Problem Sensitivity and Judgment Flashcards

A city employee in a public-facing role observes a citizen who becomes suddenly unresponsive at a service counter. The employee should FIRST:

Answer: Call 911 immediately and begin basic first aid if trained

A sudden unresponsive person is a medical emergency requiring 911 to be called immediately and first aid administered if the employee is trained.

An employee at a city agency's front desk notices that a citizen appears to be reading documents on another citizen's file that were left unattended. The best immediate response is to:

Answer: Politely but promptly secure the documents and remind the citizen about privacy rules

Promptly and discreetly securing the documents protects privacy without causing an embarrassing public confrontation.

A city employee who handles contracts notices that a coworker's close relative owns one of the vendors being considered for award. The employee should:

Answer: Disclose the potential conflict of interest to a supervisor or ethics officer immediately

Potential conflicts of interest in contracting must be disclosed to ethics authorities immediately to maintain procurement integrity.

During a neighborhood outreach event, an NYC employee receives a complaint from a resident about a condition that falls outside the employee's agency's jurisdiction. The employee should:

Answer: Listen, record the complaint details, and direct the resident to the correct agency or 311

Listening, recording the complaint, and directing residents to the correct resource demonstrates good judgment and maintains public trust in city government.

A fire department administrative employee discovers that a public fire hydrant on a city block has been reported as blocked by a parked vehicle for three consecutive days but no enforcement action has been taken. The employee should:

Answer: Escalate the unresolved report to a supervisor and the relevant traffic enforcement unit

A chronically blocked fire hydrant is an unresolved public safety issue requiring escalation to ensure enforcement action is taken.

A city agency manager receives feedback from three different employees in one week that a new policy is causing significant confusion and unintended errors. The most effective response is to:

Answer: Acknowledge the pattern, convene a brief team meeting to clarify the policy, and report the issue to policy drafters

A pattern of confusion across multiple employees signals a systemic issue with the policy itself that requires clarification and feedback to those who drafted it.

An NYC sanitation supervisor notices that garbage collection on one route is consistently taking 40% longer than average with no obvious reason. The supervisor should:

Answer: Investigate potential causes — route conditions, crew size, equipment issues — and adjust resources accordingly

A consistent performance gap on one route signals an underlying operational problem that must be investigated and corrected, not ignored or punished without cause.