping to fill critical vacancies with qualified candidates in a more timely and efficient manner. With its proven success, the State Civil Service Commission has approved the extension and expansion of the program through June 30, 2026, following its meeting on February 12, 2025.

The extension aligns with Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State presentation, which emphasized the importance of streamlining the civil service hiring process to better meet the needs of local agencies. The Department of Civil Service sought this approval to support ongoing hiring efforts while continuing to transform the civil service examination and hiring process.

Key Changes to the NY HELPS Program – Local

The program has been updated to:

• Simplify the submission process for local civil service agencies.

• Expand the program’s criteria to allow greater flexibility in filling critical vacancies.

• Extend the program’s duration through June 30, 2026.

These updates apply to agencies utilizing the Department’s examination services under Civil Service Law, section 23(2).

Updated Program Criteria

Local civil service agencies must attest to the following for inclusion in the NY HELPS Program – Local:

• No preferred lists exist for the requested title(s).

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion principles are integrated into outreach, recruitment, interview, and hiring efforts.

• Any promotion eligible list for the title(s) is non-mandatory, with no requirement to exhaust open-competitive eligible lists.

• If three or more qualified candidates are serving in a direct-line, lower-level title within the agency, the non-competitive appointment must first be offered to those employees before considering non-local government candidates.

Excluded Occupations

Certain public safety titles that require centralized examinations, such as Police Officer, Correction Officer, and Firefighter, are excluded from the NY HELPS Program – Local.

Appointment Mechanisms

Appointments under the NY HELPS Program – Local may be made through various mechanisms, including:

• Transfer under Civil Service Law 70.1

• Reassignment

• Reinstatement

• Preferred List appointments

• 55-a appointments

• Appointments from active eligible lists

• Provisional appointments where no mandatory list exists

• Temporary appointments under Civil Service Law 64

Adding Titles to the Program

To add titles, municipal agencies must follow the procedures outlined in Section 20 of the Civil Service Law and submit a rules resolution by June 30, 2025, to amend their local Civil Service Rules.

The expansion of the NY HELPS Program – Local demonstrates the state’s ongoing commitment to modernizing the civil service system, supporting local government hiring needs, and promoting diversity and inclusion in the public workforce. This extension will continue to provide local agencies with the tools necessary to address workforce shortages and maintain essential services for their communities.

For more information on how your local civil service agency is utilizing the NY HELP Program, please contact them directly as it varies by agency.

---