November 10, 2022

Exam Fee Waiver for Veterans Has Been Expanded To Include Spouses.

City Is Expanding Its Veteran or Disabled Veteran Credit To Include All Veterans Who Served During Both Peacetime and Times of Conflict.

NEW YORK - New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Dawn M. Pinnock and NYC Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS) Commissioner James W. Hendon today announced that spouses of United States Armed Services Veterans will be entitled to a one-time waiver of the application fee required to apply for the City of New York's civil service examinations. This is an extension of the previous policy which grants an unlimited number of fee waivers for Veterans on all exams for City employment. It is a joint effort to remove barriers for employment for Veterans and their families and make it easier to add them to the City’s workforce. Civil service exam fees range from $40 to $101 based on the starting salary for the job.

“Veterans are not the only ones who make sacrifices to protect our freedoms, so do their families, and especially their spouses,” said DCAS Commissioner Dawn M. Pinnock. “By granting spouses of Veterans a fee waiver for a civil service exam, we are acknowledging their strength and reminding them that we are in need of that level of commitment in the City’s workforce. We welcome their skillsets and encourage them to serve the City of New York.”

“Military spouses are the backbone of any military family—their steadfast resolve at home is what allows their partner to focus on the mission at hand,” said James W. Hendon, Commissioner for the NYC Department of Veterans’ Services. “Today’s announcement that spouses of Veterans will be entitled to a one-time application fee waiver for NYC civil service exams is a reminder of our commitment to acknowledging and supporting the sacrifice of our military spouses.”

To qualify for the one-time fee waiver for spouses of Veterans, when applying, applicants must be married or be a domestic partner of a Veteran who received an honorable discharge or have been released under honorable conditions from the Armed Forces of the United States. This includes service in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard, including all components thereof, and the National Guard if called to active duty; and have served on full-time active duty other than for training. Spouses of Veterans using the one-time waiver will need to submit their spouse’s DD-214, or orders on Armed Forces letter head, and proof of marriage or domestic partnership to the Veteran. The one-time fee waiver for spouses of Veterans can be used to waive the application fee for any single examination for appointment or promotion to a position with the City of New York. There are currently nearly 8,000 Veterans who are part of the City’s workforce, and between 2018 and 2022, DCAS has waived the application fee for over 2,300 Veterans. Veterans hold unique skillsets and are encouraged to pursue careers in city government.

Qualifications for interested Veterans are the same as those required for spouses. The Veteran must have received an honorable discharge or have been released under honorable conditions from the Armed Forces of the United States. Veterans are eligible to have fees waived for unlimited examinations for appointment or promotion to a position working for the City. This initiative further satisfies the City’s goal of attracting a talented workforce and waiving civil service application fees for Veterans offers a small way to thank them for their service.

In addition to the fee waivers for Veterans and their spouses, the City is also expanding its Veteran or Disabled Veteran Credit to include all Veterans who served during both peacetime and times of conflict. Previously, only Veterans who served during times of conflict were eligible for civil service exam credits. U.S. Armed Forces Veterans who have taken a City civil service exam can also apply to receive Veterans’ or disabled Veterans’ credits, which can raise the score of a test taker on competitive education and experience-based tests. For more information, please refer to the Special Circumstances Guide.

Those who qualify and are interested can register for the City of New York's civil service examinations through its Online Application System (OASys). Certain exams are offered online and others are offered in-person. The City’s Computer-based Testing and Application Centers (CTACs), available in all five boroughs, are available to register for exams and to take certain exams. To learn more about careers in city government and upcoming civil service exams, visit nyc.gov/dcas.

Veterans who would like to know more about DVS and its services can contact 212-416-5250 or visit the DVS website.

About the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services

The NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) makes city government work for all New Yorkers. Our commitment to equity, effectiveness, and sustainability guides our work providing City agencies with the resources and support needed to succeed, including:

• Recruiting, hiring, and training City employees.
• Managing 55 public buildings.
• Acquiring, selling, and leasing City property.
• Purchasing over $1 billion in goods and services for City agencies.
• Overseeing the greenest municipal vehicle fleet in the country.
• Leading the City’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions from government operations.

Learn more about DCAS by visiting nyc.gov/dcas and by following us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and listening to the Inside Citywide podcast.

About the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services

The NYC Department of Veterans’ Services’ mission is to connect, mobilize, and empower New York City’s Veteran community to foster purpose-driven lives for US Military service members – past and present – in addition to their caregivers, survivors, and families. We assist NYC Veteran community members on issues that include, but are not limited to employment, housing, food security, wellbeing, benefits, culture, and targeted advocacy. For more information, visit the DVS website, call 212-416-5250, email DVS, or follow DVS on social media @nycveterans.