NJ Civil Service Navigator

N.J.S.A. 11A:5-6 Appointment of veterans

Whenever a disabled veteran or veteran shall be certified to an appointing authority from an open competitive employment list under the provisions of … Cited by 1 other section of Title 11A.

Title 11A · Chapter 5. Veterans’ Preference

In plain language

The preference has teeth at the point of hire, not just on paper. Where a disabled veteran or a veteran is certified to an appointing authority from an open competitive list under 11A:4-8, the appointing authority SHALL appoint them in order of ranking. The rule of three gives an appointing authority a choice among the certified names; this section removes that choice when a veteran is among them. That is what makes the preference absolute rather than advisory.

Written by the NJ Civil Service Navigator editorial team from the text of this section. The statute itself is below, unabridged.

Current through the close of the 221st Legislature (L. 2025, c. 346). What that means

Enacted by L. 1986, c. 112, effective September 25, 1986. Never amended since.

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changes only when the Legislature amends it, so a section untouched since its last amendment is settled rather than out of date.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.

Whenever a disabled veteran or veteran shall be certified to an appointing authority from an open competitive employment list under the provisions of N.J.S. 11A:4-8, the appointing authority shall appoint the disabled veteran or veteran in the order of ranking.

Legislative history

Session laws, newest first

  1. L. 1986, c. 112Enacted
    effective September 25, 1986

How this section has been applied

9 reported decisions cite this section. Citations only: the summaries in the source are the publisher's own writing, and where we describe a case we write it from the decision itself.

New Jersey Supreme Court 3
  • Collins v. Magee3 A.2d 581
  • Morgan v. Civil Service Com.36 A.2d 898
  • Ballou v. State, Dep't of Civil Service75 N.J. 365, 382 A.2d 1118, 1978 N.J. LEXIS 153
Appellate Division 5
  • Scarillo v. Department of Civil Service146 N.J. Super. 127, 369 A.2d 26, 1977 N.J. Super. LEXIS 719
  • Ballou v. State, Dep't of Civil Service148 N.J. Super. 112, 372 A.2d 333, 1977 N.J. Super. LEXIS 770
  • Lavitz v. Civil Service Com.94 N.J. Super. 260, 227 A.2d 722, 1967 N.J. Super. LEXIS 613
  • Dulaney v. Civil Service Com.85 N.J. Super. 136, 204 A.2d 201, 1964 N.J. Super. LEXIS 280
  • Keegan v. Gilfert24 N.J. Super. 337, 94 A.2d 519, 1953 N.J. Super. LEXIS 569
Federal courts 1
  • Caruso v. United States236 F. Supp. 88

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