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 today.
In May, 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.
“The Legislature spoke loudly, and we will not sit by and do nothing as the Civil Service Commission tramples over our constitutional authority,” said Gordon (D-Bergen, Passaic). “These vital protections were put in place years ago to protect employees from cronyism, nepotism and discrimination when they are hired or promoted.”
“Public employees deserve the important protections and professional evaluations that have proven successful for decades,” said Greenstein (D-Mercer, Middlesex). “The Legislature made it clear that we were opposed to this misguided job banding scheme, and now we must act to preserve not only these vital protections but also our constitutional authority.”
The resolution was passed by a vote of 21-16 and now heads to the Assembly.
