Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman DONNA M. SIMON
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Eliminates requirement that school district grant up to two days with full pay for attendance at NJ Education Association convention; provides that granting of paid leave or reimbursement for professional development is subject to bargaining.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning public school employees, supplementing chapter 31 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, and repealing N.J.S.18A:31-2.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law to the contrary, the granting of paid leave or the provision of reimbursement to an employee of a school district or of a charter school to attend a conference, workshop, convention, or any other professional development program shall not be deemed mandatory and shall be subject to collective negotiations in a manner similar to other negotiable items between a board of education of a school district or a board of trustees of a charter school and its employees pursuant to the provisions of the "New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act," P.L.1941, c.100 (C.34:13A-1 et seq.). In the case of an employee who does not have a majority representative for collective negotiations purposes, paid leave or reimbursement shall be subject to the terms of the employment contract.
b. As used in this section, "school district" means a local or regional school district established pursuant to chapter 8 or chapter 13 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, a jointure commission, a county vocational school district, a county special services school district, an educational services commission, an environmental education center, an educational research and demonstration center, and an educational information and resource center.
2. N.J.S.18A:31-2 is repealed.
3. This act shall take effect on July 1 of the first full school year following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill repeals the section of law that requires a board of education to annually grant up to two days with full pay for a teaching staff member or a secretary or an office clerk to attend the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) convention. The bill also clarifies that the granting of paid leave or any reimbursement to an employee of a school district or charter school to attend a conference, workshop, convention, or other professional development program is not mandatory and is subject to collective negotiations pursuant to the "New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act," P.L.1941, c.100 (C.34:13A-1 et seq.). In the case of an employee who does not have a majority representative for collective negotiations purposes, paid leave or reimbursement will be subject to the terms of the employment contract.