Following reports that Atlantic City used the proceeds gained from large scale police and fire layoffs to finance payouts of unused leave to city employees upon retirement, Senator Joe Kyrillos (R- Monmouth/Middlesex) again renewed his call for the Senate to pass comprehensive caps on unused sick leave for public employees.
"Sick leave should be used as time off when one is sick, not hoarded and cashed out as a parting gift upon retirement, " said Kyrillos. "
There is simply no reason any municipality should be forced to lay off public safety workers to pay for the unused sick time of those lucky enough to keep their jobs. The amounts paid to certain employees are also startling: sixteen workers receiving in excess of $100, 000 and in some cases, $200, 000. Any employee who believes that sick leave payments this large are reasonable should seriously re-examine his or her choice to enter public service."
A report by the Press of Atlantic City shows city officials used $2.2 million gained from layoffs of 60 police officers and 30 firefighters last year to help offset $7.1 million in terminal leave payments to veteran police and fire employees upon retirement. Last week, Senator Kyrillos' motion to take up legislation that would end this practice was defeated along party lines.
"I hope that my Democrat colleagues reconsider their opposition to a comprehensive ban on sick leave payouts in light of this gross abuse of taxpayer dollars, " Kyrillos continued. "This should never be allowed to happen again, either for current or future employees. Every day that passes without enacting this important reform risks higher property taxes and compromised public safety in New Jersey."
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