|
Legal Services Plan
Click here for information from O'Brien, Belland & Bushinsky, LLC.
Workers Compensation
Click here for information from O'Brien, Belland & Bushinsky, LLC.
DOC Posts EED Info and Forms on-line
The Department of Corrections has announced that it has posted its EED Policy, forms, and relevant information on its website. To see the DOC site, click here.
Drug Testing of State Law Enforcement Officers
The State's Law Enforcement Drug Testing Policy is something that has concerned our Association for a very long time, not because we believe law enforcement officers should be exempt from drug testing, random or otherwise. Quite the contrary, we have always supported a comprehensive drug testing policy for all those who serve in offices of public trust or in critical or sensitive positions in public safety, especially law enforcement personnel; but we contend that in order for the policy to be effective, it must be administered fairly.
Toward that end, our Association will represent our position at a related trial before the Office of Administrative Law (OAL).
Furthermore, we have been proactive, as well. For example, we requested, through the Governor’s Office, negotiations with the Attorney General’s Office in an effort to reform the policy; and we have assisted State Senator Nick Asselta (R-1) in drafting Senate Bill 2185 – which, if enacted, would “[outline] procedures for conducting drug tests involving State law enforcement officers.”
No More Healthcare Premium-Sharing for Our SLEU Members!
Since October 31, 2002, when our interest-arbitration award was issued concerning our 1999-2003 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the State of New Jersey, all new NJSOA members not employed as Correction Lieutenants became subject to premium-sharing with respect to their health benefits as the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations (OER) began to apply what it interpreted as the enabling contractual language. The NJSOA disagreed with OER’s decision to impose the premium-sharing upon all newly promoted members of our Association employed by the following
agencies:
-
NJ Division of Parole
-
State Campus & University Police
-
State Park Police
-
NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Bureau of Law
Enforcement NJ Department of Human Services Police
-
NJ Office of Weights & Measures
-
NJ Department of the Treasury/Division of Taxation’s Office of Criminal
Investigation
-
Palisades Interstate Parkway Police
Thus, the NJSOA was resolved to pursue litigation through the filing of a contractual grievance; and finally, on January 31, 2006, the presiding arbitrator ruled:
“Accordingly, the instant grievance must be sustained. As a remedy, the State shall cease imposing health care premium sharing upon the Grievants. The State is further ordered to reimburse to the Grievants all such premium sharing money collected.”
Click
here to read the arbitrator’s award dated January 31, 2006.
As you may know, OER appealed the decision of the arbitrator, but we have now learned that the appeal has been lost. Thus, the NJSOA has prevailed on this issue, and the arbitrator’s award in the instant matter stands now and forever. Our collective perseverance has finally paid off for our non-corrections members.
|
|
