Exam Bulletin

Department of Social Services

Exam Code: EX-2168

Examination Plans Included:

  • DISABILITY EVALUATION ANALYST III - Promotional

Final Filing Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Classification Details

DISABILITY EVALUATION ANALYST III: $5,684.00 - $7,114.00 per Month

View the DISABILITY EVALUATION ANALYST III classification specification.

Application Instructions

The Disability Evaluation Analyst III examination package consists of an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and a Training and Experience examination. The link to the examination can be found under the Examination Information section on this bulletin.

Cut-off dates for this examination are the 1st and 15th of each month. Cut-off dates are subject to change, please see below for the most current cut-off dates.

Upcoming Filing Cutoff Dates:

  • 7/1/2024
  • 7/15/2024
  • 8/1/2024
  • 8/15/2024
  • 9/1/2024
  • 9/15/2024
  • 10/1/2024
  • 10/15/2024
  • 11/1/2024
  • 11/15/2024
  • 12/1/2024
  • 12/15/2024

Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) must be received or postmarked by the filing date indicated above. Applications postmarked, personally delivered or received via interoffice mail after the filing date will be processed in the next group.

Results will be sent by mail or electronically within 2 weeks following each cut-off date. 

Who Should Apply:

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Promotional Examination(s):

  • DISABILITY EVALUATION ANALYST III - Promotional

In addition to meeting the Minimum Qualifications, competition is limited to individuals who meet at least one of the following filing criteria:

  • 1. Have a permanent civil service appointment with a promotional testing department (see Testing Departments), or
  • 2. Are current or former employees of the legislature for 2 or more years as defined in Government Code 18990, or
  • 3. Are current or former non-elected exempt employees of the executive branch for 2 or more consecutive years as defined in Govt. Code 18992, or
  • 4. Are persons retired from the United States military honorably discharged from active duty with a service disability or honorably discharged from active duty as defined in Government Code 18991. Applicants must provide a copy of discharge papers (DD 214) for verification purposes at the time of application.

Under certain circumstances other employees may be allowed to compete under provisions of Rules 234, 235 and 235.2. California Code of Regulations Rules 233, 234, 235.2 and 237 contain provisions regarding civil service status and eligibility for promotional examinations.

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 12 months:

Exam Code(s):

    2168

For DISABILITY EVALUATION ANALYST III, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 12 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-02168

How To Apply:

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

You may apply by mail to:

  • Examinations Unit
    California Department of Social Services
    P. O. Box 944243 - MS 8-15-58
    Sacramento, CA 94244-2430

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678).

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

  • California Department of Social Services
    744 P Street MS 8-15-58
    Sacramento, CA 94244-2430
    8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678). All applicants must provide proof of identification. Accepted forms of identification are: 1) a photo identification card or 2) two forms of signed identification.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit their State Examination Application and Training and Experience Assessment packets on time and to ensure the envelope is postmarked if applying by way of U.S. mail or contains proof of timely deposit with a parcel delivery or courier service. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the United States Postal Service (USPS), are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an examination application.

Application packets may be personally delivered between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (except State holidays), to the Department of Social Services, HRSB - Examination Unit, Mail Station 8-15-58.

You may email your completed Examination Packet (STD 678 and T&E):

Examinations@dss.ca.gov
For e-mail submission, documents must be attached as a PDF file to your email, no other format will be accepted.

The State Examination Application (STD. 678) is available through your CalCareers Account or the internet at State Examination Application (Std. 678). Please be sure to include your current email address on your State Examination Application.

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

Minimum Qualifications

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

00105367 - DISABILITY EVALUATION ANALYST III

Either I: One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a Disability Evaluation Analyst II. (Applicants who have completed six months performing the duties of a Disability Evaluation Analyst II will be admitted to the examination, but they must satisfactorily complete 12 months of experience as a Disability Evaluation Analyst II before they will be eligible for appointment.)

Or II: Eighteen months of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a Disability Evaluation Analyst, Range C. (Applicants who have completed 12 months performing the duties of a Disability Evaluation Analyst, Range C, will be admitted to the examination, but they must satisfactorily complete 18 months of experience in Range C before they will be eligible for appointment.

Or III: Experience: Three years of technical experience with primary responsibility for the medical evaluation of the physical or mental functioning of adults or children. (Experience that is limited either to the determination of eligibility for financial assistance or to the placement of persons without employment handicaps is not considered qualifying experience.) (Graduate work in disability determination, rehabilitation counseling, social work, or psychology may be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-basis.) (Experience in California state service applied toward this requirement must include one year of experience in a class equivalent in level of responsibility to a Disability Evaluation Analyst II.) And

Education: Equivalent to graduation from college. (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.)

Note: Applicants must submit a copy of their unofficial college transcripts along with the application package when using education to meet the entrance requirements for this examination.

Equivalent to graduation from college refers to a bachelor’s degree. Applicants must have the number of semester or quarter credits, as well as the required coursework necessary to be awarded a four-year bachelor’s degree.

Position Description

00105367 - DISABILITY EVALUATION ANALYST III

This is the advanced journey level. Incumbents perform the most responsible, varied, and complex adjudication of claims for disability benefits including Residual Functional Capacities preparation; may conduct end-of-line quality assurance reviews, in-line quality review on claims in process, and provide vocational factors expertise on the most complex cases; may act as team leaders and assist in the training of lower level analysts; may serve as disability hearing officers conducting reconsideration hearings; and may serve as Division Support Personnel or Program Specialists responsible for special studies on complex program issues in the Disability Evaluation Program.

Positions exist statewide within the Department of Social Services.

Demonstrated ability to act independently, open-mindedness, flexibility, and tact; willingness to make field visits away from established headquarters.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

Examination Information

The examination will consist of a Training and Experience Assessment (supplement report) weighted 100%. The link to the PDF examination is provided below.

The examination is designed to elicit specific information regarding each candidate’s training and experience relative to the classification. Responses to the examination will be assessed based on pre-determined rating criteria.

Applications will be reviewed by the Examination Unit to determine if the applicant meets the minimum qualifications. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will have their completed Training and Experience Assessment rated.

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Component OrderComponent TypeComponent DuePercentage of Final Score
1Supplemental ReportWith Application100%

Components that are due with your application will be scored and will count toward your final examination result. Failure to submit these items may result in disqualification or elimination from the examination.

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

Complete and submit the following items with your application. These will be scored and count toward your final examination result. Failure to submit these items will result in disqualification from the examination.

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of:
1. Aptitude for learning and understanding a broad range of technical data and applying it to individual cases.
2. Principles, practices, and trends used in occupational placement.
3. Regulations and policies of the Disability Evaluation Program.
4. Principles, procedures, and techniques used in disability evaluation.
5. Medical terminology and its implications.
6. Adjudicative principles and techniques.
7. Type and nature of disabilities and expected physical or mental limitations.
8. The Division’s support service functions.
9. Principles of public administration, personnel management, and in-service training.
10. Laws, policies, and procedures governing the Department of Social Services.
11. Employment trends and types of work found in a variety of public and private organizations.
12.Medical care programs and basic medical and psychiatric conditions in relation to the rehabilitation process.

Ability to:
1. Determine what information is needed, gather information from a variety of sources, evaluate it, and come to an objective decision.
2. Analyze data.
3. Communicate ideas and information effectively.
4. Gain and maintain the confidence and cooperation of those contacted during the course of the work.
5. Make special studies and reports.
6. Establish and maintain priorities.
7. Review and edit written reports.
8. Effectively make group presentations.
9. Analyze complex medical evidence to determine Residual Functional Capacity.

Eligible List Information

A Departmental Promotional eligible list for the DISABILITY EVALUATION ANALYST III Classification will be established for:

  • Department of Social Services

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 12 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Resulting Eligibility List(s) will be used to fill vacancies throughout the State of California.

Veterans' Preference is not granted for promotional examinations.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

Testing Departments

  • Department of Social Services

Contact Information

Questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

California Department of Social Services
Examinations Unit
P. O. Box 944243 - MS 8-15-58
Sacramento, CA 94244-2430
Phone: (916) 657-1762
Examinations@dss.ca.gov

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Drug Free Statement

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free State work place. Any applicant for State employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective, because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

General Information

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

Department of Social Services reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.
Application Methods:
Electronic (Your CalCareer Account)
By Mail
In Person (see bulletin for details)
Alternate Application Process

While we recommend that you utilize your CalCareer Account to take advantage of all the tools available, you may choose to apply for this examination without using your account. In this case, print and complete the Exam Application Package Checklist and include it if you submit a hard copy application.

Exam Application Package Checklist

Blank Application Form (STD678)

Accommodation Request (STD679)