P.G., CSC Docket No. 2023-2225

BackgroundP.G. requests that her applications for the 2023 Law Enforcement Examination be processed.1

By way of background, titles that were included in the 2023 Law Enforcement Examination (LEE) testing cycle2 were announced separately by jurisdiction. Thus, candidates were required to file separate applications to indicate their interest in an announcement for a particular jurisdiction and title.3 It is noted that the subject announcements were issued on March 1, 2023 with a March 31, 2023 closing date and all applications had to have been received by 4:00 p.m. on that date. A review of In order to address any concerns regarding the confidentiality of this matter, initials are being used to caption this appeal and no reference will be made to the specific symbol(s) or jurisdiction(s) utilized for the subject announcement(s).

2 The following titles were announced as part of the 2023 LEE: Police Officer; County Police Officer;

Park Police Officer; Campus Police Officer Recruit; Police Officer Recruit, Human Services; Police Officer, Palisades Interstate Park; State Park Police Officer Trainee; Sheriff's Officer; County Correctional Police Officer; Correctional Police Officer; Correctional Police Officer, Juvenile Justice Commission; Parole Officer Recruit; and Parole Officer Recruit, Juvenile Justice. Bilingual variants for some of these titles were also announced. As also noted in the 2023 LEE Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), “the Law Enforcement Aptitude Battery (LEAB) will be used to test candidates who apply for any of the LEE titles . . . Because the same examination is used, candidates will only have one opportunity to take the examination, regardless of the number of announcements for which they apply, and their score achieved on the examination will be applied to all these 2023 LEE announcements for which they have applied.”

3 It is noted that online applications were available for each announced title and jurisdiction via the

Online Application System (OAS).

the record finds that the petitioner filed three applications. During the application filing process, the petitioner requested an exemption of the application processing fee, see N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.17(a)2, for each application pursuant to N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.17(d). A review of the record finds that the petitioner submitted a copy of a New Jersey Department of Human Services Health Benefits Identification Card in her name with her applications. The Division of Agency Services was contacted regarding this matter and indicated that Health Benefits Identification Cards are not accepted but rather, applicants must submit a copy of their award letter for the current year with their applications, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.17(d). Subsequently, by notice dated March 24, 2023, the petitioner was informed that she “failed to submit the required application processing fee as previously required. Your application will not be processed further.”

Appellant's argumentOn appeal, the petitioner argues that she received a notice “stating that I did not submit payment but I sent a copy of my Medicaid card.”4 In support of her appeal, she provides a copy of a letter dated March 27, 2023 addressed to the petitioner for the benefit of her dependent indicating her Supplemental Security Income (S.S.I.) payment information and a copy of a New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Request for Verification form dated March 21, 2023 which indicates, “in order to receive assistance, the information checked above must be provided . . . If you cannot provide the information by 03/31/2023 or if you need help in providing the information, contact . . .”

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.17(d) provides that an applicant for an open competitive examination will be granted a waiver of the fee if the applicant provides documentation showing that, as of the closing date, he or she is receiving General Assistance benefits, benefits under the Work First New Jersey Act or Supplemental Security Income. Proof must consist of one of the following:

1. General Assistance -- a copy of the applicant’s benefits identification card (if one was issued) or a letter from the applicant’s local municipal welfare director.

Analysis2. Work First New Jersey Act -- a copy of the applicant’s Families First card.

3. Supplemental Security Income -- a copy of the applicant’s latest annual award letter or proof of the applicant’s Medicaid identification number for

S.S.I. benefits (emphasis added).

4 As noted previously, while the petitioner submitted a copy of a New Jersey Department of Human

Services Health Benefits Identification Card, she did not provide a copy of an award letter for the current year with her application.

It is noted that the Division of Agency Services, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.17(d)3, will accept an S.S.I. award letter only if the applicant requesting a waiver and the recipient of the benefit are the same individual. In addition, while the petitioner, on appeal, and despite being provided ample opportunity, has provided a copy of a letter requesting information in order for her to qualify for SNAP benefits, she does not provide evidence showing that she received SNAP benefits or that she had been awarded S.S.I. as of the March 31, 2023 closing date, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 4A:4- 2.17(d).

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that this request be denied.

ClosingThis is the final administrative determination in this matter. Any further review should be pursued in a judicial forum.