As reported in NJ.Com, Judge Jacobson’s ruling this week that public worker pension contributions are contractually protected will constrict the state’s ability to balance its budget in the future, Moody’s, a Wall Street rating agency, said today. The flexibility of the state’s pension payment has been “a tool essential” to balancing the budget, Moody’s Investors
NJ Public Safety Officers
NJ Unions Deride Christie Pension Fix As ‘Deceptive,’ Say It ‘Punishes’ Healthy Funds
As reported by NJ.com, just hours after Governor Chris Christie claimed he’d reached an “unprecedented accord with the New Jersey Education Association” that would “solve our long-term problems with the pension and health benefit systems,” the criticism poured in, from the NJLEA, from other union leaders and even a former New Jersey governor. NJLEA…
Christie Pension Commission Recommends Plan For Fewer Benefits
As reported by NJ.com, Governor Chris Christie’s high-powered pension commission has proposed a sweeping plan that would save the State billions in retirement and health care costs while reducing benefits for hundreds of thousands of public workers. The commissi0n says New Jersey needs to drastically change its pension and health plans. Christie’s budget address…
Judge Rules Christie Broke Law By Cutting Pension Payments
As reported by NJ.com, in a significant blow to Governor Chris Christie, a judge ruled today that the Governor broke a law he signed by cutting $1.57 billion from a pension payment this year, and must now work with state lawmakers to restore the money. The decision could blow a massive hole in the…
Is Your Labor Union Leaving Money at The Bargaining Table?
As many of our readers are aware, collective bargaining for New Jersey Public Safety Officers is a great deal different since the two percent “2%” salary cap was instituted and set into motion. However, to recap this issue quickly for those readers that may be unfamiliar with the two percent (2%) salary cap, no collective…
Court Rules Some NJ Volunteer Fire Companies Subject To Public Records Act
As reported by NJ.com, a State Superior Court Judge has ruled that four (4) volunteer fire companies in Lakewood are government agencies subject to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (“OPRA”). Specifically, the Judge ruled that four (4) volunteer fire companies in Lakewood must produce rosters, check registries, e-mails, meeting minutes and resolutions,…
The Unforseen Costs of Overtime in New Jersey’s County Correctional Facilities
As reported this week in NJ.Com, County Correctional facilities across New Jersey spent approximately $185.7 million on overtime for correction officers, who clocked in approximately 3.9 million hours at the time and a half rate between 2010 and 2012, according to a report by the New Jersey State Comptroller.
Out of the 21 counties…
Open Letter from NJ State PBA President Patrick Colligan on the Recent Unrest Against Police
Given the unrest that has erupted throughout our country in response to two Grand Jury decisions that failed to return True Bill’s of Indictment, we came across this letter from PBA President Patrick Colligan that offers an opinion from the perspective of a law enforcement officer. Given our audience is New Jersey Public Safety Officers…
Reviewing the “2% Cap” Under New Jersey’s Interest Arbitration Statute
It has been quite a while since we have provided our readers with information related to the legal issues surrounding New Jersey Public Safety Officers. With that being said, we believe it is now very important to provide an overview or a “re-cap” of the New Jersey 2% Salary Cap under the Current Interest Arbitration…
The Current State of the Interest Arbitration Process: A Fractured System
In accordance with a report issued by NJ.Com, more than 40 towns and counties filed petitions to compel compulsory interest arbitration in anticipation of the expiration of what is commonly referred to as the “2% cap” law. Today, April 1, 2014, a state law in effect since 2011 that caps interest arbitration awards at 2…
