N.J.S.A. Title 11A, Civil Service
The full text of New Jersey's civil service statute, Title 11A, with legislative history and a map to the Title 4A rules that implement each section.
The law that creates New Jersey’s civil service system: who it covers, how people are hired and promoted, what happens in a discipline or a layoff, and what the Civil Service Commission may do. 180 sections across 12 chapters, reproduced in full.
Statute or rule?
Title 11A is the statute, passed by the Legislature. N.J.A.C. Title 4A is the set of rules the Civil Service Commission adopts to carry it out. The statute sets the framework and says what the Commission may do; the rules fill in the procedure. Where a question turns on who is covered or what power the Commission has, the statute usually governs. Where it turns on deadlines, forms or process, the rule does.
Chapters
- N.J.S.A. 11A:1 In General Two sections, and they do different jobs.
- N.J.S.A. 11A:2 Civil Service Commission The Commission itself, and what happens when it acts against you.
- N.J.S.A. 11A:3 Classification, Services and Compensation of Employees How a job is classified, and what that classification costs or protects.
- N.J.S.A. 11A:4 Examination, Selection and Appointment of Employees Competitive hiring, start to finish.
- N.J.S.A. 11A:5 Veterans’ Preference Veterans preference, which in New Jersey is absolute rather than a points bonus.
- N.J.S.A. 11A:6 Employee Leaves, Work Hours, and Career Development The largest chapter, and the one where State and local employees diverge most.
- N.J.S.A. 11A:7 Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, and the machinery built to enforce them.
- N.J.S.A. 11A:8 Employee Layoffs Four sections, and they decide who keeps a job when positions are cut.
- N.J.S.A. 11A:9 Political Subdivisions How a local employer comes under civil service, and what happens to its staff when it does.
- N.J.S.A. 11A:10 Employee Violations and Penalties Enforcement, in five short sections totalling barely three hundred words.
- N.J.S.A. 11A:11 Transfer of Agency The 1986 transfer, and the 2008 renaming.
- N.J.S.A. 11A:12 Miscellaneous Provisions The closing provisions of the 1986 act.
The sections other sections lean on
Derived from the cross-references inside the statute itself, not curated.
- N.J.S.A. 11A:2-6 Powers and duties, cited by 5 sections
- N.J.S.A. 11A:2-13 Opportunity for appointing authority hearing, alternative procedures, cited by 3 sections
- N.J.S.A. 11A:5-1 Definitions, cited by 3 sections
- N.J.S.A. 11A:2-14 Notice to employee of right to appeal, alternative procedures, cited by 2 sections
- N.J.S.A. 11A:4-6 Duration of lists, cited by 2 sections
- N.J.S.A. 11A:7-13.1 Findings, declarations, cited by 2 sections
- N.J.S.A. 11A:2-1 Civil Service Commission established, cited by 1 section
- N.J.S.A. 11A:2-11 Powers and duties of the commission, cited by 1 section
When this title last changed
Every dated enactment, amendment and repeal in Title 11A, with the session law that made it. A statute changes only when the Legislature amends it, so a section with no entry since its enactment is settled rather than stale.
Current through the close of the 221st Legislature (L. 2025, c. 346). What that means
A New Jersey statute changes only when the Legislature amends it, so a section untouched since its last amendment is settled rather than out of date.
Reviewed as of July 28, 2026. Official text: njleg.state.nj.us.