Bill > S4

Introduced Session

Sections 1, 2 and 3: These sections implement Recommendation 36 of the Joint Legislative Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform set forth in the final report dated December 1, 2006. The report concluded that "this recommendation will bring supplemental compensation for accumulated unused sick leave in line with the current law and practice for State employees, thus standardizing this benefit for public employees serving at different levels of government in the State." This bill provides that supplemental compensation for accumulated unused sick leave payable to any local government or school district officer or employee cannot exceed $15,000 and can only be paid at the time the officer or employee retires. This provision would apply only to officers and employees who commence service with a local government or a school district on or after the bills effective date. Current law limits to $15,000 the maximum amount that may be paid to a State employee for accumulated unused sick leave when the employee retires. However, there is currently no such limit with regard to local government and to school district officers or employees, except with regard to certain high level local government and school district officers. Sections 4 and 5: These sections implement Recommendation 37 of the Joint Legislative Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform set forth in the final report dated December 1, 2006. The report concludes that "this recommendation will bring the carry forward of unused vacation time in line with the current law and practice for State employees, thus standardizing these benefits for public employees serving at different levels of government in the State. In addition, this recommendation will enable local governments to control public employee benefit costs which, in turn, will reduce property tax revenue needs." Under this bill, local government and school district officers and employees would be allowed to carry forward vacation leave for only one successive year, except that vacation leave that could not be used because of an emergency declared by the Governor would accumulate subject to certain limits. This provision would apply only to officers and employees who commence service with a local government or a school district on or after the bills effective date and only after the expiration of a current contract applicable to such officer or employee Current law limits vacation leave carry forward for State employees and employees of local governments that have adopted civil service. However, there is currently no such limit with regard to other local government and to school district officers or employees, except with regard to certain high level local government and school district officers. Section 6: This section implements Recommendation 38 of the Joint Legislative Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform set forth in the final report dated December 1, 2006. The committee recommended "the enactment of legislation to eliminate the States sick leave injury program. The legislation should close the program to all current and future State employees. The legislation should take effect after the expiration of any collective bargaining agreement in effect at the time of enactment so that no obligation in a contract is impaired." The committee stated that "the proposals to end the sick leave injury program are sound and that employees will generally not be disadvantaged by this change because workers compensation benefits will continue to be available. In addition, the State will realize savings in the form of reduced employee benefit costs." This bill terminates the sick leave injury program for State employees who are injured or who become ill directly as a result of State employment after the bills effective date which is 60 days after enactment or after the expiration of current collective negotiations agreements. Sections 7-11: These sections implement Recommendation 17 of the Joint Legislative Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform set forth in the final report dated December 1, 2006. The committee recommended "the enactment of legislation to replace accidental and ordinary disability benefits for new TPAF and PERS members with private disability insurance coverage." The committee found that this recommendation would be beneficial to public employees who become disabled and would result in savings to both the State and local public employers. This bill eliminates accidental and ordinary disability retirement for members of the Teachers Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) and Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) who are enrolled in the retirement system on or after this bills effective date. Instead, members of each system enrolled after that date will be eligible for disability insurance coverage similar to that provided by the State currently to individuals enrolled in the Defined Contribution Retirement Program. Section 12 and 13: These sections provide that, with regard to any provision of this bill concerning disability retirement in the Public Employees Retirement System and the Teachers Pension and Annuity Fund made applicable to a person who becomes a member of a State-administered retirement system on or after the bills effective date, that provision would not apply to a person who at the time of enrollment in the retirement system on or after that effective date transfers service credit, as permitted, from another State-administered retirement system or fund of which the person was a member immediately prior to the effective date and continuously thereafter, but would apply to a former member of the retirement system who has been granted a retirement allowance and is reenrolled in the retirement system on or after that effective date after becoming employed again in a position that makes the person eligible to be a member of the retirement system. These sections are in line with recent prior enactments in this regard.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Robert Andrews (D)*,  Barbara Buono (D)*,  Alex DeCroce (R)*,  Tom Kean (R)*,  Kevin O'Toole (R)*,  Sheila Oliver (D)*,  Jeff Van Drew (R)*,  Dawn Addiego (D),  Christopher Bateman (R),  Jim Beach (D),  Jennifer Beck (R),  Peter Biondi (R),  Jon Bramnick (R),  Anthony Bucco (R),  Tony Bucco (R),  Gerald Cardinale (R),  Caroline Casagrande (R),  Gary Chiusano (R),  Andrew Ciesla (R),  Denise Coyle (R),  Sandra Cunningham (D),  Domenick DiCicco (R),  John DiMaio (R),  Michael Doherty (R),  Nia Gill (D),  Robert Gordon (D),  Amy Handlin (R),  Joseph Kyrillos (R),  Raymond Lesniak (D),  Fred Madden (D),  Nancy Muñoz (R),  Declan O'Scanlon (R),  Steven Oroho (R),  Joe Pennacchio (R),  Erik Peterson (R),  Scott Rudder (R),  Teresa Ruiz (D),  David Russo (R),  Paul Sarlo (D),  Nick Scutari (D),  Bob Smith (D),  Brian Stack (D),  Stephen Sweeney (D),  Joe Vitale (D),  Jay Webber (R),  Loretta Weinberg (D),  Jim Whelan (D),  David Wolfe (R), 

Approved P.L.2010, c.3. (on 03/22/2010)

Official Document