Salary : $50,446.08 - $61,324.56 Annually

Location : Sacramento, CA

Job Type: Permanent Full-Time

Job Number: 28111-D

Department: County Wide

Opening Date: 03/20/2024

Closing Date: 7/24/2024 5:00 PM Pacific

The Position

Come join one of !

This is a limited continuous filing exam. Next filing cut-offs are at 5:00 pm on:

4/3/2024, 5/1/2024, 5/29/2024, 6/26/2024, 7/24/2024 (Final)

Under general supervision, a Legal Secretary II performs a wide variety of complex legal clerical work requiring independent judgment and discretion, and is subject to minimal work direction and instruction. Positions allocated to this class frequently provide lead direction to other clerical staff. The range of duties typically involves performing work in multiple, unrelated areas of law and for several attorneys, and/or other staff. Incumbents may be required to use shorthand to perform some work assignments.

Examples of Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of

Purpose, format, and processing procedures of a wide variety of legal forms and documents
Legal terminology, spelling and usage
English grammar, punctuation, spelling and usage with emphasis on composition of both general business and legal correspondence
Basic procedures of the court system regarding processing of legal documents and filing deadlines
Basic structure of the civil and criminal court system
General clerical office practices and procedures
Basic organization of a law library
Basic references for legal clerical work

Ability to

Perform difficult, complex legal clerical work with minimal supervision and instruction
Independently and efficiently maintain records and files
Operate standard office machines and equipment, such as typewriters, word processors, computer terminals, printers, tape recorders, copiers, and multi-line telephones
Understand and apply oral and written rules, directions and instructions
Provide lead direction to clerical staff
Compose complex correspondence and legal documents from brief instructions and by extracting information from a variety of sources
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, other agency personnel and the public
Communicate clearly and concisely orally and in writing

Employment Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Either: 1. One year of experience in Sacramento County service in the class of Legal Secretary I.

Or: 2. Two years of clerical experience involving the preparation and processing of legal documents for court action such as those described in the Examples of Duties. Education or training from an accredited college, business school, or training school that is directly related to the Knowledge and Abilities specified for this class may be substituted for a maximum of one year of the required experience (30 semester units or 45 quarter units equal one year of experience.)

Note: If the word "experience" is referenced in the minimum qualifications, it means full-time paid experience unless the minimum qualification states that volunteer experience is acceptable. Part-time paid experience may be accumulated and pro-rated to meet the total experience requirements.

Note: If the minimum qualifications include an educational or certificate/license requirement, applicants must submit proof of requirements with the application. Failure to submit proof of requirements may result in disqualification from the examination. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. For guidelines on submitting acceptable proof of educational requirements, please click or speak to someone in our office before the cut-off date listed in this notice.

Special Requirements

1. All positions in these classes require the ability to type from clear copy at the rate of 50 net words per minute.

2. Some positions in these classes may require taking oral dictation involving legal terminology. To be eligible for appointment to a "short-hand-required" position, the applicant must have the ability to take oral dictation, using any speedwriting method, at the rate of 100 words per minute and transcribe at the rate of 30 net words per minute. Where the oral dictation skill is required, it is used in performing the typical duties of the class as shown in the "Examples of Duties" above. The Civil Service Commission approved the use of selective certification for this special skill on March 7, 1985.

Probationary Period

The probationary period for this classification is six (6) months.

Application and Testing Information

APPLICATION

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. All applicants must complete and submit an online County of Sacramento employment application by 5:00 PM on the posted cut-off date. Click to apply.

County of Sacramento
Department of Personnel Services
Employment Services Division
700 H Street, Room 4667
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone (916) 874-5593; 7-1-1 California Relay Service
Email
Inter-Office Mail Code: 09-4667

Employment applications and all documentation requested in this announcement must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicant's computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the cut-off date.
Application information must be current, concise and related to the requirements in this job announcement. You may only apply for this recruitment once. Duplicate and incomplete applications will be disqualified.
A resume may be included with your application, however it will not substitute for the information requested on the application.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE

Applicants are required to provide a full and complete response to each supplemental question. The Supplemental Questionnaire is located in the tab marked "Supplemental Questions". Please be descriptive in your response.

Note: Responses of "See Resume" or "See Application", or copy and paste of work experience are not qualifying responses and will not be considered.

Supplemental Questionnaires must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date. Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicant's computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
The supplemental questions are designed to elicit specific information regarding a candidate's experience, education, and training. Responses should be consistent with the information on your application and are subject to verification.
Please provide place of employment, pertinent dates, and concise, descriptive and detailed information for each question.
If a job included responsibilities applicable to several questions, separate the different functions of the job to answer all the questions completely.
Resumes or referral to the application or other questionnaire responses will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question.
If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question.
For many individuals, it is more efficient to develop responses to the supplemental questions in a word processing document and then paste them into the final document to be submitted. Changes or corrections to your Supplemental Questionnaire cannot be made once your application packet has been submitted.
If the Supplemental Questionnaire is used in the Formula Rate exam, failure to complete all of the questions or incomplete responses will result in a lower score. While scoring the Supplemental Questionnaire, the candidate's application and/or attachments will not be reviewed, therefore, a candidate's responses to the questions should be accurate, thorough, detailed, and complete.

FORMULA RATE EXAMINATION (Weighted 100%)

All candidates meeting the minimum qualifications by the cut-off date will have their Supplemental Questionnaire scored in the Formula Rate Examination.

This examination will evaluate the relevance, level, recency, progression and quality of candidate's education, training and experience. The candidate's application or other materials will not be included in this examination. Therefore, the candidate's responses to the supplemental questionnaire should be thorough, detailed and complete. The score from the Formula Rate Examination will determine the ranking on the eligible/employment list for this job.

All candidates competing in the testing process will receive written notice of their examination results by email. Notices can also be accessed in their governmentjobs.com inbox. Applicants achieving a passing score will be placed on the eligible list in rank order. The rank is determined by the test score attained from the examination.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Click for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

For information regarding County jobs:
Applicants requesting reasonable accommodations during employment examinations: For more information, please review the and submit an Employment Exam Reasonable Accommodation

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

As an employee of the County of Sacramento, there will be a variety of benefits available to you. These benefits currently include: health, dental and life insurance; flexible spending account options for dependent care and unreimbursed dental and/or medical cost; and an employee assistance program (EAP).

GENERAL BENEFITS:
Most employee benefits are similar to the following for all County employees. However, some benefits differ, depending on the employee representation unit to which the employee's job classification is assigned. Information about the exact benefits applicable to a particular job classification may be obtained from the Sacramento County Department of Benefits or by visiting

TEMPORARY POSITIONS:
Most benefits do not apply to temporary positions. The explanations of benefits applies to employees in regular positions.

SALARY STEP INCREASES:
The beginning salary and the top of the salary range are usually shown on the job announcement. Upon satisfactory service, salary increases of approximately 5% are given annually until the top of the salary range has been attained.

PAY:
All employees are paid bi-weekly via direct deposit into the employee's bank account. The pay period covers fourteen (14) calendar days, starting on a Sunday and ending on the second Saturday thereafter. Salaries are generally paid on the Friday following the end of the pay period. Employees can set up their direct deposit and access their pay information via Employee Self Service in MySacCounty.

VACATION:
Generally, vacation with pay begins at 10 days annually. With increase over a period of years, the maximum annual vacation with pay is 25 days.

HOLIDAYS:
14.5 holidays per year as recognized.

SICK LEAVE:
Equivalent to 15 days annually, unlimited accumulation. Upon retirement, unused sick leave is converted to retirement service credit.

PARENTAL LEAVE:
Entitles a regular County employee, with at least one year of continuous employment, to schedule a paid parental leave of up to 160 hours upon the birth or during the process of an adoption of a minor child. Parental leave shall be approved by the employee's appointing authority, except where the granting of the parental leave request would unduly interfere with or cause severe hardship upon department operations.

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT:
Dependent upon union agreements, regular County employees may be eligible to receive Tuition Reimbursement. The costs for course tuition/registration fees and required books/supplies are eligible for reimbursement. Tuition reimbursement amounts may vary depending upon union agreement.

RETIREMENT:
Social Security and Sacramento County Employees' Retirement System coverage.

HEALTH INSURANCE:
The County offers a variety of health plan design options to fit individual needs.

DENTAL INSURANCE:
The County provides a comprehensive dental benefit program for regular full-time and part-time employees and their eligible dependents. This plan pays on a set fee schedule that varies by procedure. Any amount over the fee schedule is the employee's responsibility. The yearly maximum is $2,000 per person, not including orthodontia. The orthodontic benefit is 50% of covered charges with a lifetime maximum of $1,000 per person.

LIFE INSURANCE:
The County of Sacramento provides a basic life insurance benefit of $15,000 to all eligible employees at no cost. Additional coverage may be purchased through payroll deduction.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION:
The County offers a Deferred Compensation Program which enables employees to save in a systematic way without paying income tax on either the payroll deduction or the earned interest, prior to withdrawal.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:
The County of Sacramento provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for employees and their eligible dependents. The EAP offers confidential, professional counseling services in areas such as:

Legal Advice/Difficult Decisions
Marriage or Family Relationships
Financial or Credit Worries/Elder Care
Alcohol and Drug Abuse

WELLNESS INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
The County will recognize and award time off to eligible employees who maintain an excellent attendance record.

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT:
The County offers regular employees two separate Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA's). These accounts allow employees to set money aside, on a pre-tax basis via payroll deduction, to pay for medical, dental or dependent care expenses.

DEPENDENT CARE REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNT:
Employees may set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified childcare or dependent care expenses that are necessary for the employee and/or spouse to continue working.
MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNT:
The Medical Reimbursement Account allows pre-tax dollars to be set aside to pay for out-of-pocket expenses that are not paid by insurance or reimbursed by any other benefit plan.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION:
In case of injury while on the job, each employee is protected under the Workers' Compensation laws of California.

SACRAMENTO CREDIT UNION:
The credit union offers loan facilities and systematic saving plans through payroll deduction.

SELECTION AND PLACEMENT

Sacramento County encourages applications from all persons regardless of race, color, ancestry, religious creed, national origin, gender, disability, political affiliation, or age.

Certain age limits may be required by law, ordinance, or Civil Service direction for specific classifications such as those identified with hazardous occupations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Please read carefully the "Minimum Qualifications" section of your announcement. You must meet those qualifications by the application deadline date unless otherwise specified. Your application must clearly show you meet the minimum qualifications by the application deadline date, or it will not be accepted. All statements are subject to verification.

"Experience" means full-time paid experience unless the announcement states that volunteer experience is acceptable. Part-time paid experience may be accumulated and pro-rated to meet the total experience requirements.

PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATIONS:
If the announcement indicates the examination is given on a promotional basis, candidates must hold permanent status in Sacramento County Civil Service by the application deadline date and must meet the minimum qualifications.

OPEN EXAMINATIONS:
Any person who meets the minimum qualifications may apply.

CONTINUOUS FILING EXAMINATIONS:
Applicants are eligible to reapply to and retake a continuous filing exam after 6 months from the date the previous exam results was received.

ELIGIBLE LISTS:
Names of qualified persons who made a passing score on an examination are entered, in order of their final grades, on an eligible list. To fill each vacancy, the hiring department will make a selection from among the top three ranks on the employment lists.

EXAMINATION RATINGS:
Unless otherwise stated on the announcement: To be successful, candidates must obtain a rating of at least 70% on each part of the examination. This may be an adjusted score or an arithmetic 70% of the total possible score as determined by the Director.

APPEAL PROCESS:
Persons who believe their applications have been improperly rejected may request the Employment Services Division to review its decision to reject the application. If the applicant desires to submit additional proof of qualifications, such proof must be received by Personnel Services not less than two (2) calendar days prior to the scheduled date for the examination.

Persons who are disqualified in any phase of the examination may appeal such adverse action, in writing, to the Civil Service Commission, 700 H Street, Room 2640, Sacramento, CA 95814, telephone: (916) 874-5586. Such appeals must be filed within thirty (30) calendar days after notice of the adverse action was mailed to the candidate.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs):

OTHER INFORMATION

VETERAN'S PREFERENCE:
Military veterans who have served during wartime shall be given preference in initial appointment to County service. Such preference shall apply, provided the veteran has first achieved a minimum passing score in the examination. The passing score of a veteran shall be annotated to indicate the veteran's score shall be regarded as 5 points or higher, OR 10 points higher for disabled veterans, only for the purpose of determining the three ranks along with which the veteran's name shall be certified. No score shall actually be changed and no new rank shall be created as a result of application of veteran's preference for certification purposes.

"Disabled Veteran" means any veteran who has served during wartime and, who, as of the final filing date for an examination is declared by the United States Veterans Administration or military service department to be 10% or more disabled as a result of his/her military service. Persons claiming eligibility for disabled veteran's preference must submit to the employment office, on or before the application deadline date, a certification from the United States Veterans Administration or a military service department, dated within 1 year, which certifies the present existence of a service related disability of 10% or more, or other acceptable proof of such disability as a result of his/her military service.
Persons claiming eligibility for veterans preference must submit a copy of Form DD 214 or other acceptable proof of veteran's status on or before the final filing date for the examination. For purpose of this rule "reserve" status does not constitute active duty.

CITIZENSHIP OR AUTHORIZED ALIEN REQUIREMENT:
As required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act, all County employees must be United States citizens or aliens lawfully authorized to work in the United States. Proof of citizenship or authorized status will be required prior to appointment.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST CODE:
Some County Civil Service positions are covered by financial disclosure requirements intended to identify potential conflicts of interest.

CONCURRENT EMPLOYMENT:
No employee may concurrently occupy more than one County position.

SPECIAL SKILL QUALIFICATIONS (WHEN SPECIFIED ON THE APPLICATION):
Persons who have special skills required by some (but not all) positions in a class may be certified ahead of others provided that:

Such special skills are based on the duties and requirements of the positions and are in conformance with merit system and equal opportunity principles, and
The certification of eligibles who possess special skills have been approved by the Civil Service Commission.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT MEDICAL EXAMINATION & DRUG TESTING:
The County of Sacramento is committed to maintaining a drug and alcohol free workplace. All persons selected for appointment to positions must pass a medical examination and a drug test, administered by the County at no cost to the applicant.

DRIVER LICENSE:
Possession of a valid California Driver License may be required for some positions.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD:
Regular positions are subject to a probationary period which is an extension of the selection process. Unless otherwise indicated on the announcement, the probationary period is six (6) months.

AGENCY SHOP/FAIR SHARE FEE:
Some positions require, as a condition of continued employment, that the person either:
1. Become a union member;
2. Pay a fair share fee to the union; or,
3. Meet specific requirements under which an equivalent amount must be paid to a charity.

FINGERPRINTING AND CRIMINAL RECORD CHECKS:
Fingerprinting and criminal record checks are required for some positions.

01

The following Supplemental Questionnaire is the Civil Service Exam for this position and will be used to determine your exam score.
Note: The Supplemental Questionnaire and the Application are administered as two separate documents. The Application is used only to determine if the minimum qualifications are met; and the Supplemental Questionnaire will be used only to determine your exam score.

In order to receive every consideration in the selection process, you must complete all questions with concise but detailed answers and provide all requested information. Each answer will be scored separately. References such as 'See Resume' as a response will not be scored.

By continuing in the exam process, you are certifying that all information provided in the Supplemental Questionnaire is true to the best of your knowledge.

I have read and understood the above instructions.

02

Candidates who are selected for hire may be required to successfully pass an extensive law enforcement background investigation. Select the one box that best describes your understanding of the background requirements.

I understand that if I am considered for hire that I may be required to submit the documentation required for the background and that successful passing of the background investigation is required prior to appointment.

03

The minimum qualifications for the Legal Secretary II position are listed below:

EITHER:

1. One year of experience in Sacramento County service in the class of Legal Secretary I.

OR:

2. Two years of clerical experience involving the preparation and processing of legal documents for court action such as those described in the Examples of Duties. Education or training from an accredited college, business school, or training school that is directly related to the Knowledge and abilities specified for this class may be substituted for a maximum of one year of the required experience (30 semester units or 45 quarter units equal one year of experience).

Select the one box that best describes how you meet the minimum qualifications requirements for the position.

NOTE: To demonstrate that you meet the minimum qualifications requirements using a combination of both qualifying education and experience, the combined totals must be equivalent to two (2) years. For example, if you have 18 months of full-time, paid qualifying experience, you must also have 15 semester (22 quarter units). Education may only substitute for up to one (1) year of the required two (2) years of experience.

Use the following calculations to total your qualifying length of experience and completed units:
- One year of full-time experience is equal to 2080 hours.
- 2.5 semester (3.75 quarter) units are equal to one month of experience.

One (1) year, or more, of full-time, paid experience in Sacramento County service in the class of Legal Secretary I.
Two (2) or more years of full-time, paid clerical experience involving the preparation and processing of legal documents for court action.
A combination of NO LESS THAN one (1) year of full-time, paid clerical experience involving the preparation and processing of legal documents for court action AND NO LESS THAN 15 semester (22 quarter) units related to the knowledge and abilities required for this class.
I do not meet the minimum requirements for this position.

04

Legal Secretary II requires the ability to type 50 net words per minute (WPM) from clear copy. Please select the option below that describes how you meet this requirement. If you do not meet this requirement, please select 'I do not meet this requirement.' Applicants may be required to demonstrate this ability during the hiring process.

I have the ability to type at least 50 WPM. I understand that I may be required to demonstrate this ability during the hiring process.
I do not meet this requirement.

05

Select the one box that best describes the highest level of education you have completed at an accredited college, university, business school, or other educational institution. If you have not completed any education at an accredited college, university, business school, or other educational institution, select none. Proof of education (copy of transcripts, degree, or certificate) must be attached to this application.

None.
At least 30 semester (45 quarter) units in an area closely related to the knowledge and abilities required for this class.
Certificate of completion in legal assisting, paralegal, legal secretary, or other related field.
Associate's Degree or completion of 60 or more semester units/quarter unit equivalent in an area closely related to the knowledge and abilities required for this class.
Bachelor's Degree or higher.

06

Select the one (1) box that best describes the primary area of study for the education level selected in response to the prior question. If you selected 'none' in response to the previous question, select 'N/A.'

Criminal justice/pre-law.
Legal assistant/legal secretary/paralegal studies.
Public safety, ethics, political science, and/or a closely related field.
Communications, business administration, public administration and/or a closely related field.
Other field of study.
N/A.

07

List the education you have completed at an accredited college/university. For all education completed, please provide the degree(s) conferred. For all certificates, please list the issuing authority. If you have not obtained any certifications nor completed education at an accredited college or university, write none.

08

Select the box that describes your full-time, paid experience performing duties that involve the preparation and/or processing of legal documents for court action. If you do not have full-time, paid experience performing these duties, select none.

None.
Less than one (1) year.
One (1) or more but less than two (2) years.
Two (2) or more but less than four (4) years.
Four (4) or more years.

09

Select all of the boxes that list employers for which you have two (2) or more years of paid, volunteer, and/or unpaid experience performing duties that involve the preparation and/or processing of legal documents for court action . If you do have not have two (2) years of related experience working for any of the listed employers, select none.
NOTE: One (1) year of full-time experience is equivalent to 2080 hours.

None.
Federal, state, county, and/or City law/legal office.
Private law/legal firm.
Real Estate office/industry.
Child Support Agency.
Non-profit organization.
Other employer/industry.

10

Select the one box that best describes your paid experience working in positions in which your responsibilities included frequent interactions with customers and/or members of the public . If you have no relative experience, select none.

None.
I have less than two (2) years of experience.
I have two (2) or more but less than three (3) years of experience.
I have three (3) or more but less than five (5) years of experience.
I have five (5) or more years of experience.

11

Select all of the boxes for which you have two (2) or more years of experience that involved independent responsibility for the preparation and/or processing of the listed legal documents. If you have do not have two (2) years of relevant experience, select 'none.'

None.
Civil court documents.
Criminal court documents.
Family Law court documents.
Real Estate related court documents.
Other court documents.

12

Select the one box that best represents the most recent period of time for which you have no less than one (1) year of experience that involved preparing and/or processing legal documents for court action. If you do not have one (1) year of experience preparing and/or processing legal documents for court action, select none.

None.
For the past two (2) full years.
Within the past two (2) years.
Within the period of more than two (2) but less than three (3) years ago.