NJ Board of Pharmacy

[Arminios]

I need some help with a situation I'm currently having with the NJ State Board of Pharmacy. I currently hold a Pharmacist license in the State of OH and applied for a Pharmacy license in NJ through reciprocity. I completed all my requirements including the NJ MPJE except my background check which has been bending for over 3 months now with no apparent explanation. I have no problems with the law and I'm currently practicing for a Major chain as a Pharmacy Manager. The NJ State Board of Pharmacy is not answering my phone calls or emails. What would be my next step to escalate my issue legally?
Thank you in advance!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[BidingMyTime]

You are in the great state of Ohio, why would you want to go to NJ?

Hopefully someone from NJ will come by here and give you some advice.

I doubt you can do anything legally, NJ doesn't have to give you (or anyone a license.) Unless there is cause to think they are purposely discriminating against for a protected reason (which I'm sure isn't the case), I think legally you would be out of luck. State boards of pharmacies in general move slowly, 3 months is a long time in normal world to wait for a reply, but in state board world it's a short time period.

 

[Dred Pirate]

You are in the great state of Ohio, why would you want to go to NJ?

Hopefully someone from NJ will come by here and give you some advice.

I doubt you can do anything legally, NJ doesn't have to give you (or anyone a license.) Unless there is cause to think they are purposely discriminating against for a protected reason (which I'm sure isn't the case), I think legally you would be out of luck. State boards of pharmacies in general move slowly, 3 months is a long time in normal world to wait for a reply, but in state board world it's a short time period.

agree that 3 months seems excessive - in my 4 states I have dealt, I usually hear a response in a matter of a day or two. I am sure with COVID and work from home, some things are delayed, but I can't fathom why it would take this long. When you call you don't get a live person?

 

[rxkrafted]

Are you sure they didn't send you instructions on the background check? Do they require you to go to an agency with a form provided and get your fingerprints to run a background check?

 

[glhm93]

Yes can confirm that NJ requires you to go to a specific agency (forgot their name but they also handle TSA Pre Check) to get your fingerprints done as part of the background check)

 

[farmadiazepine]

You do know COVID is going on, right? There is nobody at NJ BOP.

 

[Sine Cura]

COVID is a lame excuse. In California board inspectors are making the rounds (showing up in person to do inspections actually) and still respond to "consumer" complaints

 

[Arminios]

You are in the great state of Ohio, why would you want to go to NJ?

Hopefully someone from NJ will come by here and give you some advice.

I doubt you can do anything legally, NJ doesn't have to give you (or anyone a license.) Unless there is cause to think they are purposely discriminating against for a protected reason (which I'm sure isn't the case), I think legally you would be out of luck. State boards of pharmacies in general move slowly, 3 months is a long time in normal world to wait for a reply, but in state board world it's a short time period.

Is that even legal for a government agency to refuse service based on nothing after receiving all fees and proper documentation and with no apparent reasoning to why they're holding your application?

 

[Arminios]

agree that 3 months seems excessive - in my 4 states I have dealt, I usually hear a response in a matter of a day or two. I am sure with COVID and work from home, some things are delayed, but I can't fathom why it would take this long. When you call you don't get a live person?

No one is answering their calls, a voicemail that leads to nothing.

 

[Arminios]

Are you sure they didn't send you instructions on the background check? Do they require you to go to an agency with a form provided and get your fingerprints to run a background check?

I have exactly followed their instructions when I did my out of state background check; but again I'm not sure why there is a hold because of that.

 

[Arminios]

You do know COVID is going on, right? There is nobody at NJ BOP.

The OH board of Pharmacy is still responding in a timely manner and we do have a larger scale of covid-19 outbreak.