Court Decision Upholds Legislative Push to Defeat Christie Administration Effort to Weaken Protections
Assembly Democrats Daniel R. Benson and Wayne DeAngelo (both D-Mercer/Middlesex) issued the following statement Thursday after the Appellate Division upheld the legislature’s push to overturn the Christie administration’s effort to weaken Civil Service rules in New Jersey.
Benson and DeAngelo were lead sponsors of legislation invalidating the Civil Service Commission’s proposed rule establishing a job banding program:
“The changes the Christie administration proposed would have taken New Jersey backward by eliminating competitive examinations and instead relying on job banding, unabashedly taking merit out of the equation,” said Benson. “The court’s decision supports the fundamental notion that putting forth your best effort every day can – and should – result in success in the workplace. A promotion ought to be a product of what you know and how you perform, not who you know and how much they like you.”
“New Jersey’s long-standing civil service rules exist to make sure that all public employees have a fair shot at advancing in their careers and that the person most qualified for a role gets the job. That not only benefits employees but also ensures the best use of taxpayer dollars,” said DeAngelo. “The integrity of the state’s public sector depends on a commitment to fight for the rights of working people in New Jersey and to ensure the failure of any effort to weaken civil service rules.”