TRENTON — Legislation sponsored by Senator Bob Gordon and Senator Linda Greenstein declaring that the Civil Service Commission’s recent decision to strip workers of Civil Service protections runs afoul of legislative intent cleared the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.
Earlier this month, the Civil Service Commission adopted a new rule that established a job banding program, which takes away civil service protection from many state employees. The Commission adopted the rule even though the Legislature approved a concurrent resolution in January to prevent the move, which marked the first time the Legislature had ever used its authority to stop an executive rule change.
The bill, SCR-116, is the first step in the process to invalidate the new rule.
“We will not sit idly by while the Civil Service Commission shows a blatant disregard for the law and the Legislature’s constitutional authority,” said Gordon (D-Bergen, Passaic). “The civil service protections are intended to insulate employees from corrosive cronyism, nepotism and discrimination when it comes to things like hiring and promotions. Public employees deserve the job protections and professional evaluations that have proven successful for decades.”
“The Legislature spoke loudly when we voted to stop this misguided job banding scheme that would severely compromise a well-established system of government service in New Jersey,” said Greenstein (D-Mercer, Middlesex). “Promotions in state government have long been determined on merit and performance and with these changes, patronage, discrimination and cronyism will make a comeback.”
The bill was approved by a 7-3-1 vote.
