Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Martha K. Hirst launched a new website that allows applicants to apply for civil service exams through the Internet. Applications are accessible online at www.nyc.gov/applyforexams, which became operational during today's announcement. The benefits to the City of Online-Apps, the online civil service exam applications program, will include increased accuracy of information by removing the necessity of entering handwritten applications into the database, instant access to applicant data and the capability to make instant corrections, and the reduction of paper. The first exam available for online filing is the Firefighter exam.

"Online-Apps is the next phase of E-Government services that will allow the public to apply and pay online for civil service exams including those tests for the police, fire and sanitation departments," said Mayor Bloomberg. "This online service will reduce costs to applicants in time, travel, and mailing expenses. In addition, applicants will be able to create a personal record and repeatedly return to the City's website to apply for additional exams without reentering the same information."

"Online-Apps is an exciting opportunity for current and potential City employees," said DCAS Commissioner Hirst. "This new program will help to increase the efficiency of the current system, and simplify the process, allowing applicants to pay all exam fees online by credit card or automatically verify applicants receiving public assistance for fee waivers. All that is required is an email address and valid credit card or valid Client Identification Number (CIN) to obtain fee waivers."

"We are very pleased with this new venture which coincides with the opening of the filing period for the firefighter open competitive exam," said Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta. "We believe this will help in our outreach to a wide and diverse population as we seek to expand the pool of applicants."

Online civil service exam applications are the first phase of the New York City Automated Personnel System (NYCAPS), which will provide a single integrated human resources system for City agencies and employees. City agency human resource staff and managers will have access to comprehensive personnel data, and it will be obtained more quickly and more accurately than ever before.