Chapter 123:1-9 Examinations

(A) Notice requirements for open competitive and/or promotional examinations. Notice of open competitive and/or promotional examinations shall be sent to each department, district, county, and/or city in which employees would be eligible to compete. Notice shall also be sent to employees where feasible.

(B) Admitting applicants to examinations. No applicant shall be admitted to any written examination more than thirty minutes after the advertised time for beginning such examination. Applicants who are late arriving for skills or interview examinations will be scheduled for the next available session.

(C) Extension of time in examinations. No applicant in any examination shall be given a longer time on any subject than prescribed by the director. The director may establish separate time limits for the individual accommodation of disabled applicants.

(D) Visitors at examinations. No visitor shall be admitted to the examination room during any examination except by special permission of the examiner in charge.

(E) Inspection of papers. Any competitor shall have the right at any time within the period of ten days after receiving notice of examination grade to request, in writing, a review of his or her own papers to learn the markings given on each subject or question and to submit in writing for the director’s consideration, any objection or protest he or she may wish to make concerning the grades given. No objection or protest concerning an examination, not submitted in writing, shall be considered unless it relates to the conduct of examiners, the securing of unlawful assistance by a competitor, or such other circumstances in connection with an examination as would call for an investigation on the part of the director, and which would require that the information submitted be given in confidence. An applicant who exercises the right to inspect his or her examination papers shall not be permitted to again take an examination for the same classification within a four-month period following the inspection, unless an alternate form of examination is given. Inspection shall not be permitted of standardized tests prepared by experts outside the state service, where such inspection would tend to reduce the validity of test results.

(F) Changing of grades. No grades given in any examination shall be changed after the posting of an eligible list, except after the consideration of reasons submitted in writing by the competitor objecting and report thereon by the director’s properly authorized examiners; provided that the director may correct clerical errors of examiners or employees at any time before the cancellation of such lists.

(G) Postponement or cancellation of examinations. Examinations, unless canceled or postponed, must be held upon dates fixed by the director. A scheduled examination may be canceled or postponed by order of the director, for adequate reason. Reasonable efforts shall be made to notify each approved applicant of cancellation or postponement.

(H) Credit for military service. When proper proof of military service, as defined in section 124.23 of the Revised Code, is presented to the director and the applicant, being a resident of Ohio and otherwise eligible, has received a passing grade in any examination for original appointment, he or she shall be granted additional credit of twenty per cent of such grade, thereby receiving a final grade of twenty per cent higher in view of the above-mentioned service. The applicant must submit proof of honorable discharge or honorable separation from active military service prior to participation in the examination.

(I) Repeating examinations. An applicant who has competed in a civil service examination may not repeat that examination or take an examination for the same classification within four months from the date of original examination, unless an alternative form of examination is given, or unless other standards are specified in the examination announcement, provided that the director may waive in writing this rule upon written request from an applicant stating substantial reasons for granting such waiver.

(J) Release time for examinations. State or county employees shall be allowed necessary time off without loss of pay to compete in any civil service examination conducted by the director of administrative services for the classification in which the employee is serving a probationary period. The appointing authority may grant time off without loss of pay for up to two additional examinations during any one calendar year. If the employee wishes to take additional examinations, the appointing authority may require that the employee take vacation leave, compensatory time, or leave without pay.

Effective: 07/01/2007

R.C. 119.032 review dates: 10/20/2010

Promulgated Under: 119.03

Statutory Authority: 124.09

Rule Amplifies: 124.23

Prior Effective Dates: 5/1/66, 1/9/76, 8/24/81, 10/24/83, 11/10/96, 11/14/00

The director shall prescribe the subjects of each examination and the relative weights to be attached thereto, provided that any such determination must have been adopted prior to the date of publication of the examination announcement. Reasonable accommodations may be made for the testing of physically and mentally-impaired individuals in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. A “physically-impaired individual” for purposes of this chapter is any person who has a physical impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities such as performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, or reading.

The director shall determine a passing point for each examination based on the difficulty of that examination, number of applicants, number of vacancies, and other relevant data. When a passing point is determined, it shall be made a matter of permanent record. The director shall require a qualifying grade for any or all parts of an examination providing notice of such requirement is given in the general instructions accompanying the examination. The director shall prescribe that all examinations shall be in compliance with federal selection guidelines and professional standards.

R.C. 119.032 review dates: 10/20/2005 and 10/20/2010

Promulgated Under: 119.03

Statutory Authority: 124.09(A)

Rule Amplifies: 124.23

Prior Effective Dates: 5/1/66, 1/9/76, 9/10/81, 11/9/81, 11/10/96, 11/14/00

(A) Medical examination defined. For purposes of this rule, a “medical examination” is an evaluation by a licensed practitioner of an applicant’s physiological or psychological condition as it relates to employment in the classification being considered.

(B) Licensed practitioner defined. For purposes of this rule, a “licensed practitioner” is a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other appropriately licensed mental health professional such as a licensed professional clinical counselor or a licensed independent social worker who is licensed to perform the appropriate examination.

(C) Examinations for an entire classification. When the director of administrative services determines that medical or psychological qualifications are of special importance to a classification, candidates for that classification shall be required to pass a medical or psychological examination and be certified as qualified in such respect.

(1) Notice of requirement. When a medical or psychological examination is required by the director such requirement shall be published in the examination or vacancy announcement.

(2) Certificate required. When a medical or psychological examination is required by the director an applicant must furnish a certificate from a licensed practitioner who has personal knowledge, from either medical treatment or examination, as to the medical or psychological condition of the applicant as it relates to performance in the classification.

(D) Examinations required by appointing authority. When an appointing authority, with the approval of the director determines that medical or psychological qualifications, not otherwise required for the classification, are of special importance for positions in classifications used by an appointing authority, applicants certified for appointment to or being considered for employment by the appointing authority shall be required to pass a medical or psychological examination. Such examination shall be given by a licensed practitioner to be designated by the appointing authority. The cost of the examination shall be paid by the appointing authority.

(E) Justification. Requirements for medical or psychological examinations shall be justified with appropriate documentation. Each appointing authority shall be responsible for such justification which shall be made to the department of administrative services.

(F) Use of examination results. Results of a medical or psychological examination shall be supplied to the appointing authority and may be considered only after a conditional decision has been made to hire the individual. The examination results shall be the last factor evaluated by the appointing authority before reaching a final decision to make an offer of employment.

(G) Disclosure to employee. Disclosure of any reports prepared by the examining practitioner is subject to Chapter 1347. of the Revised Code.

Effective: 07/01/2007

R.C. 119.032 review dates: 06/16/2011

Promulgated Under: 119.03

Statutory Authority: 124.09

Rule Amplifies: 124.23

Prior Effective Dates: 1/9/76, 1/10/82, 4/5/99