Civil Service Glossary
By NJ Civil Service Navigator Editorial Team · Updated July 4, 2026
Key terms and definitions used in New Jersey civil service system. Learn about competitive service, eligible lists, rule of three, and more.
This glossary covers hiring, classification, and employment terminology — 47 terms defined. For the major discipline and removal process specifically, see PoliceTransparencyNJ's Title 4A major discipline glossary.
Key Terms
Appointing Authority — Administration
The official, board, or body with the legal power to make appointments to positions in a governmental unit.
Assembled Examination — Hiring Process
A civil service examination that is prepared, administered at a specific time and place, and scored. Includes written tests, oral examinations, and performance demonstrations.
At-Will Employment — Employment
Employment status where the employee can be terminated at any time without a hearing or documented cause. Provisional, temporary, interim, and emergency appointees are at-will employees with no appeal rights for termination, though they retain civil rights protections against discrimination and retaliation.
Certification — Hiring Process
The process by which the Civil Service Commission provides a list of eligible candidates to an appointing authority for consideration for a specific position.
Civil Service Commission (CSC) — Administration
The state agency responsible for administering the civil service system in New Jersey, ensuring merit-based hiring and employment practices.
Class of Service — Classification
A category that determines how positions are filled. Includes Competitive (C), Non-Competitive (N), and Unclassified (U) positions.
Collective Bargaining — Labor Relations
The process by which unions negotiate with employers over wages, benefits, working conditions, and other terms of employment. In NJ, most state employees are represented by unions through collective bargaining agreements.
Competitive Service — Classification
Positions filled through competitive examination. Candidates must pass an exam and be placed on an eligible list to be considered for appointment.
Conditional Regular Appointment — Hiring Process
A regular appointment made when disputes exist about higher-ranking candidates on the eligible list. The appointee must be informed of their conditional status. If disputes are resolved favorably, the appointment converts to regular status with the original appointment date retained.
Continuous Recruitment — Hiring Process
An ongoing examination process where applications are accepted continuously and exams are administered periodically.
DPF-44 — Forms
The standard form used to certify applicant qualifications, including education and experience, for civil service positions.
Eligible List — Hiring Process
A ranked list of candidates who have passed an examination and are eligible for appointment to a position. Lists are typically valid for 1-3 years.
Emergency Appointment — Hiring Process
An extremely limited appointment type authorized only when non-appointment would result in harm to persons or property. Strictly limited to 30 days maximum and cannot be extended. Emergency appointees are at-will employees with no civil service protections.
ERG (Employee Relations Group) — Labor Relations
A code identifying which collective bargaining unit represents a position. Examples include A (Administrative/Clerical - CWA), P (Professional - CWA), M (Managerial - non-represented), and & (Managerial Represented - IBEW). The ERG determines salary schedules and union representation.
Examination — Hiring Process
A competitive test used to evaluate candidates for civil service positions. May include written tests, performance tests, or evaluation of training and experience.
Interim Appointment — Hiring Process
An appointment made to fill a position when the permanent employee is on approved leave, indefinitely suspended, or awaiting appeal of a disciplinary action. Also used for positions scheduled for abolishment. Lasts only as long as the permanent employee is absent. If an eligible list exists, the interim must be appointed from that list. Interim appointees are at-will but continue accruing seniority in their permanent title.
Job Specification — Classification
An official document describing the duties, responsibilities, requirements, and qualifications for a civil service title.
Jurisdiction — Classification
The governmental level (State or Local) that a position belongs to. State positions are with state agencies; Local positions are with counties, municipalities, or other local entities.
Layoff — Employment
The separation of an employee due to lack of work, lack of funds, or abolition of position. Layoffs must follow seniority rules.
Merit System — Principles
A system of public employment based on qualifications, competence, and performance rather than political affiliation or personal connections.
Non-Competitive Service — Classification
Positions that do not require competitive examination but do require minimum qualifications. Filled through evaluation of training and experience.
Notice of Failure — Hiring Process
Formal notification sent to applicants who did not receive a passing score on a civil service examination. Results may be appealed in certain circumstances.
Notice of Ineligibility — Hiring Process
Formal notification sent to applicants who do not meet the minimum eligibility requirements for a civil service position. Typically sent 12-14 weeks from the examination closing date.
Open Competitive Examination — Hiring Process
An examination open to all qualified applicants, not limited to current employees.
PERC (Public Employment Relations Commission) — Labor Relations
The state agency that administers the New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act. PERC oversees union elections, resolves unfair labor practice charges, and mediates collective bargaining disputes.
PERS — Benefits
Public Employees' Retirement System. The pension plan for most state and local government employees in New Jersey.
PFRS — Benefits
Police and Firemen's Retirement System. The pension plan for sworn law enforcement officers and firefighters.
Probationary Period — Employment
A trial period (typically 3-12 months) at the start of employment during which the employee's performance is evaluated before permanent appointment. See also Working Test Period.
Promotional Examination — Hiring Process
An examination limited to current employees who meet the requirements for advancement to a higher-level position.
Provisional Appointment — Hiring Process
A temporary appointment made only in the competitive division when no complete eligible list exists. Limited to 12 months maximum. Provisional employees are "at-will" with no appeal rights for termination. They MUST take the examination when announced for their title - failure to do so results in termination. To receive permanent appointment, they must score among the top certified candidates on the eligible list.
Reemployment List — Employment
A list of former permanent employees who were laid off and are eligible for reappointment to their former positions.
Rule of Three — Hiring Process
The practice of certifying the top three available candidates from an eligible list for consideration by the appointing authority. Does not apply when disabled veterans or veterans are on the list.
Salary Range — Compensation
A code (e.g., P25, X42) indicating the pay grade for a position. Each range has minimum, midpoint, and maximum salary levels.
Seniority — Employment
Length of service used to determine rights in layoff, recall, and certain promotional situations.
Special Reemployment List — Employment
A list of employees who were separated for reasons other than layoff and may be eligible for reappointment.
Temporary Appointment — Hiring Process
A short-term appointment for seasonal or time-limited work, limited to 6 months within any 12-month period (or 12 months for short-term grant positions). Temporary employees are at-will and replaceable when an eligible list becomes available. Unlike provisional appointments, there is no path to permanent status from a temporary appointment.
Title — Classification
The official name of a civil service position. Each title has a unique code and job specification.
Title 11A — Classification
The chapter of the New Jersey Statutes that establishes the civil service system. A county, municipality, library, authority, or other local entity that adopts Title 11A becomes a "civil service jurisdiction," hiring and promoting employees through competitive exams and ranked eligible lists rather than setting its own local process. Adoption is decided entity by entity, not statewide — a town can be a civil service jurisdiction while its library or housing authority is not, or vice versa.
Title Code — Classification
A unique numeric identifier assigned to each civil service title (e.g., 00056 for Medical Consultant).
Unassembled Examination — Hiring Process
A civil service examination based on the evaluation of education and experience (Training & Experience or T&E) without requiring candidates to gather at a specific time and place. Application materials are scored based on established criteria.
Unclassified Service — Classification
Positions exempt from the competitive examination process. Includes elected officials, certain executives, and positions specifically designated by law.
Union — Labor Relations
An organization that represents employees in collective bargaining with employers. Major NJ state employee unions include CWA (Communications Workers of America), IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers), IFPTE (International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers), and various law enforcement associations (PBA, FOP, NCOA).
Veterans Preference — Hiring Process
Priority given to eligible veterans on civil service examinations and eligible lists. Disabled veterans have "absolute preference" and are ranked at the top of open competitive lists. Regular veterans are ranked next by score and cannot be bypassed if ranked #1.
Waiver — Hiring Process
An exception to standard civil service hiring requirements granted under specific circumstances. Waivers of competitive examinations for promotional titles are governed by N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.7.
Weingarten Rights — Labor Relations
The right of union-represented employees to have a union representative present during investigatory interviews that could lead to discipline. Named after a 1975 Supreme Court case. Employees must request representation; it is not automatic.
Work Week — Employment
The standard number of hours per week for a position. "NL" indicates no limit (exempt positions); numbers indicate weekly hours.
Working Test Period — Hiring Process
The final phase of the civil service examination process, beginning on the date of regular appointment from an eligible list. Duration varies: 3 months for local service, 4 months for state service (extendable to 6 months), and 12 months for entry-level law enforcement, corrections, and firefighter positions. Time served under provisional, temporary, or interim appointment does NOT count. Successful completion results in permanent civil service status with full tenure protections.
See also the NJ Civil Service FAQ and the Hiring Process Guide.