Unless as otherwise prescribed by collective bargaining agreement,
all personnel policies contained herein shall apply to all employees.
A. It
is the intent of this article to establish personnel policies, practices
and regulations which are consistent with sound business principles
and provide incentives to encourage maximum efficiency, to the end
that the administration of the Township's personnel program will be
accomplished in a manner equitable to the employees without handicapping
or curtailing the responsible administrative officers. Except as otherwise
prescribed by the collective bargaining agreements to which the Township
is party, and where applicable, the personnel practices and procedures
described herein shall apply to all full-time employees.
B. Within
the framework of the foregoing general policy, the following principles
are hereby declared as establishing the personnel policies of the
Township:
(1) Employment in the municipal government shall be based on merit and
fitness, free of personal and political considerations.
(2) Just and equitable incentives and conditions of employment shall
be established and maintained to promote efficiency and economy in
the operation of the municipal government.
(3) Positions having similar duties and responsibilities shall be classified
and compensated for on a uniform basis.
(4) Every effort shall be made to stimulate high morale by fair administration
of this article and by every consideration of the rights and interests
of employees, consistent with the best interests of the public and
the Township.
(5) Continuity of employment covered by this article shall be subject
to good behavior, the satisfactory performance of work, necessity
for the performance of work and the availability of funds.
(6) It is the policy of the Township to offer employment and fair treatment
to all its employees.
[Ord. No. 53-2014; Ord. No. 21-2016; amended 2-16-2022 by Ord. No. 8-2022]
A. Compensation
plan.
(1) Managerial, executive and confidential employees. The Mayor or Township
Council, where applicable, shall have the sole and exclusive right
to establish the level of compensation to be paid to those managerial,
executive and confidential employees whose titles are listed below.
Thereafter, those managerial, executive and confidential employees
shall receive the highest salary increase that is negotiated with
any collective bargaining unit with the exceptions of PBA Local 136
and PBA Local 136A.
Grade
|
Title
|
---|
E8
|
Deputy Township Clerk
|
|
Executive Secretary
|
|
Paralegal Secretary
|
|
Human Resource Coordinator
|
E12
|
Assistant Finance Director
|
|
Director of Human Resources
|
E13
|
Assistant Township Attorney
|
E14
|
Chief Financial Officer
|
|
Township Counsel
|
|
Township Clerk
|
E15
|
Business Administrator
|
(2) The compensation to be paid to members of the following unions/associations
shall be as set forth in the applicable current Collective Bargaining
Agreements.
(c)
Policemen's Benevolent Association/Superior Officers Association;
(d)
Primary Level Supervisor's;
(3) The salaries of the Deputy Police Chief and the Chief of Police shall
be established in accordance with applicable New Jersey law. Thereafter,
whenever new salary ranges are set by the appointing authority, unless
the Chief of Police or Deputy Police Chief shall consent to a lesser
adjustment, the minimum and maximum salary for the Chief of Police
and Deputy Police Chief shall be adjusted to reflect at least the
same percentage of increase in base salary as is established for other
ranking supervisor officers in the Police Department.
B. Insurance
benefits.
(1) All insurance benefits are as prescribed by the applicable collective
bargaining agreements except full-time employees of the Township holding
positions in Grades E8, E12, E13, E14 and E15 shall be entitled to
receive medical insurance, hospitalization insurance, major medical
insurance, dental insurance and prescription plan as defined in the
Employee Health Care Plan and as is more fully set forth in the plan
document. Upon the death of an active employee who has been employed
by the Township for three or more years, all health benefits for spouse
and/or eligible dependents will continue for a period of six months
at no cost, at which time the spouse and/or eligible dependents may
elect to continue medical coverage at his/her own expense at the Township
group rates or under COBRA.
[Ord. No. 53-2014; Ord. No. 21-2016]
(a)
Each employee shall be reimbursed for the cost of an eye examination
with the total cost not to exceed $60 per annum, noncumulative.
[Ord. No. 53-2014]
(b)
Effective February 8, 2023, all new hires/spouses/eligible dependents
of Grade E employees will not be covered by any health benefits for
the first 30 days of employment with the Township. Thereafter, they
will be covered by the PPO Plan.
[Ord. No. 53-2014; amended 1-18-2023 by Ord. No. 2-2023]
(c)
A basic prescription plan shall be provided for each employee
and his/her dependents at a cost of $2 for generic drugs and $25 for
non-generic drugs per prescription. New (E) employees are subject
to a 90 day enrollment period before coverage becomes effective.
[Ord. No. 53-2014]
(d)
Drug prescription co-pays cannot be submitted to major medical
for reimbursement nor shall they count toward the major medical deductible.
(e)
All individual and family insurance benefit deductibles shall
be on a yearly calendar basis, running January 1 to December 31.
(f)
Except as otherwise specified by collective bargaining agreement
or limited by health plan (PPO), all employees shall have a thirty-six-visit-per-year
limit on chiropractic care.
C. Retirement
benefits.
[Ord. No. 21-2016]
In accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 43:15A-74, the
Public Employees' Retirement System of New Jersey (N.J.S.A. 43:15A-1
et seq.) has been adopted within the Township as of June 30, 1962.
The Chief Financial Officer shall determine the accrued liability
contribution payable by the Township to the Contingent Reserve Fund
established under said system and shall submit to the Board of Trustees
of the Public Employees' Retirement System such information as may
be required by the Board.
|
Retirement benefits for managerial, executive and confidential
employees. As defined by applicable law, all full-time employees of
the Township holding positions in Grades E8, E12, E13, E14 and E15
shall be entitled upon retirement to the following retiree health
benefits subject to any contribution requirements established by New
Jersey Law:
|
(1) Age 62 with 15 years of service.
(a)
Any employee who retires from the Township at age 62 or older,
with a minimum of 15 continuous years of service with the Township,
shall receive the following benefits for himself/herself and spouse:
[1]
Hospital coverage at Township expense;
[2]
Medical/surgical coverage at Township expense;
[3]
$250 per year toward laboratory testing and x-rays at Township
expense;
[4]
The ability to purchase major medical coverage and/or the prescription
drug plan for himself/herself and spouse at his/her expense at the
Township group rate.
(b)
Upon the death of the retiree the surviving spouse's medical
coverage continues at no cost for six months after which the surviving
spouse may elect to continue medical coverage at his/her own expense
under COBRA. Upon the expiration of COBRA, all benefits shall cease.
(2) Prior to age 62 with 25 years of service.
(a)
Any employee who retires from the Township prior to attaining
the age of 62, with a minimum of 25 continuous years of service with
the Township, shall receive the following benefits for himself/herself
and spouse:
[1]
Hospital coverage at Township expense;
[2]
Medical/surgical coverage at Township expense;
[3]
Two hundred fifty dollars per year toward laboratory testing
and x-rays at Township expense;
[4]
The ability to purchase major medical coverage and/or the prescription
drug plan for himself/herself and spouse at his/her expense at the
Township group rate.
(b)
Upon the death of the retiree the surviving spouse's medical
coverage continues at no cost for six months after which the surviving
spouse may elect to continue medical coverage at his/her own expense
under COBRA. Upon the expiration of COBRA all benefits shall cease.
(3) Age 62 with 20 years of service.
(a)
Any employee who was employed by the Township on or before December
31, 2001, who retires at age 62 with a minimum of 20 years of continuous
service with the Township, shall receive the following benefits for
himself/herself and spouse:
[1]
Hospital coverage at Township expense.
[2]
Medical/surgical coverage at Township expense.
[3]
$250 per year toward laboratory testing and x-rays at Township
expense.
[4]
The ability to receive coverage for the retiree, at the retiree's
sole discretion, of either major medical or prescription insurance
at the Township's expense. Once the retiree has selected and has begun
to receive either major medical or prescription coverage, the retiree
cannot elect to substitute one for the other.
[5]
The ability to purchase dental insurance for himself/herself
and spouse at his/her expense at the Township group rate.
[6]
The ability to purchase major medical coverage and/or the prescription
drug plan for himself/herself and spouse at his/her expense at the
Township group rate.
[a]
The retiree shall have the ability to purchase the coverage not selected in accordance with Subsection
C(3)(a)[4] above at his/her expense at the Township group rate.
(b)
Upon the death of the retiree, the surviving spouse's health
benefits will continue for six months at the Township's expense, after
which time the spouse may elect to continue the coverage benefits
at his/her own expense at the Township group rate.
(4) Age 65 with 25 years of service.
(a)
Any employee who was employed by the Township on or before December
31, 2001, who retires at age 65 with a minimum of 25 years of continuous
service with the Township, shall receive, at no cost to himself/herself
and his/her spouse, the same health benefits that the employee and
spouse received while employed by the Township.
(b)
Upon the death of the retiree, the surviving spouse's medical
coverage will continue for six months at the Township's expense, after
which time the surviving spouse may elect to continue medical coverage
at his/her own expense at the Township group rate.
(5) No minimum age, 30 years of service.
(a)
Any employee who was employed by the Township on or before December
31, 2001, who retires with a minimum of 30 years of continuous service
with the Township, no minimum age, shall receive, at no cost to himself/herself
and his/her spouse, the same health benefits that the employee and
spouse received while employed by the Township.
(b)
Upon the death of the retiree, the surviving spouse's medical
coverage will continue for six months at the Township's expense, after
which time the surviving spouse may elect to continue medical coverage
at his/her own expense at the Township group rate.
(6) Benefit levels (coverage) prior to retirement shall remain the same
upon retirement.
[Ord. No. 53-2014]
(7) Upon reaching age 65, all retirees and spouses coverage becomes secondary
to medicare; up to the same benefit levels (coverage) as before age
65.
(8) Life insurance in an amount equal to 1/2 of the employee's annual
salary, to a maximum of $50,000, at the time of retirement will be
continued for the retired employee at no cost to the retired employee.
(9) Any retired employee who is insured by the Township must file an
affidavit with the Chief Financial Officer of the Township on January
1 of every year and not later than March 1 that in effect he/she has
not changed his/her marital status as a retiree. On February 1 the
Township will notify by certified mail those retirees who are delinquent
that they have the month of February to file. Failure to file will
result in termination of benefits.
(10) Benefits granted at time of retirement for the employee and his/her
spouse shall remain in effect for the life of employee and are not
subject to reduction or elimination in future negotiations.
D. Life
insurance. Except as otherwise specified by a Collective Bargaining
Agreement to which the Township is a party, all regular full-time
employees of the Township working a minimum of 35 hours each week
shall receive life insurance in an amount equal to 1/2 of the employee's
annual salary, not to exceed the sum of $50,000, upon the completion
of a 90-day enrollment period for new hires.
[Ord. No. 21-2016; amended 2-16-2022 by Ord. No. 8-2022]
[Ord. No. 53-2014]
Unless set forth by an applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement,
the grievance procedure for those confidential employees not covered
by a Collective Bargaining Agreement shall be as follows:
A. Step 1: Presentation to Department Head. An employee who has a grievance
and who is not part of a Collective Bargaining Agreement may at the
time the grievance occurs or within 10 working days of the occurrence
notify his/her department head in writing of the grievance. Grievance
not taken within 20 working days shall be conclusively deemed waived.
The department head shall either conclude a mutually satisfactory
solution to the grievance within 10 working days of the time the grievance
was first submitted to him or her or, failing in that, prior to the
end of that time, advise the employee of his/her inability to do so.
When an employee is informed by his/her department head that he/she
is unable to arrange a mutually satisfactory solution to the grievance,
the employee must present such grievance to the Business Administrator
in writing within 20 days of the failure to resolve the grievance,
in the manner set forth below in Step 2.
[Ord. No. 53-2014]
B. Step 2: Presentation to Business Administrator. The employee shall
prepare the grievance in writing and in duplicate. The grievance should
be stated as completely and as clearly as possible. One copy of the
grievance shall be transmitted immediately to the Business Administrator
and the other copy shall be presented to his/her department head.
The department head shall report in writing the facts and events which
led up to its presentation, including in his/her written report any
verbal answer he/she may have previously given to the employee concerning
this grievance. Within 10 working days after receipt of the written
grievance, the department head must present it with the information
required from him or her to the Business Administrator. The Business
Administrator shall consider and formally act on the grievance.
C. Employee's record. All papers and documents relating to a grievance
and its disposition shall be placed in the employee's personnel file.
The Business Administrator shall maintain adequate personnel
records for each employee of the Township. Such records should include
but not be limited to the following: grievances; dates of appointments
and promotions; job titles; salaries; commendations; disciplinary
actions; leave of any type taken and accumulated; merit ratings and
the like. Appropriate forms for reporting such information shall be
developed by the Business Administrator, and the order of filing such
forms within a file shall be uniform.
[Ord. No. 53-2014]
Employees are permitted to accept permanent outside employment,
provided that there is no possibility that such employment will interfere
with an employee's performance or compromise an employee's position
through a conflict of interest. Before accepting such permanent outside
employment, an employee shall advise and obtain prior approval from
his/her department head, in writing, of the place of such employment,
hours of work and such other information as may be established by
said department head.
[Ord. No. 53-2014]
Subject to the approval of the Business Administrator and Mayor,
a department head may establish written regulations affecting the
personnel and internal operations of his/her department; provided,
however, that such departmental regulations shall not conflict with
any of the provisions of this chapter, Collective Bargaining Agreement
and/or Township Handbook.
[Ord. No. 53-2014]
All elected officials, all members of the Board of Adjustment, Planning Board, Economic Development Commission, Construction Board of Appeals and Environmental Commission as provided in Article
XIX hereof and all department and division heads shall file, within two weeks after this section becomes law, with the Township Clerk, an affidavit, in writing, in a form to be predicated by resolution of the Township Council, which shall be available to the public, setting forth all real property within the Township, referred to by lot and block as set forth on the Official Township Tax Assessment Map, in which such person or the members of his or her immediate family possess an interest, or interest in any corporation, partnership, trade name, firm or other entity which possesses an interest in real property within the Township, and within two weeks after acquiring such an interest during the ensuing years, file a supplemental affidavit indicating such subsequent acquisition.
If any person in the above-mentioned groups is required to complete
a financial disclosure statement in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1
et seq., they will be exempt from completing the disclosure required
in this section.