Updated April 17, 2017
Posted April 17, 2017
By Claude Brodesser-Akner and Brent Johnson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
It's an issue that has been unresolved for years: New Jersey, the state with the nation's highest property taxes, still allows government workers to collect large payouts for unused sick days.
Such a system is rare in the private sector. But a report by NJ Spotlight released last last month showed public workers in school districts, towns, and counties across New Jersey are owed almost $1.9 billion for unused sick days when they retire.
The state Legislature passed a bill in 2010 to put a $15,000 cap on payouts, but Gov. Chris Christie vetoed it, saying he wanted to end the practice, not just scale it back.
At least 15 bills have been introduced in the Legislature since then to tackle the issue, but its Democratic leaders have not put them up for votes.
Here is where the 11 Democratic and Republican candidates running this year to succeed Christie as New Jersey's governor stand on how to address unused sick day payouts:
Brennan, a community activist and retired Teaneck firefighter, said he’s against making any changes to sick pay for anyone who’s currently accrued the time, but he is in favor of reforms going forward.
"I would say put a cap on it, but I wouldn’t make it a fixed percentage or amount — I’d probably say limit it to not more than a year’s salary,” Brennan said.
"You want to impose the terms of private business on public employment," he added. "Making everybody the same isn’t the answer to the problem."
Johnson, a former U.S. Treasury official and attorney, "believes all New Jersey workers deserve paid sick days, and would support legislation that puts a cap on the amount public workers are able to receive as payouts for sick leave they do not use," according to campaign spokeswoman Aleigha Cavalier.
"We’d analyze the budget given Jim's new proposals for revenue streams (things like the estate tax and marijuana) and spending cuts (things like eliminating double-dipping of pensions) and the goal would be to find a number that is both fair to employees and is fiscally responsible for the state," Cavalier said.
Lesniak, a member of the state Senate from Union County, said he would cap the payout at $15,000 but would allow the use of accumulated sick time in the event of extended illnesses or as a form of paid family leave.
Murphy, a former U.S. ambassador to Germany and ex-banking executive, supports "limiting taxpayers' exposure to sick day payouts and will work with all parties to find a solution that is fair, protects taxpayers, and respects collective bargaining," according to campaign spokesman Derek Roseman.
Wisniewski, a member of the state Assembly from Middlesex County, said he would support the reintroduction of the 2010 bill that the Legislature passed but Christie vetoed.
Greg Minchak, a spokesman for WIsniewski's campaign, said "these abuses would have ended" if Christie "did the right thing for taxpayers and signed the bill into law"
"Gov. Christie did not sign the measure because he wanted to move towards a more stringent action that would eventually restrict collective bargaining," Michak added. "This is part of the larger attack on workers that sees employees losing rights and in a downward spiral of compensation which is all part of the larger problem of greater concentration of wealth at the top and that has broken America's middle class."
Zinna, the Tenafly council president, said "no one should get paid for unused sick days."
"It's an abuse of the system and it's wrong," he said. "You don't collect unemployment benefits unless you're unemployed. Why should a person be paid for sick time when they are not sick?"
Zinna added that in the wake of the election of President Donald Trump, "this money should go towards protecting women's health care, affordable housing and environmental protection."
"How about investing unused sick time in upgrading the drinking water pipes in our cities?" he asked. "As is typical, New Jersey has the resources to do what's in the best interest of its residents, but instead chooses to make the wrong choices time and again. This systemic corruption is bankrupting New Jersey."
Ciattarelli, a member of the state Assembly from Somerset County, addressed this issue as part of his plan to reform public worker benefits.
He calls for a prohibition from now on on the accumulation of unused sick and vacation time — "use it or lose it" — and to and limit payouts of previously accumulated sick and vacation time "to certain dollar amounts based on employee age."
Guadagno, the state's lieutenant governor, believes "no serious candidate for governor can avoid this issue because leaving it unresolved would put taxpayers on the hook for billions and further drive up our sky-high property taxes," according to campaign spokesman Ricky Diaz.
"As governor, Kim Guadagno would work to end abuse and sign any bill that caps sick pay because leaving this problem unaddressed isn’t an option," Diaz said.
Rogers, a Nutley township commissioner, said he would leave it up to local governing bodies to negotiate with local unions.
"I think it’s time for the state to get out of every local official’s business," he said. "I am a local elected official. We need to make government less not bigger."
Rogers added that it would then be up to the voters in each municipally to hold officials responsible.
"We don’t need state to get involved," he said.
Rullo, a businessman and actor, said he favors a "use it or lose it" approach.
"A majority of New Jersey taxpayers don't get to cash in unused sick pay," he said. "Sick pay should be used for exactly that. I support elimination of sick pay cash outs."'
Singh, an aerospace engineer, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.'
