TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey is one of the few states in America that discriminates against U.S. military veterans who served, by requiring them to have ‘in-country’ time to be eligible for state civil service benefits. That means, you could have been drafted during Vietnam, but never deployed, and the state does not recognize your service.
The same has gone for veterans who served during other conflicts such as Desert Storm and the Global War on Terrorism.
That could change soon, if a new law is passed and signed by Governor Phil Murphy.
A proposed New Jersey law would eliminate longstanding restrictions that limit civil service benefits for veterans, aiming to ensure broader recognition of military service regardless of wartime status or deployment locations.
The legislation, which includes changes to the state’s civil service system and public employee retirement systems, would extend veterans’ eligibility to those who have served in federal active duty in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces or its Reserve components. Veterans would no longer be required to have served during specific conflicts or in designated war zones to qualify for certain benefits.
Among the expanded benefits are preferences in civil service hiring, enhanced retirement allowances under the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) and Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), and the ability to purchase additional military service credit in state-run retirement systems. To claim civil service preference, individuals still in active service must submit documentation of their military status and provide evidence of honorable discharge within a specified timeframe.
“This bill removes outdated barriers to veterans’ benefits and recognizes the contributions of all who have served, regardless of when or where they were deployed,” the statement accompanying the bill explains. The legislation, however, requires voter approval of a constitutional amendment to fully enact the civil service provisions.
If passed, the law would take effect immediately, with civil service changes contingent on the constitutional amendment approval by voters in an upcoming election.
The bill modernizes New Jersey’s veterans’ benefits by eliminating restrictions based on service dates and locations.
