Sponsored by:
Senator NILSA CRUZ-PEREZ
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes mandatory training program for human resources officers of public employers on handling and responding to reports of domestic violence.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a mandatory domestic violence training program for human resources officers of public employers and supplementing Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section:
"Commission" means the Civil Service Commission.
"Domestic violence" means domestic violence as defined in section 3 of P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-19) and section 1 of P.L.2003, c.41 (C.17:29B-16).
"Employee" means an employee of a public employer.
"Human resources officer" means an employee of a public employer with a human resources job title, or its equivalent, who is responsible for orienting, training, counseling, and appraising staff.
"Public employer" means the State of New Jersey and any county, municipality, school district, or other political subdivision thereof, and any agency, authority, or instrumentality of the foregoing.
b. (1) The commission shall establish a domestic violence training program for the purpose of educating human resources officers on handling and response procedures concerning reports by employees of domestic violence. The commission shall review the domestic violence training program and curriculum at least once every two years and shall require modification of the training program from time to time, as need may require.
(2) The commission shall provide that the training program on domestic violence matters shall include information concerning the impact of domestic violence on society, the dynamics of domestic violence, the basic elements of a protection order, the requirements of the "New Jersey Security and Financial Empowerment Act," P.L.2013, c.82 (C.34:11C-1 et seq.), and the use of available community resources, support services, and treatment options for domestic violence victims.
(3) In the development of this training program, the commission shall ensure consultation with law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, social workers, and other persons trained in counseling, crisis intervention, or in the treatment of domestic violence victims.
c. The training program developed pursuant to subsection b. of this section shall be available, at no cost, to human resources officers of all public employers, regardless of whether the employer is subject to the provisions of Title 11A, Civil Service, of the New Jersey Statutes. The commission and the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs shall notify human resources officers and public employers about the domestic violence training program and provide information concerning the time and manner for taking the training program. The Director of the Division of Local Government Services shall periodically release Local Finance Notices concerning the requirement, time, and manner for taking the training program.
d. Participation in the domestic violence training program established pursuant to this section shall be mandatory for all human resources officers employed by a public employer. The public employer's appointing authority shall be responsible for ensuring that all human resources officers employed by the public employer take the domestic violence training program within 90 days of their appointment. A human resources officer who successfully completes the domestic violence training program shall receive a certification of completion as deemed appropriate by the commission.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month next following enactment, except the commission may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Civil Service Commission to establish a domestic violence training program for the purpose of educating human resources officers on handling and responding to reports by public employees of domestic violence. The training program would be available, at no cost, to all public employers, regardless of whether the employer is subject to the provisions of Title 11A, Civil Service, of the New Jersey Statutes.
Under this bill, all training on domestic violence matters must include information concerning the impact of domestic violence on society, the dynamics of domestic violence, the basic elements of a protection order, the requirements of the "New Jersey Security and Financial Empowerment Act," and the use of available community resources, support services, and treatment options for domestic violence victims. The bill requires the commission to ensure consultation about the program with law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, social workers, and other persons trained in counseling, crisis intervention, or in the treatment of domestic violence victims. The bill requires the commission to review the domestic violence training program and curriculum at least once every two years and modify the training program from time to time, as need may require.
Under the bill, participation in the domestic violence training program would be mandatory for all human resources officers employed by a public employer. The bill requires that all human resources officers employed by a public employer take the domestic violence training program within 90 days of their appointment. A human resources officer who successfully completes the domestic violence training program will receive a certification of completion as deemed appropriate by the commission.
This bill would take effect on the first day of the sixth month next following enactment, except the commission may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance as may be necessary to implement the provisions of the bill.