Civil Service Regulations of the City of Buffalo.

MAYOR'S OFFICE,

BUFFALO, February 3, 1896.

Pursuant to section 8 of chapter 354 of the Laws of 1883, as amended by chapters 357 and 410 of the Laws of 1884, I, Edgar B. Jewett, mayor of the city of Buffalo, do hereby prescribe the following rules for the admission of persons into the Civil Service of the city of Buffalo, and for the conduct of persons who may receive appointment in the said service.

These rules shall take effect five days after they have received the approval of the Civil Service Commissioners of the State of New York, and are filed in the office of the city clerk.

Rule I.

These rules shall apply to all persons in the public service of the city of Buffalo, except officers elected by the people, and those hereinafter specified in Schedule A.

Rule II.

The Civil Service of the city of Buffalo is hereby divided into Schedules A, B, C and D.

Schedule A shall include: 1. The subordinates of officers, elected by the people, for whose errors or violations of duty said officer is financially responsible. 2. The head or heads of any department or bureau of the city government and their deputy or assistant. 3. Other persons or positions specifically named in Schedule A.

Schedule B shall include all the positions to be filled by selection from among those graded highest as the results of open competitive examinations.

The positions in Schedule B are further subdivided as follows: First grade - Clerks and employes receiving compensation at the rate of $1,200 or less per annum.

Second grade

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Clerks and employes receiving compensation at the rate of more than $1,200, but not exceeding $2,000 per annum.

Third grade-Clerks and employes receiving compensation at the rate of more than $2,000 per annum.

Applications for examinations must state the grade or position for which the applicant seeks to compete. Examinations will be based upon the qualifications necessary for each grade. Appointing officers will specify the vacancy they wish filled, and the examiners will certify accordingly.

Schedule C shall include all positions not included in Schedules A and B, except laborers or day workmen.

Schedule D shall include all persons permanently employed as

laborers.

The above-named schedules are hereunto attached, and are hereby made a part of these rules.

Any new position, or any positions in the Civil Service of the city of Buffalo omitted for any cause from the foregoing schedules or appendices, is also included in these rules, and until assigned by the mayor to its proper schedule by written designation, approved by Civil Service Commissioners of the State of New York, and filed with the city clerk, shall be deemed to be in Schedule B.

Rule III.

For the purpose of conducting the inquiries and making the examinations mentioned in section 8 of the said law as amended, the mayor shall appoint fifteen suitable persons, citizens of Buffalo, at least three of whom shall be physicians, who shall constitute the Civil Service Commission of Buffalo, hereinafter for brevity also called "The Commission," and each member of which shall be known as a Civil Service Commissioner of Buffalo; and for the same purpose shall, also, upon the recommendation of the Commission, employ a suitable person who shall act and be known as the Secretary of the Commission. Not more than eight of the Commissioners shall belong to the same political party, and no one of them shall be otherwise in the service of the city. Each Commissioner shall, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, take and file with the city clerk an oath, in the general form prescribed for other city officers.

The mayor may, at any time, by filing with the city clerk and the Secretary of the Commission a written notification of the change, appoint another citizen in the place of any one so appointed, who shall thereupon cease to be such Commissioner. The Commissioners

shall serve without pay, and the mayor shall fix the salary of the Secretary of the Commission.

The Commissioners shall from their number choose a chairman to act during their pleasure, and they may, from time to time, designate committees from their own number, to conduct any of the various examinations and classes of examinations. The schedule of rating of the candidates, and the certificate or certificates upon each examination and of the recommendation, shall be signed by a majority of the committee, if any, conducting the examination, and be approved by the chairman of the Commission. During the absence or inability to act of the chairman, a temporary chairman, chosen by the Commission from their own number, may, in all respects, act as chairman.

It shall be the duty of the Commission to conduct all examinations held under these rules, and to ascertain the fitness of candidates. for the service of the city in respect to character, knowledge and ability for the branch of the service into which they seek to enter, and to that end may require the Superintendent of Police to ascertain and report to the Commission such information as he can obtain concerning the character of candidates, and to estimate and determine the relative excellence or standing of the persons examined, and to certify the same as herein prescribed. The Secretary shall keep minutes of their proceedings, and all necessary records of applicants, their examination and standing, and a complete record of all persons employed in the several departments to which these rules apply, and of all appointments, promotions, dismissals, resignations and changes of any sort therein, and shall render all such services in connection with the conduct of the inquiries and examinations above mentioned, as may be required of him by the Commission.

Rule IV.

These rules shall in no way interfere with the right of any officer or Head of Department to make dismissals from his Department, except that no employe shall be dismissed because of his political views or affiliations. In case of dismissal a statement in writing of the specific reasons therefor shall be furnished to the person dismissed upon his demand, by the officer dismissing him, and in that case a copy thereof shall be filed with the records of the office. Every dismissal and other change in the municipal service shall be

reported in writing to the Commission and to the city clerk, within ten days after the change takes place.

Rule V.

Appointments to positions in Schedule A may be made without examination; but the appointing officer shall file with the Secretary of the Commission within ten days after making any such appointment, a formal notification thereof in writing, setting forth the full name of such appointee, date and place of birth, length of residence in Buffalo, nature of previous employment, whether he has ever been in official service before, and if so, when and where, date of beginning of service, and term for which appointed, a specific description of the duties of the position, name of person in whose place appointed, and such other statistical information as the Commission may deem proper for registration; the same to be duly certified by the appointing officer.

In these rules the term "appointing officer" shall be construed to include any person, Board or Commission having the power to appoint to any position in the Civil Service of Buffalo.

Rule VI.

Every vacancy in Schedule B not filled by promotion shall be filled by selection from those who have passed highest in open competitive examinations, subject to the conditions expressed in the following rules.

Rule VII.

Appointments to positions in Schedule C shall be made by the head of the office or Department subject to a qualifying examination only, or, in the discretion of such official, they may be offered for open competition, or for limited competition of such persons as may be named by the Head of the Department; but no person shall receive an appointment to any position in this schedule except upon the certificate of the Commission that such person has been found to be duly qualified.

Rule VIII.

All examinations under these rules shall be conducted under the auspices of the Commission, and shall relate to those matters which will fairly test the relative capacity and the fitness of the persons

examined to discharge the duties of that service for which they are named, or into which they seek to be appointed. For such purpose the Commission shall be satisfied, and shall so certify, that the person named or applying is

First Within the limits of age prescribed for the situation or employment for which named or applying. All candidates shall be at least twenty-one years of age, and not more than sixty years of age at the date of their examination, except as hereinafter provided. Second - Free from any physical defect or disease likely to interfere with the proper discharge of his duties.

Third That his character is such as to qualify him for such situation or employment.

Fourth-That he possesses the requisite knowledge and ability to enter upon the discharge of the duties of such situation or employ

ment.

Rule IX.

Applications for positions included in Schedules B and C must be in the handwriting of the applicant, and be addressed to the "Secretary of the Civil Service Commission, Buffalo, N. Y.," and must be accompanied by the following papers:

First — The affidavit of the applicant that he is a citizen of the United States and has resided continuously in the City of Buffalo for the last preceding year, stating the street and number of his residence, his age and place of birth; the nature of his education and also of his business training and experience, and whether he has ever been in official service before, and if so, when and where; and whether he has ever been discharged thereform, and if so, the reason thereof, and also whether he has been honorably discharged from the military or naval service of the United States, in which case the discharge or a duly authenticated copy thereof, to be submitted with the application.

Second The certificates of not less than three or more than five reputable citizens of Buffalo, each certifying that he individually has been personally acquainted with the applicant for at least one year, and believes him to be of good moral character, of temperate and industrious habits, and in all respects fit for the service he wishes to enter; that they are willing to answer such detailed questions as may be addressed to them by the Commission in relation thereto, and that all such information may be published in the discretion of the Commission.