ASSEMBLY, No. 5020 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 221st LEGISLATURE INTRODUCED NOVEMBER 14, 2024
ASSEMBLY, No. 5020
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED NOVEMBER 14, 2024
Sponsored by: Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY District 7 (Burlington) Assemblyman BENJIE E. WIMBERLY District 35 (Bergen and Passaic) SYNOPSIS Makes $3 million supplemental appropriation for bonus awards for certain COVID-19 emergency essential frontline State workers of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers. CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT As introduced.
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
Assemblyman BENJIE E. WIMBERLY
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Makes $3 million supplemental appropriation for bonus awards for certain COVID-19 emergency essential frontline State workers of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Supplement to the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, P.L.2024, c.22. Be It Enacted by the Senate and the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey: 1. In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.2024, c.22, the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, there is appropriated from the General Fund the following amount for the purpose specified: 94 INTERDEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTS 70 Government Direction, Management, And Control 74 General Government Services 9430 Salary Increases and Other Benefits GRANTS-IN-AID 05-9430 Salary Increases and Other Benefits ................... $3,000,000 Total Grants-in-Aid appropriation, Salary Increases and Other Benefits ............... $3,000,000 Grants-in-Aid: 05 Awards for COVID-19 Emergency Frontline State Workers ($3,000,000) From the amounts hereinabove appropriated for Awards for COVID-19 Emergency Frontline State Workers, there shall be provided by the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury, in consultation with the President of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, an allocation to each State agency or department whose employees are represented by Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, which allocation shall be distributed as a one-time bonus award to each employee of the State agency or department who is a member of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers and who provided emergency frontline State workplace service during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2. This act shall take effect immediately. STATEMENT This bill provides for a supplemental appropriation of $3,000,000 from the General Fund to provide individual employee awards to the many essential frontline State workers of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers who provided emergency frontline workplace service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Independent Review of New Jersey's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic completed on March 7, 2024 noted that one of the strengths of New Jersey State Government's response was that staff across government departments and agencies went above and beyond what they were expected or paid to do. Many state employees put their lives on hold to ensure that the important work of their department or agency continued amidst the uncertainty, additional workload, and safety challenges posed by the pandemic. Many frontline agency workers also reported experiencing significant trauma due to the panic and urgency of the response and the demands associated with their jobs. Personal losses and increased workloads caused many State workers to endure prolonged exhaustion and pandemic fatigue. Workers were overwhelmed by the sudden and dramatic increase in their responsibilities, which agencies had to process while being understaffed. Across departments and agencies, state employees demonstrated resilience and flexibility. Many state agencies worked closely with their respective unions to ensure their staff were well placed to continue their work during the pandemic. Agencies that had pre-existing relationships with union leaders were able to have proactive discussions and continuous dialogue in the early stages of the pandemic, enabling rapid decision making concerning workplace attendance by staff deemed essential for the health and safety of human life. The many frontline State workers of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers ensured the continued operation and maintenance of the many crucial State facilities, which provide essential services to their clients and patients who could not survive a termination of services during the pandemic. This appropriation will ensure that the many thousands of these State employees receive additional compensation in the form of individual bonuses for their essential work during the most dangerous of times.
A Supplement to the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, P.L.2024, c.22.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.2024, c.22, the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, there is appropriated from the General Fund the following amount for the purpose specified:
94 INTERDEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTS
70 Government Direction, Management, And Control
74 General Government Services
9430 Salary Increases and Other Benefits
GRANTS-IN-AID
05-9430 Salary Increases and Other Benefits ................... $3,000,000
Total Grants-in-Aid appropriation,
Salary Increases and Other Benefits ............... $3,000,000
Grants-in-Aid:
05 Awards for COVID-19 Emergency Frontline State Workers ($3,000,000)
From the amounts hereinabove appropriated for Awards for COVID-19 Emergency Frontline State Workers, there shall be provided by the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury, in consultation with the President of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, an allocation to each State agency or department whose employees are represented by Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, which allocation shall be distributed as a one-time bonus award to each employee of the State agency or department who is a member of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers and who provided emergency frontline State workplace service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides for a supplemental appropriation of $3,000,000 from the General Fund to provide individual employee awards to the many essential frontline State workers of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers who provided emergency frontline workplace service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Independent Review of New Jersey's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic completed on March 7, 2024 noted that one of the strengths of New Jersey State Government's response was that staff across government departments and agencies went above and beyond what they were expected or paid to do. Many state employees put their lives on hold to ensure that the important work of their department or agency continued amidst the uncertainty, additional workload, and safety challenges posed by the pandemic.
Many frontline agency workers also reported experiencing significant trauma due to the panic and urgency of the response and the demands associated with their jobs. Personal losses and increased workloads caused many State workers to endure prolonged exhaustion and pandemic fatigue. Workers were overwhelmed by the sudden and dramatic increase in their responsibilities, which agencies had to process while being understaffed.
Across departments and agencies, state employees demonstrated resilience and flexibility. Many state agencies worked closely with their respective unions to ensure their staff were well placed to continue their work during the pandemic. Agencies that had pre-existing relationships with union leaders were able to have proactive discussions and continuous dialogue in the early stages of the pandemic, enabling rapid decision making concerning workplace attendance by staff deemed essential for the health and safety of human life.
The many frontline State workers of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers ensured the continued operation and maintenance of the many crucial State facilities, which provide essential services to their clients and patients who could not survive a termination of services during the pandemic. This appropriation will ensure that the many thousands of these State employees receive additional compensation in the form of individual bonuses for their essential work during the most dangerous of times.