PENSION BENEFITS REPORT
Understanding the Police and Fire Retirement System age requirement
Some of the many calls we get at the State PBA office pertain to the age requirement for enrollment into the Police and Fire Retirement System . Current law prescribes 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 service — whether state , county , or municipal candidates — 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 . Municipal police department employees are primarily non-civil service and cannot be one day past their 35th birthday as of their official date of hire .
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Veterans will be happy to know that there are certain exceptions to the maximum age requirement . Military service is an 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 “ reduce ” one ’ s age for entry .
Prospective candidates must have had military service during the Lebanon conflict ( Sept . 26 , 1982 to Dec . 1 , 1987 ), the Grenada conflict ( Oct . 23 , 1983 to Nov . 21 , 1983 ), the Panama peacekeeping mission ( Dec . 20 , 1989 to Jan . 31 , 1990 ), Operation Desert Shield / Storm ( Aug . 2 , 1990 to February 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 ) and Operation Iraqi Freedom ( March 19 , 2003 to present ). The prospective member must have served at least 14 days in the country or region or on ships patrolling in the territorial waters of these nations .
If the start of the member ’ s service began on or after the beginning 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 beginning 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 because some confuse this requirement with total military time . A member can buy back total military time for pension credit , but only the period of time spent in the conflict could 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 , and 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 position of a municipal police officer . If you were a former state trooper , sheriff ’ s officer , county or municipal police officer , or a 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 actual 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 employer .
If you have any questions regarding this issue , you can always contact me at the NJSPBA Office . d