The director of welfare shall be and hereby is classified in the competitive class of the classified service as defined and provided in Title 11, Civil Service, notwithstanding the county welfare board may not otherwise be operating under the provisions of Title 11, Civil Service. Directors of welfare hereafter appointed shall have a working test period, as otherwise defined and governed by sections 11:12-1 and 11:12-2, which shall be not shorter than six months and which shall, on request of the appointing authority, be extended for an additional period or periods not to exceed a total of twelve months including the initial period.
N.J.S. § 44:4-33