Pressure is mounting for Trenton to reform public employee payouts
APRIL 6, 2014, 10:35 PM LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 2014, 11:33 PM
BY LINH TAT
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
Municipalities with the highest |
payout liabilities of unused sick |
and vacation time:
Bergen County
Hackensack $18,875,368
Fort Lee $7,922,232
Ridgewood $6,492,123
Englewood $5,656,052
Teaneck $4,077,603
Passaic County
Clifton $14,788,633
Paterson $12,756,523
Passaic $5,387,942
Wayne $1,564,929
Bloomingdale $748,587
Source: New Jersey Department of Community
Affairs 2011 data
A series of six-figure payouts that have forced towns to borrow millions of dollars have placed a renewed focus on the perk afforded to public workers for decades.
As the cases have mounted, the Legislature has yet to strike a deal for statewide reform. It’s a tug of war between those who want to scrap the benefit entirely and others who want to preserve it for existing longtime workers. Somewhere in the middle are town officials who are left to make up their own rules and negotiate with unions, while struggling to keep property taxes in line.
A 2 percent cap on property tax levy increases has put the pressure on towns to stop the payouts. At the same time, a loophole allows them to borrow the money — a quick fix that will pile on years of debt for taxpayers.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/pressure-is-mounting-for-trenton-to-reform-public-employee-payouts-1.842745#sthash.RqmhR4q9.dpuf
Use it or lose it no more carrying over time from year to year.
Sorry jjj, that’s against F.L.S.A regulation as far as comp time goes, sick time is regulated by civil service and is a subject of mandatory negotiation.
Then perhaps it is time to change the law and hopefully that will happen.
FYI – Federal employees hired after 1985 do NOT cash out sick leave when they retire AND they can only carry forward 240 hours of vacation time at the end of a year (not each year). State and local goverments should have followed suit in 1985. Federal employees pay heavily into their medical care, the newer ones pay heavily into their pensions and 401(k) and they haven’t gotten a raise since 2010 (okay, I lied, they got .5% this year). Please not Congress and their staff members are exempt!
FYI, that’s why one should take a state job. If state and local Govts. had followed suit they would have to maintain staffing levels instead of reducing through attrition and layoffs. The powers that be made the cuts and now its time to pay the band there’s no free lunch although some people would like it that way. Civil service town employees are allowed to carry one years vacation into the next, they get 15 sick days a year, pension contribution is by statute, health care contribution varies by contract. Federal employees can take their wages and benefits and transfer to another location where their compensation will go further, there is no such option for local employees as they have to live in the state of nj
One of the few times I agree with jjj.
Use it..or lose it.
If someone ‘banks’ sick time and days off from 20 years ago when they were paid 20% of what they get today, then the taxpayer gets a real screwing
Why have we made such generous promises on accumulated sick leave to municipal employees ? Ridgewood employees receive 15 sick days per year (vs. 3~5 for the average U.S. employee). Unused days may be accumulated at current pay levels until retirement, at which time retirees may elect to take half the accumulated days off with pay (up to 3-6 months, depending on department) or receive an equivalent lump sum payment at the much higher pre-retirement compensation level. The allowed sick days are in addition to generous vacations, with a starting vacation benefit for Ridgewood employees of 12-13 days, depending on department, which can grow up to a maximum of 31 days. This compares to median full-time U.S. workers receiving only 13 days of paid leave per year. The FAC recommended that the maximum number of permitted paid sick days be reduced from 15 to 7 days per calendar year, and that all sick days (up to a maximum of seven) must be used during the calendar year. Unused sick days should NOT be accumulated beyond December 31st of the same calendar year, in which they are permitted. Sick days should not be transferrable to another employee.
#5 – partially true concerning fed employees ability to move. They will keep their benefits HOWEVER, they cannot take their wages with them when they move. Most federal employees now receive a cost of living differential that attempts to address living expenses in more expensive areas. For example, in this region, a federal employee will receive their salary PLUS a 28% differential. If they move to Arkansas, theywould take a 28% pay cut.
ok start with the top managers, then the fire and police. stop coming for the teachers.