Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) Where a disciplinary penalty has been reversed, the Commission shall award back pay, benefits, seniority or restitution of a fine. Such items may be awarded when a disciplinary penalty is modified.
(b) Where a municipal police officer has been suspended based on a pending criminal complaint or indictment, following disposition of the charges the officer shall receive back pay, benefits and seniority pursuant to 40A:14-149.1 et seq.
(c) Where an employee, other than a municipal police officer, has been suspended based on a pending criminal complaint or indictment, following disposition of the charges the employee shall receive back pay, benefits and seniority if the employee is found not guilty at trial, the complaint or indictment is dismissed, or the prosecution is terminated.
1. Such items shall not be awarded when the complaint or indictment is disposed of through Conditional Discharge, 2C:36A-1, or Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI), 2C:43-12 et seq.
2. Where disciplinary action has been taken following disposition of the complaint or indictment, such items shall not be awarded in case of removal. In case of suspension, where the employee has already been suspended for more than six months pending disposition of the complaint or indictment, the disciplinary suspension shall be applied against the period of indefinite suspension. The employee shall receive back pay for the period of suspension beyond six months, but the appointing authority may for good cause deny back pay for the period beyond the disciplinary suspension up to a maximum of six months.
(d) Back pay shall include unpaid salary, including regular wages, overlap shift time, increments and across-the-board adjustments. Benefits shall include vacation and sick leave credits and additional amounts expended by the employee to maintain his or her health insurance coverage during the period of improper suspension or removal.
1. Back pay shall not include items such as overtime pay, holiday premium pay and retroactive clothing, uniform or equipment allowances for periods in which the employee was not working.
2. The award of back pay shall be reduced by the amount of taxes, social security payments, dues, pension payments, and any other sums normally withheld.
3. Where a removal or suspension has been reversed or modified, an indefinite suspension pending the disposition of criminal charges has been reversed, the award of back pay shall be reduced by the amount of money that was actually earned during the period of separation, including any unemployment insurance benefits received, subject to any applicable limitations set forth in (d)4 below.
4. Where a removal or a suspension for more than 30 working days has been reversed or modified or an indefinite suspension pending the disposition of criminal charges has been reversed, and the employee has been unemployed or underemployed for all or a part of the period of separation, and the employee has failed to make reasonable efforts to find suitable employment during the period of separation, the employee shall not be eligible for back pay for any period during which the employee failed to make such reasonable efforts.
i. "Underemployed" shall mean employment during a period of separation from the employee's public employment that does not constitute suitable employment.
ii. "Reasonable efforts" may include, but not be limited to, reviewing classified advertisements in newspapers or trade publications; reviewing Internet or on-line job listings or services; applying for suitable positions; attending job fairs; visiting employment agencies; networking with other people; and distributing resumes.
iii. "Suitable employment" or "suitable position" shall mean employment that is comparable to the employee's permanent career service position with respect to job duties, responsibilities, functions, location, and salary.
iv. The determination as to whether the employee has made reasonable efforts to find suitable employment shall be based upon the totality of the circumstances, including, but not limited to, the nature of the disciplinary action taken against the employee; the nature of the employee's public employment; the employee's skills, education, and experience; the job market; the existence of advertised, suitable employment opportunities; the manner in which the type of employment involved is commonly sought; and any other circumstances deemed relevant based upon the particular facts of the matter.
v. The burden of proof shall be on the employer to establish that the employee has not made reasonable efforts to find suitable employment.
5. An employee shall not be required to mitigate back pay for any period between the issue date of a Civil Service Commission decision reversing or modifying a removal or reversing an indefinite suspension and the date of actual reinstatement. The award of back pay for this time period shall be reduced only by the amount of money that was actually earned during that period, including any unemployment insurance benefits received.
6. Should a Civil Service Commission decision reversing or modifying a removal or reversing an indefinite suspension subsequently be stayed, an individual shall be required to mitigate an award of back pay from the date of the stay through the date of actual reinstatement, in accordance with (d)4i through v above.
7. If an employee also held other employment at the time of the adverse action, the back pay award shall not be reduced by earnings from such other employment. However, if the employee increased his or her work hours at the other employment during the back pay period, the back pay award shall be reduced by the earnings from such additional hours.
8. A back pay award is subject to reduction by any period of unreasonable delay of the appeal proceedings directly attributable to the employee. Delays caused by an employee's representative may not be considered in reducing the award of back pay.
9. A back pay award is subject to reduction for any period of time during which the employee was disabled from working.
10. Funds that must be repaid by the employee shall not be considered when calculating back pay.
(e) Unless otherwise ordered, an award of back pay, benefits and seniority shall be calculated from the effective date of the appointing authority's improper action to the date of the employee's actual reinstatement to the payroll.
(f) When the Commission awards back pay and benefits, determination of the actual amounts shall be settled by the parties whenever possible.
(g) If settlement on an amount cannot be reached, either party may request, in writing, Commission review of the outstanding issue. In a Commission review:
1. The appointing authority shall submit information on the salary the employee was earning at the time of the adverse action, plus increments and across-the-board adjustments that the employee would have received during the separation period; and
2. The employee shall submit an affidavit setting forth all income received during the separation.
(h) See 4A:2-2.1 3 for situations in which certain law enforcement officers or firefighters have appealed a removal that has been reversed or modified.
