Bill Text: NJ A2732 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Extends hiring preference for certain civilian federal firefighters.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-05-13 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee [A2732 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-A2732-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman GORDON M. JOHNSON
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Extends hiring preference for certain civilian federal firefighters.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning civilian federal firefighters and amending P.L.1996, c.140.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1996, c.140 (C.40A:14-182) is amended to read as follows:
1. a. The provisions of any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, the appointing authority of a municipality which, pursuant to N.J.S.40A:14-7, has established and maintains a paid or part-paid fire department and force or the board of fire commissioners in the case of a fire district established pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.40A:14-70 et seq., may appoint as a member or officer of that fire department or force any person who:
(1) was serving as a civilian federal firefighter in good standing at any U.S. military installation in the State in a career or conditional career status;
(2) satisfactorily completed such firefighter training as is required for employment as a civilian federal firefighter; and
(3) was, as a consequence of the closure of, or a reduction in force or elimination of his position at, a federal military installation in this State, terminated as a civilian federal firefighter within 48 months prior to the appointment.
b. A municipality may employ such a person notwithstanding that:
(1) Title 11A, Civil Service, of the New Jersey Statutes is operative in that municipality;
(2) the municipality has available to it an eligible or regular reemployment list of persons eligible for such appointments; and
(3) the appointed person is not on any eligible list. A municipality which has adopted Title 11A, Civil Service, may not employ such a person if a special reemployment list is in existence for the firefighter title to be filled.
c. If a municipality determines to appoint a person pursuant to the provisions of this act, it shall give first priority in making such appointments to residents of the municipality and second priority to residents of the county not residing in the municipality.
d. The seniority, seniority-related privileges and rank a civilian federal firefighter possessed while employed at a federal military installation shall not be transferable to a position in a municipal fire department and force obtained pursuant to the provisions of this section.
e. To effectuate the purposes of this section, the Civil Service Commission shall prepare and circulate, to those municipalities which have established and maintain fire departments and forces pursuant to N.J.S.40A:14-7, and to boards of fire commissioners in the case of fire districts established pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.40A:14-70 et seq., a list of civilian federal firefighters eligible for appointment under the provisions of this section. The Civil Service Commission shall also circulate the list to municipalities and fire districts that have not adopted Title 11A, Civil Service, of the New Jersey Statutes.
Placement on the list compiled by the [department] commission shall be governed by length of service as a federal firefighter. A federal firefighter may apply for placement on the list at the time he or she receives a notice of termination of position or a priority placement program notice, and shall remain on the list for a period of four years. The commission shall consult with the organizations which represent civilian federal firefighters when compiling the list.
(cf: P.L.2008, c.29, s.100)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would permit a municipality or fire district to appoint a civilian federal firefighter who lost his position as the result of a reduction in force or the termination of their position at a federal military installation, even if the municipality has adopted the Civil Service rules. Under current law, a municipality may only hire a civilian federal firefighter, while ignoring Civil Service rules, if the military installation has been closed. This bill would extend this hiring preference to firefighters who are unemployed as a result a reduction in force or elimination of firefighter's position.
Current law requires the Civil Service Commission to prepare and circulate to municipalities and fire districts a list of the civilian federal firefighters eligible for appointment to a local fire department. The bill would require the commission to consult with the professional organizations which represent the civilian fire fighters when preparing the list.
