N.J. Stat. tit. 43, ch. 4

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 43:4-1 Applies to veterans

43:4-1. This chapter shall apply to and include persons serving in and honorably discharged from the military or naval service of the United States, including nurses, in any war in which the United States is or has been engaged, and members of the American Merchant Marine during World War II who have been honorably discharged and are declared by the United States Department of Defense to be eligible for federal veterans' benefits, and in connection with the American punitive expedition or other intervention campaign or trouble with the Republic of Mexico during the administration of President Woodrow Wilson; provided, such designated persons shall have attained the age of 62 years or become incapacitated for the duties of their office or position or employment. Amended 1944,c.211; 1991,c.389,s.26.

N.J. Stat. § 43:4-1.1 Veterans eligible for pension under this article

War veterans employed in positions covered by any county or city public employee retirement system, established pursuant to chapter 160 of the laws of 1943, chapter 310 of the laws of 1948, chapter 218 of the laws of 1954, chapter 251 of the laws of 1954, or chapter 275 of the laws of 1964, but who are not members of any such pension fund, and who first became eligible for membership in the Public Employees' Retirement System of New Jersey pursuant to the provisions of chapter 71 of the laws of 1966, shall nevertheless be permitted to retire and be granted a pension under the provisions of article 1 of chapter 4 of Title 43 of the Revised Statutes, if they are otherwise eligible for benefits thereunder. L.1967, c. 295, s. 1, eff. Feb. 15, 1968.

N.J. Stat. § 43:4-1.2 Withdrawal from public employees' retirement system

Any such war veteran who enrolled in the Public Employees' Retirement System of New Jersey shall be permitted to withdraw therefrom upon the filing of a proper application for the return of his contributions if he makes such application within 90 days of the effective date of this act. Such withdrawal shall constitute a waiver of his rights to all benefits in the State system. L.1967, c. 295, s. 2, eff. Feb. 15, 1968.

N.J. Stat. § 43:4-2 Retirement of veterans; pension to widow

43:4-2. When an honorably discharged soldier, sailor or marine or an honorably discharged member of the American Merchant Marine who served during World War II and is declared by the United States Department of Defense to be eligible for federal veterans' benefits has or shall have been for 20 years continuously or in the aggregate in office, position or employment of this State or of a county, municipality or school district or board of education, the body, board or officer having power to appoint his successor in case of vacancy may, with his assent, order his retirement from such service, or he shall be retired on his own request. When an honorably discharged soldier, sailor or marine having 40 years of continuous service in office, position or employment in this State shall, while serving in the war between the United States and Germany and Japan, lose his life in the performance of his duties, there shall be paid to his widow, during the term of her natural life, or so long as she remains a widow, a pension to which such veteran would have been entitled had he retired under the provisions hereof. This act shall be retroactive to include such veterans who lost their lives in the performance of duty within one year prior to the passage hereof. Such pension shall be calculated and paid in the manner provided by section 43:4-3 of the Revised Statutes. There shall be deducted from such pension payments any pension payment made or made available to such widow from the United States Government on account of the services of such veteran or because of the loss of his life in the performance of such duty. Amended 1943,c.87; 1944,c.191; 1947,c.279; 1991,c.389,s.27.

N.J. Stat. § 43:4-3 Amount of pension; pensions under other laws

A person so retired shall be entitled, for and during his natural life, to receive by way of pension, one-half of the compensation then being received by him for his service, which shall be paid in the same way and in the same installments as his compensation has been payable. No pension paid under this article shall be less than fifty dollars per month, unless the person so retired shall at the time of his retirement be receiving compensation of less than fifty dollars per month, in which case he shall be paid on retirement the full amount then being received by him for his service. In case of retirement with pension from office or position under any other law of this state, the person retiring shall waive either his pension under that law or his pension under this article.

N.J. Stat. § 43:4-3.1 Increase of pension

Effective January 1, 1968 the pension payable by any county, municipality or school district to any veteran retired on pension prior to January 1, 1955 pursuant to article 1 of chapter 4 of Title 43 of the Revised Statutes may be increased in accordance with the provisions of this act; provided that the board of chosen freeholders of the county by resolution, or the governing body of the municipality by ordinance, or the board of education of the school district by resolution, as the case may be, shall so determine. L.1967, c. 294, s. 1, eff. Feb. 15, 1968.

N.J. Stat. § 43:4-3.2 Pension increase table

The first $900.00 of the annual pension or the full amount of the pension, if the same is less than $900.00 per year, shall be increased in accordance with a ratio of increase formula calculated in accordance with the percentage applicable for the calendar year of retirement, as follows: Year of Ratio of Year of Ratio of Retirement Increase Retirement Increase 1920 88% 1937 109% 1921 72% 1938 106% 1922 64% 1939 104% 1923 61% 1940 103% 1924 61% 1941 101% 1925 66% 1942 96% 1926 66% 1943 87% 1927 65% 1944 79% 1928 65% 1945 70% 1929 65% 1946 61% 1930 66% 1947 51% 1931 71% 1948 41% 1932 79% 1949 33% 1933 89% 1950 26% 1934 99% 1951 19% 1935 107% 1952 15% 1936 111% 1953 12% 1954 10% L.1967, c. 294, s. 2, eff. Feb. 15, 1968.

N.J. Stat. § 43:4-3.3 Appropriations to pay increases

Funds to pay the increases provided in this act shall be provided in the budgets of the county, municipality or school district from whose service the veteran retired on pension and shall be added to pension payments payable for any period after January 1, 1968 or shall be added to pension payments retroactively to January 1, 1968 as to any pension payable by a school district having a fiscal year commencing in 1968 on a date other than on January 1. The increase in pension shall continue to be paid as long as there shall be appropriated the amounts required. In the event that the necessary funds are not so appropriated, the increase in pension shall cease. L.1967, c. 294, s. 3, eff. Feb. 15, 1968.

N.J. Stat. § 43:4-3.4 Waiver of increase; written request

Any increase in pension, or a portion thereof, authorized by this act, may be waived upon written request of the person entitled thereto. L.1967, c. 294, s. 4, eff. Feb. 15, 1968.

N.J. Stat. § 43:4-4 Provision for pension; effect of abolition of office

Provisions for all pensions arising under this article shall be made in the appropriation or tax levy for the department of the public service from which the person shall be retired. No pension shall cease or become invalid by reason of the abolition of the department or office in which he served, or any change in its title.

N.J. Stat. § 43:4-5 Effect of article on beneficiaries under repealed acts

This article shall not affect beneficiaries who were drawing pensions on March nineteenth, one thousand nine hundred and twelve, whether or not the acts under the authority of which such pensions were being drawn were repealed by an act entitled "An act to permit the retirement, on pension, and retention of those now receiving pensions by law, heretofore retired or resigned, from public office or position, after twenty years' continuous or aggregate service in public office or position of honorably discharged Union soldiers, sailors and marines who served in the war of the rebellion, defining the manner of payment of the said pension and repealing an act entitled "An act to permit the retirement, on pension, from public office or position, after forty years' continuous service therein, of honorably discharged Union soldiers, sailors and marines who served in the war of the rebellion,' approved May seventeenth, one thousand nine hundred and six, and also repealing an act entitled "An act to amend the title and body of and to supplement an act entitled "An act to permit the retirement, on pension, from public office or position, after forty years' continuous service therein, of honorably discharged Union soldiers, sailors and marines who served in the war of the rebellion," approved May seventeenth, one thousand nine hundred and six,' approved April eighth, one thousand nine hundred and ten; and also repealing an act entitled "An act to amend the title and body of and to further supplement an act entitled "An act to permit the retirement, on pension, from public office or position, after forty years' continuous service therein, of honorably discharged Union soldiers, sailors and marines who served in the war of the rebellion," approved May seventeenth, one thousand nine hundred and six,' approved May first, one thousand nine hundred and eleven," approved March nineteenth, one thousand nine hundred and twelve (L.1912, c. 84, p. 116). A person affected by a repealer contained in the last mentioned act, or by implication of repeal of any law, shall be provided for in accordance with this article.

N.J. Stat. § 43:4-6 Certain veterans employed as court reporters

L.1921, c. 200, p. 623 (1924 Suppl. s.s. 50-149 to 50-155), entitled "An act to provide for the retirement and pensioning of any honorably discharged soldier, sailor, or marine, who served in the war of the rebellion, after he has been employed and has served for twenty years, continuously, as the proxy, or assistant or substitute stenographic reporter under one or more of the official stenographers in the courts in this state, and defining the manner of payment of such pension, and how the money therefor is to be raised; and for the continuance of the pension on the decease of such retired person, to his widow, if she be over seventy years of age and was his wife during all of said twenty years," approved April eighth, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-one, saved from repeal. [This act, as its title indicates, provides for the retirement and pensioning of certain civil war veterans serving as proxy, or assistant or substitute stenographic reporters.]

N.J. Stat. § 43:4-7 Waiver of portion of pension

Any person who has retired or shall retire pursuant to any pension act or retirement system established pursuant to law may, upon written request, waive payment of a portion of any pension to which he is so entitled. L.1954, c. 169, p. 676, s. 1. Amended by L.1957, c. 59, p. 109, s. 2.

N.J. Stat. § 43:4-8 Payments in reduced amounts after waiver

Upon receipt of such a waiver, and until the same is withdrawn or altered by a subsequent request, the department of the public service paying such pension shall make periodic payments in such reduced amount. L.1954, c. 169, p. 676, s. 2.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026