Research

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of Municipal Survey Section inspection reports on city and county (including New York City) civil service commissions.

These reports are used to correct problems in municipal civil service practices and to ensure conformance with law and regulations throughout New York. They are distributed to each State Civil Service Commissioner, each member of the inspected municipal commission, the Administrative Director of the Department of Civil Service, and the Director of the Municipal Services Division.

Reports contain detailed information in a standard format on municipal civil service regulations and practices and recommendations for their improvement. Reports vary in length but most cover the following topics: municipal civil service rules, classification of positions, examination administration, recruitment, eligible lists, record keeping, payroll certification, and provisional appointments. Some reports contain appendices of title lists, sample examinations, rosters, and other material documenting or illustrating points made in the report.

Filed with the reports are relevant correspondence and memoranda. This includes municipal commissioners' replies to the reports, survey fact sheets containing summary data (i.e. municipal commissioners' names and salaries, and number of employees in various classifications), and transmittal memoranda. This series also includes special investigative reports on municipal examination procedures. These investigations were prompted by information uncovered during a routine inspection, complaints to the State Commission, or legal actions taken against a municipal commission. Special investigative reports contain information on the following: history of the investigation, investigative methods used, findings, analysis of findings, and recommendations. Most reports also contain supporting documentation such as case studies of examinations, transcripts of testimony, correspondence, and memoranda.