New York Section 55-c Appointments for Veterans with Disabilities
Up to 500 State positions in the noncompetitive class, filled without an examination by disabled veterans (a compensable VA rating, 10% or more) or by veterans the Department of Civil Service's employee health service certifies as disabled but able to do the job; combat-wounded Purple Heart veterans get priority.
Also called: 55-c, Section 55-c, non-competitive, state jobs, wartime, Purple Heart, 500 positions, disabled veterans.
Section 55-c of the Civil Service Law lets the Civil Service Commission designate up to 500 positions, full-time or part-time, "with duties such as can be performed by disabled veterans and veterans with disabilities"; they are classified in the noncompetitive class, so no open-competitive examination is held, and agencies must mark postings "55-c Eligible".
This is structurally different from the examination credits under section 85. Credits improve a score on a list. Section 55-c removes the list from the process: an agency may appoint a qualified candidate directly, which matters enormously for a candidate whose disability makes a timed written examination a poor measure of their ability.
Who can be appointed. Two groups: (a) disabled veterans as section 85(1)(b) defines them, that is, veterans the VA has found entitled to compensation for a service-connected disability (10% or more); and (b) veterans as section 85(1)(a) defines them (wartime or campaign service) "who shall have been certified by the employee health service of the department as being disabled but capable of performing the duties", which needs no VA rating at all. A Purple Heart is not a separate route: "Priority in certification and referral" goes to veterans wounded in combat, as shown by the Purple Heart, where the wound causes or substantially contributes to the impairment. The consolidated laws print two sections numbered 55-c; this is the one on veterans.
Because appointments are capped at 500 statewide at any one time, availability moves. A candidate should register with the Department of Civil Service rather than waiting for a posting, since agencies draw from the registry.
An appointment made under section 55-c is a real State position with the usual salary and benefits, and the employee may take promotional examinations on the same terms as competitive-class employees (subdivision 2), where the section 85 credits may still be available if they were not spent.
A veteran who qualifies for both section 55-c and the section 85 credits should consider using 55-c first, since it does not consume the one-time examination credits.
Thresholds
Thresholds for New York Section 55-c Appointments for Veterans with Disabilities
Gate
Rule
Service-connected disability rated 10% or more
The disability test is a service-connected disability rated 10% or more. A veteran below that does not qualify on the rating path.
Certified disabled but capable by the employee health service
A wartime or campaign veteran certified by the Department of Civil Service's employee health service as disabled but able to do the job qualifies without a VA rating; combat-wounded Purple Heart veterans get priority in certification. The rating filter cannot test that certification.
Eligibility rule “A Purple Heart, in place of the rating” renamed “Certified disabled but capable by the employee health service”.
Eligibility rule “Certified disabled but capable by the employee health service” now reads: “A wartime or campaign veteran certified by the Department of Civil Service's employee health service as disabled but able to do the job qualifies without a VA rating; combat-wounded Purple Heart veterans get priority in certification. The rating filter cannot test that certification.”
Summary reworded.
And 4 more changes.
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Disclaimer
VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.