Non-competitive Minimum Qualifications (NY HELPS appointed):
One year of clerical experience.
Competitive Minimum Qualifications (non-NY HELPS appointed):
Promotion: one year as an Office Assistant 1; or one year of permanent service in a clerical or keyboarding title allocated to Grade 6 or higher.

Non-supervisory Office Assistant 2 positions perform complicated clerical and office support activities that require substantive knowledge of the program and/or of the program's governing laws, rules, or regulations. Such laws, rules, or regulations may be subject to frequent change. Incumbents typically handle sensitive applications, requests, or inquiries in which management or executive staff may be contacted or interested. They process applications or requests that do not meet normal parameters and may require additional research and consultation with higher level staff. They also perform activities that may require coordination with internal or external parties.
Duties of non-supervisory Office Assistants 2 may include the following:
Design clerical processing procedures.
Gather, compile, and prepare data from manual or automated files and other sources for various reports, publications, records, or other external or internal communications.
Respond to questions concerning the operation of the unit or program area.
Write responses to correspondence.
Resolve work problems.
Review forms and applications and make appropriate determinations.
Coordinate arrangements for meetings, courses, and other gatherings arrange for rooms, take attendance, and ensure that appropriate materials and equipment are available.

Important Notice for those appointed under NY HELPS:
This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).
For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title maybe filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply. At this time, agencies may recruit and hire employees by making temporary appointments. In May 2024, if a temporary NY HELPS employee is satisfactorily performing in the position, the appointment will be changed from temporary pending Civil Service Commission Action to permanent non-competitive and the official probationary period will begin.
At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.