Allows appointing authorities in Civil Service to hire from or promote within top five eligible candidates.

This bill (S 753) changes New Jersey's civil service hiring rules by expanding the "rule of three" to a "rule of five." It allows state appointing authorities to hire or promote from the top five eligible candidates on competitive or promotional lists, instead of just the top three. The change applies to all civil service positions regulated by the Civil Service Commission, while still requiring consideration of veterans' preference. This directly affects state agencies and hiring managers when filling vacancies, broadening the pool of candidates they can select from. The bill amends existing law (N.J.S.11A:4-8) to implement this expansion.