As reported by NJSpotlight.com, a proposal to move some state and local employees to a new 401(k)-like pension system is gaining support because it has the potential to save billions of dollars. However, long before anything is adopted, it is likely to draw strenuous pushback from the public workers’ labor unions. The recommendation is
Major NJ City Poised to Make Change from Self Insured Healthcare to the NJ State Health Benefits Plan
The City of Paterson is looking at the possibility of ending its longstanding practice of using self-insurance for employee medical coverage and switching to New Jersey’s State Health Benefits program, as reported in Northjersey.com. By doing so, Paterson believes that it would save approximately 20 million dollars given that its cost for employee medical coverage…
Murphy and NJ Public Employee Unions Negotiate Changes to Healthcare Plans That Will Save NJ Taxpayers Millions of Dollars
As reported in Northjersey.com, the Murphy Administration has reached a health care deal with the state’s public workers’ unions that is expected to yield approximately $500 million in savings over the next two years. The pact directs union members and retirees to utilize “in-network doctors” and “generic prescription drugs”, according to a report by the…
Public Safety Officers Must Be Mindful of Impact of Restraining Orders On Their Employment
Recently, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division (“Appellate Division”) issued an opinion in the case In the Matter of Frank Harkcom, Bayside State Prison, Department of Corrections. This case reinforces the fact that New Jersey Public Safety Officers must be mindful if there is a temporary (“TRO”) or final restraining order (“FRO”) …
New Jersey Supreme Court Rules Police Dashcam Videos Not Subject to Public Disclosure In Most Circumstances
As reported by NJ.com, the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a ruling wherein video of New Jersey Police Officers chasing down and arresting suspects will not be turned over to the public and the media in many cases. A divided Supreme Court ruled 4-3 in the matter entitled Paff v. Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office…
NJ’s Public Employee Donated Sick Leave Policy May Soon Become Law
In New Jersey under an existing employment regulation, state employees can donate unused time off to a co-worker who has exhausted his/her own allotted leave bank due to a catastrophic illness or injury that has kept them from returning to work. As reported on the website, NJSpotlight.com, State lawmakers want to see this longstanding policy…
Appellate Division Addressed PERC’s Authority, Security Camera Issues
As reported by the New Jersey Law Journal, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division (“Appellate Division”) ruled that the State’s Public Employment Relations Commission (“PERC”) has near-exclusive jurisdiction over labor disputes between public workers and their employers. To this end, the three judge panel stated PERC has “exclusive jurisdiction to decide complaints…
NJ 2019 Fiscal Year Budget Funds The Public Employee Pension System at a Greater Level Than Ever Before
As reported in multiple news sources, the current New Jersey State budget signed into law by Governor Philip Murphy increased state spending by more than one billion dollars and a large portion of that increase is going to the state’s grossly underfunded public-employee pension system.
The new budget adds $700 million to what the state…
Senate President Sweeney Wants To Put Public Employee Benefits and Pensions On the Chopping Block Again
As reported in NorthJersey.com, New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney has plans to wring savings out of government which could fall hard on public employee unions. Supposedly Sweeny wants to enlist Governor Philip Murphy as his “partner”, but Murphy wants no part of it.
Sweeney’s post-budget focus on cost cutting poses a dilemma for Murphy.…
Supreme Court Clarifies Meaning of “Undesigned and Unexpected” Event To Qualify For Accidental Disability Benefits For A Mental Disability
As reported by the New Jersey Law Journal, the New Jersey Supreme Court recently clarified the meaning of the term “undesigned and unexpected” event as it pertains to qualifying for accidental disability retirement benefits for a mental disability in the case of Mount v. Board of Trustees, Police and Firemen’s Retirement System. In the…








