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When considering an applicant's qualifications and whether they meet those specified in a job announcement, the following education and experience equivalencies will apply (unless otherwise specified in the job announcement).
One "full-time" year of experience is equal to 2,080 hours. This is calculated by 40 hours per week multiplied by 52 weeks. Weekly working hours less than 40 hours per week shall be calculated in the same manner. Example, 30 working hours per week is calculated as 30 multiplied by 52 weeks. This equals 1,560 hours or 9 months of full-time equivalency.
Weekly working hours over 40 will not be included in the full-time equivalency calculation. Example, an applicant completes their application including 50 work hours weekly for a position in a one-year period. They will be credited with a 40-hour work week or 2,080 hours.
There may be several different kinds of work and duties handled by a position but the definition of the position (primary purpose), required knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs or core competencies), and employment standards (minimum education and experience requirements [or equivalency]) determines the level of experience required. Relevant, pertinent, applicable, or related work or volunteer experience needs to clearly demonstrate on the application that the candidate can perform at the level at which they are applying. Only related professional-level experience will be credited for professional positions. Professional positions are those positions that require a bachelor’s degree or higher (or equivalency). Non-professional level experience (technical, paraprofessional, administrative, etc.) may not be substituted for the required professional level experience. In certain instances, non-professional experience may be substituted for educational requirements, which will be included in job announcements.
It is important to clearly state your qualifications in the application. Emphasize the components of your equivalent experience, education, and training, which are most related to the job and reflect that you possess the core competencies (KSAs).
This is defined as an upward progression indicating increased complexity of duties and responsibilities within a current job or from one job to the next that demonstrates the required knowledge, skills and abilities as described in the job announcement (from the class specification).
One year of relevant professional-level work experience may be substituted for one year of required education. "Relevant professional-level experience" means if the position requires a bachelor's degree in finance, the work experience must be professional-level finance-related, such as research and analysis of financial data, performing financial projections, etc. One year of additional relevant experience each may be substituted for advanced degrees (i.e. graduate, doctorate). Most positions require some years of work experience in addition to the required education.
| Professional-Level Relevant Experience | Education |
| 2 years | Associate Degree |
| 4 years | Bachelor's Degree |
| 1 year | Graduate Degree |
| 1 year | Doctorate Degree |
Examples of acceptable substitutions:
Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in accounting
Substitution: Four years of professional-level work experience in accounting
Minimum Qualifications: Master's degree in social work
Substitution: Five years of professional-level work experience in social work
Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in information technology plus two years of experience
Substitution: Six years of professional-level work experience in information technology
Minimum Qualifications: Master's degree in planning plus four years of experience
Substitution: Nine years of professional-level work experience in planning
Note: The work experience must be in the field specified in order to be considered for substitution.
Quarter Hours
| Professional-Level Relevant Experience | Education |
| 1 to less than 2 years | 45 hours |
| 2 to less than 3 years | 90 hours |
| 3 to less than 4 years | 135 hours |
| 4 or more years | 180 hours |
Semester Hours
| Professional-Level Relevant Experience | Education |
| 1 to less than 2 years | 30 hours |
| 2 to less than 3 years | 60 hours |
| 3 to less than 4 years | 90 hours |
| 4 or more years | 120 hours |
*If the degree is unrelated, 60 semester or 90 quarter credit hours may be counted towards two years of experience.
**Unrelated degrees are not substituted for experience requirements, when the education requirement (or equivalency) is a high school diploma or GED (or less). Example: A bachelor’s in human services will not be substituted for the experience requirements of an Engineer Technician job class series.
Conversely, unless otherwise specified in the job announcement, one year of relevant education may be substituted for one year of required work experience.
Quarter Hours
| Education Hours | Equivalent Professional-Level Relevant Experience |
| 45 to less than 90 hours | 1 year |
| 90 to less than 135 hours* | 2 years |
| 135 to less than 180 hours | 3 years |
| 180 or more hours | 4 years |
Semester Hours
| Education Hours | Equivalent Professional-Level Relevant Experience |
| 30 to less than 60 hours | 1 year |
| 60 to less than 90 hours* | 2 years |
| 90 to less than 120 hours | 3 years |
| 120 or more hours | 4 years |
*If the degree is unrelated, 60 semester or 90 quarter credit hours may be counted towards two years of experience.
**Unrelated degrees are not substituted for experience requirements, when the education requirement (or equivalency) is a high school diploma or GED (or less). Example: A bachelor’s in human services will not be substituted for the experience requirements of an Engineer Technician job class series.
Relevant specialized training completed in non-credit programs may be considered, provided that the total classroom hours for each course can be documented. Equivalency is on an hour-for-hour basis for relevant training as identified by the learning institution (i.e., business or technical schools, junior colleges, colleges, universities). Examples of specialized training include certificate programs and continuing education programs. Your application must clearly describe the specialized training, provide the name of the learning institute and hours completed.
Credit for pertinent volunteer experience with civic, welfare or service organizations may be granted. Your application must clearly describe the actual amount of time spent in such work; for example, indicate the average hours volunteered per week or per month. You may also wish to include the entries within the Work Experience module of your profile/application. Provide complete work history information, including dates and duties, just as you would for a paid position. As stated above, experience will be converted to “full-time equivalent years of experience” based on the number of hours volunteered each week.