Selection Methods
Each classification title has a specific selection method. Selection methods determine whether or not a title requires an assessment and, if so, the type of assessment given. Regardless of the selection method, each title has its own minimum requirements that must be met by the applicant.
Titles that have a Qualifying selection method (identified on the classification specification as “Qual”), such as Registered Nurse, do not require any type of assessment. All applicants who apply and meet the minimum requirements can be considered for employment by the hiring agency.
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Immediate Fills
Immediate Fill titles are critical to the operation of the requesting agency and cannot remain vacant for the minimum ten (10)-day advertisement period. Thus, these titles are continually advertised, and applicants are free to apply and be placed on the register at any time. When a vacancy notification is sent to the Personnel Cabinet requesting that one of these positions be filled, a register is immediately sent to the agency without advertising the position for ten (10) days on the Personnel Cabinet's website.
Since Immediate Fill vacancies are not advertised, it is important as an applicant to indicate the work counties in which you are willing to work on the application. You may modify these work county preferences at any time by changing/adding your desired counties in the application field "Indicate the county or counties in which you are willing to work."
If approved for the Immediate Fill title, applicants are eligible for agency consideration for that title for at least one (1) year. After that one (1) year period, applicants must re-apply for future consideration.
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Verification of Education
Education is very important in determining whether or not applicants meet the minimum requirements for a majority of the classification titles the Commonwealth employs. Even if the title you are currently seeking does not require a certain level of education, you are encouraged to provide original, certified transcripts or other official means of education verification for the education you indicate to the Personnel Cabinet (types of acceptable documentation to verify education are: an original college transcript, original high school diploma, an original GED certificate, original GED scores, original vocational school transcript, or original letters from the registrar or school board; originals will be returned if requested). If you are approved and appointed/hired based on meeting the minimum requirements via your education, the Personnel Cabinet must receive educational verification within ninety (90) days of your appointment. Photocopied education credentials or education credentials without an official signature and seal will not be accepted as verification. Original, certified education credentials may be sent to: Division of Career Opportunities, Personnel Cabinet, 501 High Street, First Floor, Frankfort, KY 40601
Please include the Auto Req ID, your full name, and your social security number on your education credentials. Because we must have the original, certified version, faxed copies will not be accepted as verification.
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Academic Suspense
Under Kentucky Administrative Regulations KAR 2:046, individuals who do not meet the minimum requirements as to education at the time of application, but will meet these requirements as a result of the completion of currently scheduled educational work within three (3) months following the submission date of the application, shall be allowed to take the examination and have their name entered on the register up to thirty (30) days prior to completing the educational requirements. Candidates so placed on a register must verify they have completed their educational requirements within thirty (30) days after placement on any register. This includes an original copy of their transcript showing the completion of all coursework and a certified letter from the registrar indicating they have completed all coursework but have not yet received their diploma or educational certificate.
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Verification of Licenses/Certifications
Many classification titles require certain licenses and/or certifications (if so, this requirement will be listed under the “Special Requirements” section of the Classification Specification for that title). Even if the title you are currently seeking does not require a certain license or certification, you are encouraged to provide copies of the licenses and/or certifications you indicate on your application to the Personnel Cabinet. If you are approved and appointed/hired to a classification title that requires a certain license and/or certification, the Personnel Cabinet must have received verification of your license(s) and/or certification(s) pertinent to the classification title at the time of appointment.
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Candidate Types
There are four candidate types: Competitive, Internal Mobility, Subject-to-Layoff, and Reemployment.
Competitive candidates are candidates who are not currently employed in Kentucky state government. Competitive candidates cannot apply to Internal Mobility vacancies. Competitive candidates include non-state employees, non-Merit state employees, and state employees who have not passed their initial probationary period.
Internal Mobility candidates are Kentucky state employees who have passed their initial probationary period and have Internal Mobility status. Internal Mobility candidates must also meet the minimum requirements like all other candidates, but they are not required to be assessed for any titles, regardless of the selection method. Full-time Internal Mobility candidates can apply to all Competitive and Internal Mobility vacancies. Part-time Internal Mobility candidates can apply to all Competitive and part-time Internal Mobility vacancies; they cannot apply to full-time Internal Mobility vacancies.
Subject-to-Layoff candidates are Kentucky state employees who have Internal Mobility status and have been notified of a pending layoff. Per KRS 18A.1131, Subject-to-Layoff candidates must be considered before Internal Mobility and Competitive candidates.
Reemployment candidates are former Kentucky state employees who had Internal Mobility status but were laid-off. Per KRS 18A.1131, Reemployment candidates must be considered before all other candidates.
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Verification of Foreign Education Credentials
All education used to approve an applicant for a title’s minimum requirements must be verified and submitted to the Personnel Cabinet. The Personnel Cabinet does not recognize foreign education unless a U.S. college, university, or academic accrediting agency determines that it is equivalent to degrees or courses offered at an accredited U.S. school or institution. Verification will only be accepted from organizations accredited by the following academic accrediting agency:
National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) http://www.naces.org 
Applicants are responsible for the cost of the evaluation and seeing that a copy of the evaluation is mailed from the accrediting agency to the Personnel Cabinet. Equivalency credit for a degree or courses taken at a foreign university cannot be given until an official copy of the evaluation is received by the Personnel Cabinet.
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Verification of Veteran’s Status
Honorably discharged Veterans (including honorably discharged, former and current members of KY National Guard and U.S. Military Reserve) are eligible for five (5) Veteran’s Preference points. Disabled veterans, spouses of disabled veterans, un-remarried spouses of deceased veterans, and parents of deceased or disabled veterans may be eligible for ten (10) Veteran’s Preference points. Points will only be applied to a passing score of at least 70.
Upon receipt of proper documentation, the points will be added to your merit examination score. Proper documentation includes:
Former and Current Members of KY National Guard
- Copy of Honorable Discharge papers
- Copy of current military ID
Veteran (including former honorably discharged US Military Reservists)
- Copy of Honorable Discharge or DD214 that reflects honorable discharge
Disabled Veteran
- Copy of Honorable Discharge or DD214 that reflects honorable discharge
- Statement from VA Benefit Rating Board showing that disability is service-connected
Spouse of Disabled Veteran
- Copy of Honorable Discharge or DD214 that reflects honorable discharge
- Statement from VA Benefit Rating Board showing that spouse’s present disability is service-connected
Un-remarried Spouse of Deceased Veteran
- Copy of Honorable Discharge or DD214 that reflects honorable discharge
- Proof of spouse’s death
Parent of Deceased of Disabled Veteran
- Copy of Honorable Discharge or DD214 that reflects honorable discharge
- Proof of veteran’s death while on active duty or proof that veteran’s permanent and total disability is service-connected
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Background Reviews
On the application, applicants are asked questions regarding their conviction history, if any exists. Applicants must provide a complete list of all convictions of any crime, other than a minor traffic violation. Applicants must provide: (1) conviction; (2) date of conviction; (3) county of conviction; and (4) state of conviction.
A conviction is not an automatic rejection. However, an applicant may be rejected for failure to provide an accurate list of all criminal convictions. If an applicant does not know all of the required information of a conviction, or if the applicant is unsure whether they have recalled each conviction, the applicant should obtain a copy of their criminal background record prior to submitting the application. For more information on requesting Kentucky criminal records, go to the Administrative Office of the Court's website at http://courts.ky.gov/aoc/pretrial/records.htm. To request criminal records from other states, an applicant should contact the appropriate court in that state for more information.
Criminal background records will be requested and reviewed by the Personnel Cabinet to ensure accurate reporting by the applicant.
The Personnel Cabinet will review an applicant’s criminal background history and determine if the applicant should be eligible for employment in that particular position, pursuant to KRS 18A.032 and 335B.020. In addition, the Personnel Cabinet may provide the results of a criminal background report to the hiring cabinet or agency.