New Jersey Civil Service Exam General Practice 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The New Jersey 'Rule of Three' in civil service appointments means an appointing authority must:
- Interview exactly three candidates for every position
- Select an appointee from among the top three names on the certified eligible list (Correct answer)
- Advertise every position for three weeks before filling it
- Obtain approval from three commissioners before making a hire
Correct answer: Select an appointee from among the top three names on the certified eligible list
The Rule of Three requires an appointing authority to select from the top three available, eligible candidates on the certified list, allowing some discretion while preserving merit.
Question 2: Under NJ Civil Service regulations, which division of the classified service contains most standard state government positions subject to competitive examination?
- The unclassified service
- The senior executive service
- The competitive division (Correct answer)
- The labor service
Correct answer: The competitive division
The competitive division is the largest division of the NJ classified service and requires candidates to pass competitive examinations to gain and retain positions.
Question 3: A NJ public employee is subpoenaed to testify at a trial and must miss work. Under typical NJ civil service policy, this absence is treated as:
- Unauthorized leave without pay
- Authorized leave with pay, as jury and witness duty is a civic obligation (Correct answer)
- A personal vacation day
- A disciplinary incident
Correct answer: Authorized leave with pay, as jury and witness duty is a civic obligation
NJ civil service policy generally provides authorized paid leave for employees required to perform civic duties such as jury service or court-ordered testimony.
Question 4: Which New Jersey state agency is responsible for enforcing the state's Law Against Discrimination (LAD)?
- The New Jersey Department of Labor
- The Division on Civil Rights within the NJ Attorney General's Office (Correct answer)
- The Civil Service Commission
- The Office of the Public Advocate
Correct answer: The Division on Civil Rights within the NJ Attorney General's Office
The Division on Civil Rights, housed within the NJ Attorney General's Office, is the primary state agency that investigates and enforces the Law Against Discrimination.
Question 5: What is the purpose of the 'probationary period' for a newly appointed NJ civil service employee?
- To allow the employee to negotiate salary terms
- To allow the appointing authority to evaluate the employee's fitness for the position before permanent status is conferred (Correct answer)
- To determine if the employee qualifies for veteran's preference
- To permit the employee to transfer to a different department at will
Correct answer: To allow the appointing authority to evaluate the employee's fitness for the position before permanent status is conferred
The probationary period is a working test during which the employer evaluates whether the new employee performs satisfactorily before granting permanent civil service status.
Question 6: In NJ, the 'Open Public Meetings Act' (OPMA), also called the Sunshine Law, primarily requires public bodies to:
- Publish all internal employee records online
- Hold most official meetings open to the public with advance notice (Correct answer)
- Disclose all vendor contract terms within 24 hours
- Allow citizens to vote directly on budget appropriations
Correct answer: Hold most official meetings open to the public with advance notice
OPMA requires most NJ public bodies to conduct their official business in meetings open to the public and to provide adequate advance public notice.
Question 7: A state employee in New Jersey is found to have falsified information on their original employment application. The agency may:
- Issue only a written reprimand as a first-time offense
- Terminate the employee regardless of years of service, since the appointment was obtained fraudulently (Correct answer)
- Grant the employee a demotion rather than termination
- Take no action if five or more years have passed since the hire date
Correct answer: Terminate the employee regardless of years of service, since the appointment was obtained fraudulently
Falsifying an employment application is considered fraud, which can void the original appointment and subject the employee to termination even years later.
New Jersey Civil Service Exam General Practice 4
The New Jersey 'Rule of Three' in civil service appointments means an appointing authority must: