New Jersey Civil Service Exam General Practice 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following BEST describes an 'unassembled' civil service examination in New Jersey?
- A test taken entirely online without a proctor
- An evaluation of applicants based on their education, training, and experience without a formal written test (Correct answer)
- An exam composed of multiple sections administered on different days
- A physical fitness test conducted at a designated facility
Correct answer: An evaluation of applicants based on their education, training, and experience without a formal written test
An unassembled examination scores candidates using a structured review of their credentials — such as education, licenses, and experience — without requiring them to sit for a written exam.
Question 2: Under the New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act, which of the following is a mandatory subject of collective negotiations for public employees?
- The agency's overall mission and budget priorities
- Wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment (Correct answer)
- Appointment of department heads by the Governor
- Setting civil service examination passing scores
Correct answer: Wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment
Wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment are mandatory subjects that public employers in NJ must negotiate with recognized employee organizations.
Question 3: A New Jersey state employee wishes to engage in political campaign activity for a candidate running for local office. Under the Hatch Act as it applies to state employees using federal funds, this employee should:
- Freely campaign using state resources during work hours
- Understand that certain restrictions on partisan political activity may apply and seek guidance before acting (Correct answer)
- Only campaign in states other than New Jersey
- Obtain written permission from the Governor's office
Correct answer: Understand that certain restrictions on partisan political activity may apply and seek guidance before acting
State and local employees whose positions are connected to federally funded programs may be subject to Hatch Act restrictions on partisan political activity and should seek guidance.
Question 4: The New Jersey State employees' pension system for most general civil service workers is administered through:
- The Social Security Administration
- The Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) (Correct answer)
- The Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF)
- The State Police Retirement System (SPRS)
Correct answer: The Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS)
The Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) is the primary pension fund for most New Jersey state and local government employees who are not in specialized systems.
Question 5: Which of the following statements about the NJ Civil Service Commission's 'certification' process is MOST accurate?
- Certification is the process of granting employees their annual raises
- Certification refers to sending the names of top-ranked eligible candidates to an appointing authority to fill a vacancy (Correct answer)
- Certification is the process of removing a position from the classified service
- Certification is the final step before an employee files for retirement benefits
Correct answer: Certification refers to sending the names of top-ranked eligible candidates to an appointing authority to fill a vacancy
Certification is the official process by which the Civil Service Commission transmits the names of top-eligible candidates from an eligible list to an appointing authority to fill an open position.
Question 6: Under NJ law, an employee who believes they were passed over for promotion due to their religion may file a complaint with which entity FIRST at the state level?
- The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- The NJ Division on Civil Rights (Correct answer)
- The NJ Civil Service Commission's Anti-Discrimination Unit
- The NJ Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division
Correct answer: The NJ Division on Civil Rights
At the state level, religious discrimination complaints in employment are filed with the NJ Division on Civil Rights, which enforces the Law Against Discrimination.
Question 7: A NJ civil service manager receives a complaint that a subordinate has created a hostile work environment based on national origin. The manager's FIRST obligation is to:
- Resolve the complaint informally without documentation
- Report the complaint through proper channels and begin or initiate an appropriate investigation per agency policy (Correct answer)
- Warn the accused employee privately and monitor the situation
- Refer the complaining employee to an outside private attorney
Correct answer: Report the complaint through proper channels and begin or initiate an appropriate investigation per agency policy
Managers have an affirmative obligation to take harassment complaints seriously, document them, and initiate the agency's formal complaint and investigation process.
New Jersey Civil Service Exam General Practice 5
Which of the following BEST describes an 'unassembled' civil service examination in New Jersey?