[1974 Code § 11-1; Ord. No. 16-78]
All full-time permanent employees, including Police, who are disabled because of occupational injury or occupational illness shall be governed by the provisions of this section.
[1974 Code § 11-2; Ord. No. 16-78]
Any employee who is disabled because of occupational injury or occupational illness must, within 24 hours, notify his department head or, if the employee has no department head, the Township Clerk. The notification shall be in writing and shall indicate the nature of the injury or illness and give in detail the factual account of the occurrence.
[1974 Code § 11-3; Ord. No. 16-78]
a. 
Leaves of absence granted for disability due to occupational injury or occupational disease for a period not exceeding 30 days may be granted by the department head or the appointing authority where the employee has no department head.
b. 
Leaves for under 30 days shall be granted in writing, and it shall be the responsibility of the department head or the appointing authority, as the case may be, to verify the injury or illness complained of by requiring suitable medical verification, such as a certificate from a reputable physician, or by sending the employee to the Township physician or a physician designated by the Township Council for that purpose.
[1974 Code § 11-4; Ord. No. 16-78]
a. 
In those circumstances where a leave of absence for a period exceeding 30 days is requested by the employee, the employee must apply, on forms provided by the Township Clerk, to the Governing Body for the disability leave. Action by the Township Council must be by resolution. The Council may grant the employee up to one year's leave of absence, where applicable, the one year to include any previous leave granted.
b. 
The Township Council, at its option, may require the employee to be periodically examined and may require, as a condition of the grant of the disability leave, that a hearing be held before the Council to determine whether sufficient facts can be established by the employee to demonstrate his entitlement to a disability leave under the provisions of this section, applicable civil service regulations and State Statutes.
c. 
The Township reserves the right to request that the employee be periodically examined by the Township physician or by a physician designated by the Township Council. In any event, the employee shall, if granted a leave of absence of one year, provide the Township Council with a certificate of a reputable physician, at least once every three months, of the need for continuance of the disability leave and that the employee is unable to return to work for any sort of duty. If this provision is not complied with, the employee will no longer be eligible for disability leave under this section.
[1974 Code § 11-5; Ord. No. 16-78]
Any amount of salary or wages paid or payable to an employee for disability leave shall be reduced by the amount of workmen's compensation awarded under the New Jersey Workmen's Act for temporary disability or from a possible legal settlement from or judgment against the person or persons responsible for the injury. It shall be the responsibility of the department head to enforce the provisions, and, where necessary, an employee shall be required to execute documents to implement this provision.
[1974 Code § 11-6; Ord. No. 16-78]
The employee may elect to utilize all or any part of the sick leave accumulated by the employee in lieu of disability leave. In the absence of such election, disability leaves shall not affect accumulated sick leaves.
[1974 Code § 11-7; Ord. No. 16-78]
Where disability leave is granted by the department head or the Governing Body, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding 30 days, or for the first 30 days of any disability leave for more than 30 days, the employee is entitled to full pay, which shall be reduced by the amount of any workmen's compensation benefits or legal settlements as provided for herein.
[1974 Code § 11-8; Ord. No. 16-78]
For any disability leave granted for more than 30 days, the employee shall be entitled to 75% of his pay for the period of the disability leave which exceeds 30 days. All pay shall be reduced by the amount of any workmen's compensation benefits or legal settlements as provided for herein.
[1974 Code § 11-9; Ord. No. 16-78]
Prior to an employee returning to employment with the Township after having been on disability leave, he shall be certified as being able to return to work to perform such duties as the department head or appointing authority shall determine. Such certification shall be by the Township physician or by a physician or physicians designated for the purpose by the department head or appointing authority, as the case may be. The Township Council or the department head shall have the discretion to accept the certificate, in lieu of the foregoing, from any duly licensed physician treating the employee. The form of this certificate shall be provided by the Township.
[1974 Code § 26-1; Ord. No. 28-82]
The Township has determined that it is desirous of establishing a policy of limiting the appointment of relatives of members of the Township Council to certain positions. The Township Council believes that the nature of the position of the Township Council establishes a high standard of conduct and that there should be no appearance of conflict of interest.
[1974 Code § 26-2; Ord. No. 28-82]
No individual who is a member of the family or related to a member of the Township Council shall be retained or appointed by the Township to any unclassified or appointed position, which position is a paying position.
[1974 Code § 26-3; Ord. No. 28-82]
As used in this section:
RELATION OR FAMILY MEMBER
Shall mean and include a spouse, a parent or in-law, a grandparent or in-law, a brother or brother-in-law, a sister or sister-in-law and children, which shall include sons-in-law or daughters-in-law.
[1974 Code § 26-4; Ord. No. 28-82]
This provision shall, in no way, preclude the retention by the Township Council of any eligible person on a civil service list, who has taken a competitive examination and is otherwise qualified by such examination to occupy a position in the Township notwithstanding their relationship to a member of the Township Council. No citizen shall be deprived of any equal opportunity for a governmental position; it is intended instead to eliminate the possibility of preferential treatment being accorded to relatives of the appointing authority.
[1974 Code § 26-5; Ord. No. 28-82]
This section shall not preclude any relatives of any members of the Township Council from being appointed to non-paying appointed positions and shall not affect the existing status of any employee, nor deprive any employee of any promotional right in normal career development.
[1974 Code § 2-24; Ord. No. 06-37-OAB § 1; Ord. No. 2013-16-OAB, § 2]
a. 
All Police appointees are subject to a residency preference. The following rules shall be applicable for employment of those individuals. The appointing authority shall classify all the duly qualified applicants to be filled from the following classes:
1. 
Residents of Berkeley Township.
2. 
Other residents of Ocean County.
3. 
Other residents of New Jersey.
4. 
All other qualified applicants.
b. 
The appointing authority shall first appoint all those Police applicants in Class 1 and then those in each succeeding class in the above order and shall appoint a person in any such class only to a vacancy remaining after all qualified applicants in the preceding class have been appointed or have declined.
c. 
The provisions of Section 15-3 shall not apply to employees transferring as a result of the Township of Berkeley's participation in the New Jersey Intergovernmental Transfer Program.
[1974 Code § 2-106; Ord. No. 00-1-OAB §§ 1, 6]
a. 
Compensation for the Mayor and Council shall be paid at the following annual salaries:
1. 
Mayor: $8,500.
2. 
Council members: $8,000.
b. 
Expenses for Council members and the Mayor shall not be allowed except where they are described in detail for particular duties or responsibilities and, where feasible, approved in advance by Council at a public meeting. In no case will expenses be permitted for such things as telephone calls, local mileage, etc.
[1974 Code § 2-107]
Officers and employees of the Township shall be paid as per the existing Salary Ordinance of the Township.
[Ord. No. 99-6-OAB]
Any Township employees who waive coverage of health benefits, presently provided by the municipality through participation in the New Jersey State Health Benefits Program, shall be paid $2,000 pro rated annually in lieu of such health benefits coverage.
An employee who waives such coverage shall do so in writing on such form as the Director of Division of Pensions and Benefits shall prescribe and shall be filed with the Township Clerk and with the Division.
Any employee who waives coverage shall be permitted to immediately resume coverage if the employee so chooses.
An employee who resumes coverage shall repay, on a pro rata basis, any amount received from the Township which represents an advance payment for a period of time during which coverage is resumed.
An employee who wishes to resume coverage shall notify the municipality in writing and file a declaration with the Division of Pensions and Benefits, on such form as the Director of the Division shall prescribe, that the waiver is revoked.
[Ord. No. 99-21-OAB § 1]
The purpose of this section is to establish a Township policy for payment in lieu of unused sick days for municipal employees who are not otherwise covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the Township. No other benefits, except as set forth hereinafter, shall accrue to the benefit of Berkeley Township employees.
[Ord. No. 99-21-OAB § 2]
Upon death or old age retirement, the Township agrees to purchase back all accumulated, unused sick days. Payment for sick days shall be in the form of one payment at the time of retirement. All accrued sick leave owed to any employee at the time of his death while in the employment of the Township shall be paid to his beneficiary or estate.
[Ord. No. 99-21-OAB § 3]
If any individual covered by this agreement decides to voluntarily leave his or her employment, the Township agrees to purchase back unused and accumulated sick days based upon the following schedule.
a. 
The Township will purchase back unused sick days in accordance with the following usage by an individual:
Usage
Township Purchase
10% or less
All unused sick days
Between 10.1% and 20%
75% of unused sick days
Between 20.1% and 30%
50% of unused sick days
Between 30.1% and 40%
25% of unused sick days
Between 40.1% and 50%
10% of unused sick days
Over 50.1%
Township will not purchase any unused sick days
b. 
The sick days to be calculated for purposes of this agreement shall be the sick days accumulated by the employee from the date of his first hire with the Township.
[Ord. No. 99-21-OAB § 4]
This section does not apply to any individual who leaves the employ of Berkeley Township because of disciplinary proceedings filed against him or other legal action of a similar nature. Discipline shall be defined as published in N.J. Statutes Title 11A (Civil Service).
[Ord. No. 99-21-OAB § 5]
Valuation of days purchased back by the Township pursuant to this section shall be as follows:
a. 
Each accumulated unused sick day prior to January 1, 1986 shall be valued at the daily rate of the employee's 1985 salary.
b. 
Each accumulated unused sick day from January 1, 1986 shall be valued at the employee's salary at the time each such sick day was earned.
c. 
Employees shall utilize sick days from the reserve of accumulated unused sick days in the order of the most recently accumulated unused sick days.
d. 
The maximum total payment shall not exceed $15,000.
[Ord. No. 99-21-OAB § 6]
No comparable benefit will be provided to employees to purchase unused vacation, holiday or personal days.
[Ord. No. 02-56-OAB §§ 1, 2; Ord No. 03-05-OAB § 1]
a. 
Adopted. The Council hereby adopts as its Personnel Handbook the attached handbook which deals with many topics regarding employees of the Township of Berkeley including but not limited to an equal opportunity employment policy and sexual harassment policy; and
b. 
Copies on file. Three copies of the attached handbook remain on file with the Township Clerk at all times for availability to the members of the general public.
[Ord. No. 05-20-OAB]
a. 
For purposes of this section, a Criminal History Record Background Check means a determination of whether a person has a criminal record by cross-referencing that person's name and fingerprints with those on file with the State Bureau of Identification in the Division of State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
b. 
The Township requires that, as a condition of employment with the Township, all prospective employees, including, but not limited to, permanent, provisional, temporary and seasonal employees, shall submit to being fingerprinted in accordance with applicable State and Federal laws, rules and regulations, as a condition of employment with the Township.
c. 
As a further condition of employment with the Township, all prospective employees, including, but not limited to, permanent, provisional, temporary and seasonal employees, shall authorize the Township, by its duly authorized representative, to exchange fingerprint data with and receive criminal history record information from the State Bureau of Identification in the Division of State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
d. 
In order to obtain criminal history record information pursuant to this section and N.J.S.A. 40:48-1.4, the Township shall submit the fingerprint data for prospective employees to the State Bureau of Identification in the Division of State Police. The State Bureau shall receive all criminal history record information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and shall disseminate that information to the Township.
e. 
The Township shall conduct a criminal history record background check of a prospective employee only upon receipt of the written authorization and consent to the criminal history background check from the prospective employee. A form for the authorization and consent to said background check shall be provided to each prospective employee upon a conditional offer of employment. Failure to submit a fully signed and witnessed written authorization and consent form shall be grounds to rescind a conditional offer of employment.
f. 
The Township shall bear the costs associated with conducting criminal history record background checks.
g. 
An individual shall be disqualified from serving as an employee of the Township if that prospective employee's criminal history record background check reveals a record of conviction of any of the following crimes and/or offenses:
1. 
In New Jersey, any crime or disorderly persons offense or petty disorderly persons offense:
(a) 
Involving danger to the person, including, but not limited to those crimes, disorderly persons offenses and petty disorderly offenses set forth in N.J.S.A. 2C:11-1 et seq.; N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1 et seq.; N.J.S.A. 2C:13-1 et seq.; N.J.S.A. 2C:14-1 et seq.; and/or N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1 et seq.;
(b) 
Against the family, children or incompetents, including, but not limited to those crimes and disorderly persons offenses set forth in N.J.S.A. 2C:24-1 et seq.;
(c) 
Involving arson, burglary or theft as set forth in N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1 et seq.; N.J.S.A. 2C:18-1 et seq., and/or N.J.S.A. 2C:20-1 et seq.;
(d) 
Involving offenses against public administration, perjury and other falsification in official matters, obstructing governmental operations, misconduct in office and/or abuse of office as set forth in N.J.S.A. 2C:27-1 et seq.; N.J.S.A. 2C:28-1 et seq.; N.J.S.A. 2C:29-1 et seq.; or, N.J.S.A. 2C:30-1 et seq.;
(e) 
Involving any controlled dangerous substance or controlled substance analog as set forth in Chapter 35 of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes; or
(f) 
Involving operation of a motor vehicle while intoxicated in violation of Chapter 4 of Title 39 of the New Jersey Statutes.
2. 
In any other state or jurisdiction, conduct which, if committed in New Jersey, would constitute any of the crimes, disorderly persons offenses or petty disorderly persons offenses described herein.
h. 
All prospective employees, upon receiving a conditional offer of employment, shall submit their name, address, fingerprints and written consent to the Township for the criminal history record background check to be performed. All conditional offers of employment shall be specifically subject to the prospective employee passing the criminal history record background check, along with any other requirements as provided by law and/or requested by the Township.
i. 
Access to criminal history record background information of prospective employees obtained under this section for employment purposes is restricted to authorized personnel of the Township on a need to know basis, as may be authorized by Federal or State statute, rule or regulation, executive order, administrative code, this section and/or resolution regarding obtaining and dissemination of Criminal History Record Background information. Said employees are the Township Administrator, Township Personnel Officer, Police Chief, Mayor, Township Attorney and Township Labor Counsel and those other employees designated in writing by the Mayor.
j. 
Criminal History Record Background information shall not be disseminated to persons or organizations not authorized to receive the records for authorized purposes. Use of this record shall be limited solely to the authorized purpose for which it was given and it shall not be disseminated to any unauthorized persons. Said records are not public records under the Open Public Records Act.
[Ord. No. 2014-24-OAB]
The purpose of this section is to establish a donated leave program and set forth the eligibility requirements governing participation and other certain conditions.
[Ord. No. 2014-24-OAB]
As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CATASTROPHIC HEALTH CONDITION OR INJURY
Shall mean, with respect to an employee, a life-threatening condition or combination of conditions or a period of disability requiring the care of a physician who provides written medical verification of the need for the employee's absence from work for 60 or more workdays, and/or requires inpatient or hospice health care.
MEDICAL VERIFICATION
Shall mean that the employee produces an acceptable written medical verification from a physician or other health care provider which indicates the nature, severity, diagnosis, prognosis and anticipated duration of the disability resulting from the serious health condition or injury.
[Ord. No. 2014-24-OAB]
The program enables employees of the Township of Berkeley to donate, voluntarily, a portion of their earned sick time to other employees of the Township of Berkeley who have exhausted their own earned sick and/or vacation time and who are suffering from a serious catastrophic health condition or injury that is expected to require a prolonged absence from work and/or requires inpatient or hospice health care.
[Ord. No. 2014-24-OAB]
a. 
Recipient. An employee of the Township shall be eligible to receive donated sick time from other Township employees, provided that they meet the following criteria and requirements:
1. 
Full-time employment of not less than one year of continuous service.
2. 
A catastrophic health condition or injury which requires absence from work for a prolonged period due to their own illness, and/or requires inpatient or hospice health care.
3. 
Medical verification from a physician or other licensed health care provider indicating the nature, severity, diagnosis, prognosis and anticipated duration of the disability resulting from the serious health condition or injury.
4. 
Exhausted all accrued leave time including compensatory time, sick leave, vacation leave, administrative leave and any entitlements they may have under a Township extended sick leave policy.
5. 
He/she has not, in the one-year period preceding the employee's need for the donated leave, been disciplined for chronic or excessive absenteeism, chronic or excessive lateness or abuse of leave.
b. 
Employees eligible for workers' compensation are not eligible for this sick leave donation program.
[Ord. No. 2014-24-OAB]
A leave donor must meet the following criteria and requirements:
a. 
An irrevocable donation of not more than 10 days to any one recipient in whole days only.
b. 
Solicitation and/or acceptance of any money, credit, gift, gratuity, thing of value or compensation of any kind which is provided, directly or indirectly, to a donor is strictly prohibited.
c. 
Donor may not donate more than 50% of their earned sick time.
d. 
Donors may only donate to employees within their department (under certain circumstances, time may be donated to employees in other departments with prior approval from the Business Administrator).
[Ord. No. 2014-24-OAB]
a. 
The donated leave program shall be administered by the Township Administrator pursuant to his/her powers and duties delineated in the Township Municipal Code and is subject to monitoring, audit and appropriate rules as may be adopted by the Township of Berkeley and the State of New Jersey.
b. 
Participation in the program is on a strictly voluntary basis limited to a recipient receiving a total of not more than 180 days.
c. 
Participation is subject to approval of the recipient request application and donor transfer certification. In the event the employee is unable to complete the recipient application form, the employee's legal representative may complete the form on behalf of the employee. A supervisor may also initiate this process at the request of the employee. Notice shall be provided to all appropriate negotiation representatives (if applicable).
d. 
Upon approval of the employee as an eligible leave recipient, the employee's name will be posted in order to give notice to all employees who may be eligible and desirous to donate leave. The posting will be done only with the recipient's consent. If the employee is unable to consent, his/her family may consent on behalf of the employee.
e. 
The donor's leave account will be reduced by the number of days that are to be donated.
f. 
If several employees donate leave time to the same coworker, the Township Administrator will transfer one day from each donor in order of the date received.
g. 
The eligible recipient's leave account will be credited with the donated time upon approval of the recipient request form. The recipient may receive days from more than one donor to a maximum of 180 days.
[Ord. No. 2014-24-OAB]
Any unused, donated leave time shall be credited to the leave donors on a prorated basis upon the leave recipient's return to work. However, any portion that would amount to less than one day per donor will not be returned.
[Ord. No. 2014-24-OAB]
The leave recipient shall continue to accrue sick leave and vacation time while using donated leave time. However, the recipient shall utilize any additional accrued sick leave or vacation time prior to using any donated time.
[Ord. No. 2014-24-OAB]
Upon retirement, the leave recipient shall not be granted supplemental compensation on retirement for any unused sick leave he/she received through the donated sick leave program.