Public Employee Press

Protections for disabled workers

The civil service system encourages the city to hire workers with mental and physical disabilities by setting aside a number of noncompetitive civil service positions for them.

This is done through the Section 55a program, named for a section of the Civil Service Law.

In order to get a noncompetitive position, an applicant must meet the qualifications for the job and be able to perform the basic duties it requires. The applicant must also be certified as disabled by the Commission for the Blind or the state departments of Social Services and Education.

The union encourages DC 37 members with disabilities who are provisional workers to seek noncompetitive appointments by inquring about the Section 55a program at the Division of Equal Employment Opportunity at the Dept. of Citywide Services (212-699-7000).

The union also encourages current Section 55a employees to take promotional exams, if possible. Blind applicants are entitled to have readers to help them take civil service exams.