SUPERVISOR 1, UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
Career Family: SUPERVISOR
To land Supervisor 1, Unemployment Benefits in New Jersey you go through the competitive route: you sit an announced exam and the score puts you on the eligible list agencies hire from.
A master's degree is the listed credential, and extra years on the job can be traded for it. The FY2027 range lands between $79,844 and $117,228, and state payroll currently lists about 15 people in the title, most of them at Labor.
How to apply
-
Exam
This is an application to sit an exam and be placed on an eligible list for this title, not an application for a specific job. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. There may be no current vacancy behind it, and the list it produces may not be certified for months or years.
-
Exam
Open to permanent employees in the competitive division who hold a qualifying lower title in the same unit. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. Like the open competitive exam, this places you on a list; it is not itself a job offer.
-
Agency posting
Department of Labor and Workforce Development's employment page may require a click-through to see specific openings. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
Pay ladder: Supervisor series
- Supervisor 1 Mvc — $69,668 – $101,951
- Supervisor 2 Mvc — $79,844 – $117,228
Its top salary lands around the 65th percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY2027 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 15 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $113,264. The agencies employing the most are:
- Labor (15)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator.
Definition
Under the direction of a Manager, Workforce New Jersey, supervises the activities of a section engaged in adjudicating non-monetary eligibility for unemployment benefits in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, oversees special programs; assists Manager in planning and operating the office; does other related work.
Examples of work
Plans, organizes, coordinates and supervises the work of office staff engaged in non-monetary eligibility determinations, benefit right interviews, fraud detection, claimant job initiative training and other special unemployment benefit programs. Evaluates the quality and quantity of output through inspection of records and the use of standard evaluation forms; prepares and discusses performance ratings with employees supervised. Interprets and reviews with staff, new or revised procedures and policies; determines staff training needs. Reviews the workload and operating procedures of the non-monetary unit, determines priorities of action, a makes staff assignments to control the workload, and ensure compliance with Federal standard. Supervises and personally handles claims of a complex nature and makes final decisions in complicated monetary and non-monetary determinations. Establishes and maintains cooperative working relationship with employees in other departments. Observes the operations of the office to detect possible internal or external fraud action. Recommends new methods of operation to reduce the possibility of fraud and increase efficiency and effectiveness of office. Presents testimony and submits records of cases, where subpoenaed, at Civil Court hearings. Supervises the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting and/or disciplining of employees. In the absence or unavailability of the Manager, assumes the authority of the Manager, and takes any operational action for which the Manager is ordinarily responsible; clears policy inquiries through the chain of command. Assists the Manager in formulating plans to cope with unusual or emergency actions, such as mall layoffs, natural disasters, etc. Informs staff of goals and objectives; conducts periodic meetings to inform staff of the units' performance. Determines work assignments and performance standards; confers with individual employees about performance quality. Reviews quality control sampling results and recommendations; takes corrective action, if necessary. Provides analysis of statistical and/or technical reports, as may be required. Represents the office and Division in cooperation with other public and private community agencies and individuals in programs aimed at promoting the objectives of the agency. When requested, addresses groups regarding Unemployment Insurance Law and procedure. Meets with the Manager to review new procedures as they impact on existing workflow; determines training needs to implementation methods. Drafts necessary correspondence when required for management. Prepares sound and accurate reports of claims matters. Maintains essential records and files. Reviews all appeal decisions which reverse or modify local office deputy determinations for potential agency appeals or for potential training needs. Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/ormanual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of interviewing techniques. Knowledge of the problems involved in the supervision of benefit/claims activities. Knowledge of the procedures established to collect refunds for benefits paid to claimant through fraud or error. Knowledge of Federal and State laws and regulations involved in unemployment compensation, extended benefits, and interstate laws and procedures as they relate to unemployment claims allowances. Ability to organize assigned supervisory work, analyze claims problems, and develop effective work methods. Ability to work cooperatively with associates, employers and claimants and with other persons interested in or concerned with the claims work of the office. Ability to speak before public groups interest in or in need of information about unemployment insurance. Ability to give testimony at formal hearings. Ability to give appropriate assignments, instructions and supervision to employees engaged in claims work. Ability to prepare extensive correspondence on claims matters. Ability to prepare clear, sound, accurate and informative reports of claims matters containing findings, conclusions and recommendations. Ability to supervise the establishment and maintenance of the essential claims records and files. Ability to maintain essential records and files. Ability to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience. Eight (8) years of professional experience involving interpreting rules, law or regulations to determine eligibility of a claim for benefits and resolving disputes concerning ineligibility in claims work in an insurance benefits program, one (1) year of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity. OR Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; and four (4) years of the above-mentioned professional experience, one (1) year of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity. OR Possession of a master's degree in business, public administration, or related field from an accredited college or university; and three (3) years of the above-mentioned professional experience, one (1) year of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity. "Professional experience" refers to work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the authority to act according to one's own judgment and make accurate and informed decisions.
Study guides for this exam
- Supervisory Test Battery (STB) National Learning Corporation · $56.99
- General Supervisor National Learning Corporation · $49.90 · general prep, not specific to this title
The Civil Service Commission does not publish official study guides or release past tests. These are independent equivalency guides.