PENSION BENEFITS REPORT
Veterans’ status and the
PFRS age requirement
One of the many calls we get at the State PBA
office pertains to the age requirement for enroll-
ment into the Police and Fire Retirement System.
Current law sets a maximum age for entry into
the PFRS. Employees must not be one day past
their 35th birthday to qualify for enrollment.
Determining the age for entry in the PFRS may
vary between civil service and non-civil service
jurisdictions. All employees covered by civil ser-
PETER
ANDREYEV vice (Title 11) — whether state, county or mu-
nicipal — cannot be past their 35th birthday as
of the announced closing date of the civil service exam. Those
candidates meeting the age requirements at that time will be
considered as having met the maximum age requirement for
the duration of the ensuing Civil Service Eligibility List, from
which appointments may be made. Non-civil service employ-
ees (primarily municipal police department employees) can-
not be one day past their 35th birthday as of their official date
of hire.
Veterans will be happy to know that there are certain excep-
tions to the maximum age requirement. Military service is one
exception to the age requirement, as long as you have met the
definition of a veteran for pension purposes. Certain periods
of military service may be used on a one-for-one basis to “re-
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NEW JERSEY COPS
■ NOVEMBER 2018
duce” one’s age for entry. Prospective candidates must have
had military service during the Lebanon conflict, (Sept. 26,
1982 to Dec. 1, 1987), Grenada conflict (Oct. 23, 1983 to Nov.
21, 1983), Panama peacekeeping mission (Dec. 20, 1989 to Jan.
31, 1990), Operation Desert Shield/Storm (Aug. 2, 1990 to Feb.
28, 1991), Operation Restore Hope in Somalia (Dec. 5, 1992 to
March 31, 1994), Operations Joint Endeavor/Joint Guard in the
Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Nov. 20, 1995 to June 20,
1998), Operation Enduring Freedom (Sept. 11, 2001 to present)
or Operation Iraqi Freedom (March 19, 2003 to present). The
prospective member must have served at least 14 days in these
countries or regions or on ships patrolling in the territorial wa-
ters of these nations.
If the start of the member’s service began on or after the be-
ginning date of the war era, veteran status will be granted as
long as any one of the 14 days of service fell on or within the
dates listed.
If the start of the member’s service was prior to the begin-
ning date of the war era, then the member must have served
all 14 days in the area within the dates specified for the conflict
in order to be considered a veteran. Only that period of service
in the area of conflict may be subtracted from an individual’s
age for PFRS eligibility purposes. This is important to note be-
cause some confuse this requirement with total military time.
A member can purchase total military time for pension credit,
but only the period of time that you were in the conflict can
be used to reduce age. The 14-day requirement for service can
be waived if the veteran was discharged because of a service-
incurred disability.
Absent Without Leave (AWOL) status must be deducted from
active service. If this reduces the active service to less than the
14-day service requirement, consideration will be denied.
Prior police service can be used to subtract one’s age in order
to meet the maximum age requirement of 35 years for the po-
sition of a municipal police officer. If you were a former state
trooper, sheriff’s officer or deputy, county or municipal po-
lice officer, SEPTA, Delaware River Port Authority, Burlington
County Bridge Commission or Amtrak police officer, then you
would be permitted to use that previous service to reduce ac-
tual age. Prior experience in federal law enforcement agencies
or law enforcement agencies of other states would also qualify
to reduce a person’s age for the position of municipal police
officer. No one may be appointed over the age of 45 except for
those who were previously terminated involuntarily (laid off,
or part of a reduction in force) from their former employment.
If you have any questions regarding this issue, you can al-
ways contact me at the NJSPBA office.