Testimony of Win on Pathways into the Civil Service for the Higher Education and Civil Service and Labor Committees Hearing

Since its founding in 2014, Win’s Income-Building program has supported the multi-dimensional
employment and training needs of families residing in WIN shelters. We assist with the transitions
from unemployment to employment and from part-time to full-time employment. We also provide
career coaching for improving job quality, including negotiating wage increases and obtaining healthcare and other benefits.

One career pathway we’d like to encourage our clients to explore is Civil Service positions. Civil
service positions are renowned for their job stability and benefits. However, there are many barriers
that prevent the accessibility of these careers to our clients, such as the Civil Service Exam. Many
of our clients have experienced trauma and may have learning disabilities which make test-taking
difficult. While the DCAS 55-a program offers many important testing accommodations to clients
with disabilities, we also believe that there should be recognition of the knowledge and expertise
of people who have experienced homelessness.