News from Assemblyman Singleton

Singleton Bill to Help Unemployed Civilian Federal Firefighters Secure Work Signed Into Law

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Troy Singleton (D-Burlington) allowing municipalities or fire districts to hire civilian federal firefighters who lost their jobs through no fault of their own has been signed into law.

“The work of a firefighter is grueling and dangerous. Not everyone can do the job, so we should make the process of hiring firefighters who are qualified and experienced as effortless as possible,” said Singleton. “This law does that by giving firefighters who lost their jobs due to circumstances beyond their control the opportunity to work. This not only helps the firefighters, but municipalities which benefit from having able firefighters in charge of the safety of their residents.”

The law (A-2375) permits a municipality or fire district to appoint a civilian federal firefighter who lost his position as the result of a reduction in force or the termination of their position at a federal military installation, even if the municipality has adopted the Civil Service rules. Previously, a municipality could only hire a civilian federal firefighter, while ignoring Civil Service rules, if the military installation had been closed. This law extends this hiring preference to firefighters who are unemployed as a result a reduction in force or elimination of firefighter’s position.

Current law requires the Civil Service Commission to prepare and circulate to municipalities and fire districts a list of the civilian federal firefighters eligible for appointment to a local fire department.