Protecting the Transparency of the Civil Service Process in FDNY Recruitment

This week, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services held a hearing for a City initiative to eliminate open and competitive testing within the FDNY. The City is proposing the creation of a FDNY Cadet program which includes the removal of the competitive testing requirement, as a means to bring increased diversity to the ranks of the FDNY. During the hearing UFA President Steve Cassidy voiced his agreement with the need to increase outreach and recruitment for women candidates and candidates of color, but argued that eliminating competitive testing would open the selection process up to possible corruption and patronage.

In statements released this week, Uniformed Sanitationmens’ Association President Harry Nespoli, NYC CLC President Vincent Alvarez, NYS AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento, and UFOA President Jake Lemonda also spoke out in favor of increasing diversity through wider recruitment, while also condemning against the proposal’s elimination of competitive testing and civil service protections.

See below for President Alvarez’s statement.