TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Donald Norcross (D-Camden/Gloucester) and M. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex/Union) to help emergency medical technicians get back to work sooner while at the same time saving hiring agencies training-related costs is now law.
The law (S-2411) establishes a special reemployment list to allow municipalities to hire EMTs who have been laid off for economic reasons, provided that the termination occurred within the preceding 60 months. It allows the hiring of EMTs who have been laid off before completing a working test or probationary period but had not yet received permanent status at their previous place of employment. However, under these circumstances, a non-permanent EMT would be required to complete the remainder of any probationary/field work test period.
“This law will not only make it possible for municipalities to give laid off EMTs priority hiring status, but also create an incentive for towns and cities to do so,” said Senator Norcross. “Hiring emergency responders who already have experience in the field will save municipal officials training costs, which will ultimately benefit taxpayers. This is a win for emergency officials and residents alike.”
