Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Introduction
Eligible Veterans are provided an absolute Veterans Preference when applying for a New Jersey civil service position. This means that qualified New Jersey Veterans who receive a passing score are placed at the top of open competitive employment lists, ahead of Non-Veterans, regardless of their scores.
Eligible Disabled Veterans are given the highest preference, being placed above both Veterans and Non-Veterans on open competitive employment lists. Veterans Preference can be established as late as 8 days prior to an open competitive employment list being issued. For an example of how this works, please visit the Civil Service Commission’s Open Competitive Exams for Veterans page.
Federal Veterans preference is not the same as New Jersey State Veterans preference. Refer to NJ State Law PL 2007, Chap 115.
Veterans who are eligible for civil service preference are not necessarily eligible for Veterans status (pension).
Qualifying For Veterans or Disabled Veterans Preference
To qualify for Veterans Preference, the Veteran must have received an honorable discharge from active duty that includes dates of service during a qualifying war era.
Note: To be eligible, a Veteran must meet the standards as outlined in NJ State Law PL 2007, Chap 115. Current Servicemembers who do not have a honorable discharge as described above are not eligible.
The following documents will be needed to prove this service occurred:
- WD Form 53-55 or DD Form 214
- Honorable Discharge Certificate
- Civil Service Veterans Preference Claim Form
- Additional documents as needed
Note: In accordance with NJ State law, Servicemembers without a DD214 documenting an honorable discharge are not eligible.
The surviving spouse of a Veteran who died outside of service is entitled to the same preference as the Veteran, up until they remarry.
To qualify for Disabled Veterans Preference, the Veteran must have received an honorable discharge from active duty that includes dates of service during a qualifying war era. In addition, the Veteran must be receiving at least a 10% disability compensation from the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
Note: To be eligible, a Veteran must meet the standards as outlined in NJ State Law PL 2007, Chap 115. Current Servicemembers who do not have a honorable discharge as outlined are not eligible.
The following documents will be needed to prove this service occurred:
- WD Form 53-55 or DD Form 214
- Honorable Discharge Certificate
- VA Disability Award Letter
- Civil Service Veterans Preference Claim Form
- Additional documents as needed
The spouse of a Disabled Veteran is entitled to the same preference as the Disabled Veteran, provided they are not employed in a civil service position. The Disabled Veteran must also waive all preference for the duration of their spouse’s civil service employment.
The surviving spouse of a Disabled Veteran is entitled to the same preference as the Disabled Veteran, up until they remarry.
The surviving spouse of any Veteran who died in service is entitled to the Disabled Veteran Preference, up until they remarry.
The parent of any Veteran who died in service is entitled to the Disabled Veteran Preference. If there is a surviving spouse as well, only one can claim preference.
Qualifying War Era Service Dates
The amount of active duty service required to qualify for Veterans Preference varies by war era.
Regardless of war era, active duty service accrued during the following Reserve or National Guard training obligations does NOT count towards the Veterans Preference active duty requirement:
- Basic Training
- Advanced Training
- Officer Candidate School
- Weekend Drills
- Annual Training
To qualify for Veterans Preference, the following war eras require at least 90 days of active duty service, begun within the specified windows:
September 16, 1940 to December 31, 1946
(including Merchant Marine Personnel)
June 23, 1950 to January 31, 1955
December 31, 1960 to May 7, 1975
To qualify for Veterans Preference, the following war eras require:
- At least 14 days of active duty service begun within the specified window OR at least 1 day of active duty service begun within the specified window and received a service incurred injury or disability
- The service was in the geographic area or on a ship patrolling the territorial water of the nation (or in airspace over it, in the case of Bosnia/Herzegovina)
July 1, 1958 to November 1, 1958
September 26, 1982 to December 1, 1987
October 23, 1983 to November 21, 1983
December 20, 1989 to January 31, 1990
August 2, 1990 to February 28, 1991
August 27, 1992 to current
December 5, 1992 to March 31, 1994
November 20, 1995 to December 20, 1998
September 19, 1994 to March 31, 1995
September 11, 2001 to current
March 19, 2003 to current
Establishing Civil Service Veterans Preference
Download and fill out a Civil Service Veterans Preference Claim Form. Once completed, please follow the written instructions found on the form to mail in your claim.
If you established your Veterans Preference prior to April 1, 1980, you must reestablish your preference, as Veteran Preference numbers issued prior to this date are void.
