Limits certain payments for unused sick leave earned after effective date by public officers or employees; limits vacation leave carry-forward and requires suspension and forfeiture of certain supplemental compensation.
The legislation imposes a $7,500 threshold for accumulated unused sick leave benefits. If an officer's or employee's supplement for sick leave accrued before the effective date is equal to or greater than this amount at the time of retirement, any sick leave earned subsequently will not hold monetary value. The bill further restricts the carry-forward of unused vacation leave to just one successive year, tightening limitations on public employee benefits. Additionally, the bill encompasses all independent state authorities and public institutions of higher education, thereby broadening its reach.
Assembly Bill A1808 aims to amend and supplement various provisions concerning sick leave and vacation leave for public officers and employees in New Jersey. The bill introduces limitations on compensation for accumulated unused sick leave that is earned after its effective date, capping supplementary payments at $15,000. Furthermore, it stipulates that public employers will not pay supplemental compensation for unused sick leave accrued after the bill's enactment. Instead, only unused sick leave accrued prior would be compensated vis-à-vis retirement conditions.
Various provisions addressing criminal conduct are included in the bill, wherein payments for sick and vacation leave will be suspended if an employee is indicted for crimes related to their office. Such compensation could be forfeited entirely upon conviction. This aspect of the bill raises discussions about its implications for employee rights and due process, leading to concerns that the provisions may unfairly penalize employees for actions that may not directly correlate with their job performance.