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New update: I was able to speak with the detective sergeant in charge of gun permit applications in Mt. Holly and he is a very helpful, reasonable person. He told me that it is fairly common for employers to refuse to complete the form they send out and it has not affected the progress of my application. He is still waiting to receive my fingerprints and mental health record and some other bits of information but anticipates having everything within the next couple of weeks. He also said that everything should be complete within a month or so, which is much sooner than I had originally been told. It looks like things are on track, after all. Why do they have to involve someone's boss in this process at all if they refuse so often? I explained to him that my boss's response was pretty harsh, although polite, and that I hope this process does not affect my relationship as his employee. I did join NJ2AS and will see if they can approach my township to convince them to stop trying to use this illegal form (I didn't describe it that way to the detective, btw). Thank all of you for your various helpful and enlightening suggestions!!

Update: I spoke with the NJSP and he gave sound advice, assuring me that my boss refusing to fill out this form would not (ultimately, at least) block me from being able to get my permits. He asked me to call my local COP in Mt. Holly directly, though, and tell him the situation and that I spoke with the NJSP Firearms Investigation Unit. I should refer my COP to them if he wants any additional information. I was assured that they can't put any restrictions on my application. I have a call in for the COP but he wasn't in at the time so they took my name and #. Stay tuned!

'H.M. Murdock' - posted: " the town mentioned firearms on the letter then you may have grounds for a lawsuit." Does it MENTION firearms? It mentions SEVERAL times! There is absolutely zero doubt that this is for firearms! The letter clearly states that "The above named person has made application to this office for a permit to purchase a firearm(s). The firearm may be a hand gun, shot gun or rifle. He/she has used your name as a reference (note: not voluntarily!!). It is mandatory that these offices conduct a background check of all applicants for firemarms. Your answers to the questions below may well determine the applicant's suitability to have a firearm; and the answers, likewise, may well determine the issuance of a permit to purchase it." It also goes on to say that if I appeal a denial of the application and it goes to court they cannot guarantee that the information (about my boss and his responses to the questions) would be kept confidential. I'm hoping to avoid lawsuits. As I explained to another friend, I'm trying to stay as far below the radar as possible and a lawsuit would bring unwanted notice and may well lead to uninvited attention or even harrassment.

Here is the list of questions on the form they asked him to complete. As you can see, it goes WAY beyond what most supervisors know about their employees and certainly beyond what could ever be expected from a 3-month relationship (and we only met once, a couple of weeks ago, when I was at our headquarters for our global sales meeting)! 1. Does your company or organization employ the applicant? 2. How long has the applicant been employed by you? 3. Have you even known the applicant to be involved with the illegal use of Drugs? 4. Does he/she have any physical defects? 5. Does he/she have any mental disorders or has he/she ever been treated by a psychiatrist? 6. Does the applicant use alcoholic beverages excessively? 7. Has the applicant ever been arrested, to your knowledge? 8. Is there anything in the past that might reflect on his/her character? ____________________________________________________________ 9. Does the applicant belong to or has he/she ever belonged to any organization that advocates or approves of the use of force and violence to overthrow the government of the Unites States or this State? 10. Do you recommend a permit for this applicant?

I'm in Mt. Holly. They said this was NJ law. I just started this job 6 months ago and feel lucky to have it in the current climate so getting another job is not really an option. I am, however, starting to get nervous that this step may have jeopardized my brand-new relationship with my boss.

I haven't been able to verify this portion of the NJ laws for applying for a permit to purchase a gun and this is my first time throught this process. It is SO onerous that I hope it will be my last time! Forever!! Anyway, I have complete all of my paperwork, fingerprinting and fees and am now waiting for the last bit of paperwork which involves having my direct supervisor complete a form that goes with my application. I was told that this is NJ law but haven't been able to find anything that describes it. The application already has 2 references, which I'm assuming they will contact. They didn't seem to think it was important that my boss is actually at our headquarters in France and he's only been with the company for 3 months and doesn't know me at all. What kind of a reference is that? He also just responded to the e-mail they sent to accompany the form and said that, as a Dutchman and European, and "cannot sponsor, like all European governments do, the proliferation of shot guns for personal protection." He obviously doesn't know the least thing about guns, to call a hand gun a shot gun, but it's beginning to look like my application may be blocked by this last step that I cannot even find in the actual laws! Does anyone have any insight into this that might be helpful? How can they think that someone who doesn't even know me can vouch for me in any way and let this tie up the legal process for applying for the permit to purchase a handgun? I appreciate your help!