Desk Audit

State Position Reclassification Questionnaire AKA Desk Audit, AKA DPF-44S

What is a desk audit?

A desk audit is an evaluation of the duties of a position resulting from an appeal, question, or complaint that an individual’s duties do not conform to the current job description for their title.

The New Jersey Administrative Code governing the desk audit is:  4A:3-3.9 Appeal Procedure


Frequently Asked Questions:

Can you be fired for completing a Desk Audit?   NO!

Can you be retaliated against for filing a Desk AuditNO!
Contact your union representative!

Must your PAR Rater (Section 14) and Program Manager (Section 15) complete their Sections? YES!
Section 14 is completed by your PAR Rater; Section 15 is usually completed by your PAR Reviewer (Program Manager) but it can go higher than Program Manager to a Division Director depending on the depth of the agency.

What do you do if they refuse?
If the Rater refuses, simply write their name, title and the words refused to sign in their section, date it, give a copy to that person and take it to the Program Manager/Director for signature. (If they too refuse to sign, do the same thing and take it directly to HR.) Once you have your signatures take your package to your Human Resources, get a dated time stamp receipt for same. You may also give your signed completed package to your Union Representative, who will send it certified mail to your appointing authority. Once your agency’s Human Resources receives your package, they have 15 days to get it to the Civil Service Commission. The Civil Service Commission then has 180 days to complete the desk audit.

What form do you use?  The form is the State Position Classification Questionnaire DPF-44S


Things You Should Know:

  1. If a positive decision is made by Civil Service; management has 30 days to either promote or take away the offending duties (out-of-title work).
  2. Civil Service can return a decision that the work you are performing is within title; no foul, no harm.
  3. Civil Service can render a decision that the work you are doing is beneath your current title and you can be demoted and take a pay loss.
  4. Classified competitive positions. When you complete a desk audit, check to make sure this is no active promotional list in your Unit Scope as you will have conducted the work to reclassify a position number title and the “Rule of Three” will be applied to the active list and you will not be eligible unless you are already on the active list in the number 1, 2, or 3 spot and remember veterans/disabled veterans Management cannot tell or make you change what you have written on your DPF-44S.

What Do You Need for Your Desk Audit Package?

  1. Completed DPF-44S with signatures and any attachments
  2. A letter of offending duties (out-of-title duties) signed by you
  3. Copy of your most current PAR
  4. A current Table of Organization for your work location

ALWAYS KEEP A COPY OF THE SIGNED DOCUMENTS FOR YOURSELF!