Bill > S500

This bill clarifies the process for public school districts, referred to as "employers," when entering into "subcontracting agreements," which are contracts where an employer hires an outside entity to perform work or services previously done by its own employees. The bill establishes that decisions regarding subcontracting, including matters like severance pay, are mandatory subjects of negotiation with employee unions, meaning employers must bargain over these issues. It prohibits employers from entering into subcontracting agreements that affect employees in a union during the term of an existing contract, and for agreements that extend beyond the current contract, employers must provide at least 90 days' written notice to the union and the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC), and offer the union an opportunity to meet, consult, and negotiate the impact of the subcontracting. Employees displaced by subcontracting will retain their seniority and have recall rights. Violations of the act are considered unfair labor practices, and affected employees or unions can file charges with PERC, which can order remedies such as reinstatement and back pay. The bill aims to provide additional rights to employees beyond those already established by law.