7. The Township reserves the right with regard to all other conditions of employment not reserved to make such changes as it deems desirable and necessary for the efficiency and effective operation of the Department.
8. The Township retains the right to subcontract any or all of the work performed by employees covered by this Agreement. In the exercise of the foregoing powers, rights, authority, duties and responsibilities of the Township, the adoption of policies, rules and regulations and practices and the furtherance thereof, and the use of judgment and discretion in connection therewith, shall be limited only by the specific and express terms of this Agreement and then only to the extent such specific and express terms hereof are in conformance with the Constitution and laws of New Jersey and of the United States.

An employee or the Union on behalf of an aggrieved employee or employees of the Township shall institute action under the provisions hereof within seven (7) calendar days of the occurrence of the grievance and an earnest effort shall be made to settle the differences between the aggrieved employee and his immediate supervisor, for the purpose of resolving the matter informally. Failure to act within said seven (7) calendar days shall be deemed to constitute an abandonment of the grievance. The supervisor shall render a decision within seven (7) calendar days after receipt of the grievance.

If the grievance is not settled at the first step, the grievant may make written request for a second step meeting within seven (7) calendar days after the answer at the first step, except that in disciplinary action grievances, the request for a second step meeting shall be made within seven (7) calendar days after the answer is received at the first step. The Department Head shall set a meeting within ten (10) calendar days after the request, or for such other time is mutually agreeable. Said second step meeting shall be between the Department Head and the Union representative, if requested by the grievant. The Department Head’s answer to the second step shall be delivered to the Union within ten (10) calendar days.

If the grievance is not resolved at Step Two, the Union may within ten (10) calendar days notify the Township Administrator that they wish to have him/her rule on the aggrieved matter. A meeting shall be set within thirty (30) calendar days after the Township Administrator has received the request that he rule on the matter. The answer of the Township Administrator (or his designee) at Step Three shall be delivered to the Union with ten (10) calendar days after said meeting.

Calendar year after 1st anniversary of employment 3 days

2. Sick leave may be utilized by employees when they are unable to perform their work by reason of personal illness, accident or exposure to contagious disease. Sick leave may also be used for short periods for the attendance of the employee upon a member of the immediate family who is seriously ill. Use by an employee of sick leave because of employee’s immediate family will not affect the employee’s evaluation.
3. For the purpose of the Article, immediate family means spouse, parent and child and child of the employee. It shall also include relatives of the employee residing in the employee’s household.

a. An employee who has been absent on sick leave for periods totaling ten (10) days in one (1) calendar year consisting of periods of less than five (5) days, may be required to submit acceptable medical evidence of any additional sick leave in that year unless such illness is of a chronic or recurring nature requiring absences of one (1) day or less in which case only one (1) certificate shall be necessary for a period of six (6) months.

After ten (10) years of service with the Township and upon retirement under the Public Employees Retirement System, an employee shall be paid for one half (1/2) of his/her accumulated unused sick leave not to exceed fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00).

Employees hired after July 1, 2017 shall receive no payment for unused sick leave upon retirement.

A. Phase-in Period
1. This Article will be consistent with Chapter 78 of the Laws of 2011 adopted by the New Jersey Legislature (hereinafter “the Law”) as a standard for these adopted fully bargained provisions concerning Group Health Benefits. The parties further agree that if Chapter 78 is significantly changed or altered, the parties will meet to discuss the impact.
2. This Article will apply to all aspects of medical care benefits, including prescription, dental, and hospitalization. In conjunction with the Law, all participating members will be required to pay a premium contribution toward their health coverage. These contributions shall be in accordance with the chart in Appendix A of this contract.

1. The percent of the premium contribution for all employees will be multiplied by the total premium due for each employee and deducted from base salary, as set forth in the Law and enumerated in Appendix A.

1. 1. All employees hired prior to 1/1/22 shall be able to participate in any Township Plans that use the “Direct Access” Network, or other plans that the Township, at their discretion, may choose to additionally provide at a later date and specifically permit enrollment for members of this bargaining unit. Members of this bargaining unit, effective 1/1/22, will not be able to remain in, or enroll in, the Blue Card PPO Plan (referred to as Plan PPO-04), and will be moved to a Direct Access Plan of their choice.
2. For all employees hired after 1/1/22, they shall be enrolled in the Direct Access 20/35 plan (Plan Design 7C) offered by the Township, or be able to enroll in other plans that the Township, at their discretion, may choose to additionally provide at a later date and specifically permit enrollment for members of this bargaining unit that were hired after 1/1/22. Members hired after 1/1/22 will not be able to enroll in the Direct Access 6 or Direct Access 8 plans or the Blue Card PPO Plan.

1. The Township will continue to provide for each member of the Department the current group accidental death and disability coverage for the life of this Agreement. The aforementioned coverage shall not be less than ten thousand ($10,000.00) dollars.
E. Health Benefits – Retirees
Benefits shall be extended to retirees and their current spouse at their time of retirement subject to the provisions below. Payment for such benefits shall be in accordance with the percentage responsibilities as a function of the pension benefit, calculated at the appropriate level using the tables governing employment health benefits. Any employee who had attained 20 years in the PERS Pension system as of June 28, 2011 is exempt from the cost sharing payments, as stated in PL 2011, Chapter 78.
1. For Employees hired after 1/1/2010 but before 6/30/2017, the benefits extended to retirees and their spouses shall cease individually, upon each individual attaining eligibility for Medicare.
2. For employees hired after 7/1/2017, the benefits extended to a retiree and their spouses shall be subject to a cost share of 35% of the premium, but not to exceed 15% of the retiree’s annual pension benefit, until the coverage ceases individually, upon the retiree and their spouse attaining eligibility for Medicare.
F. Change in Benefits
1. The Township may, at is option, change health benefit plans and carriers so long as substantially similar benefits are provided. The Township will provide the CWA with at least thirty (30) days advance written notice along with a copy of the plan prior to implementing any change of plans or carriers.

1. Employees will receive a $300.00 annual stipend to purchase work boots that must comply with OHSA standard safety toe and soles. Footwear must be in good condition and maintained throughout the year. Failure to wear proper shoes will result in being sent home without pay, or disciplinary action for multiple issues.
2. Employees may purchase their own boots, showing proof of ownership and a valid purchase receipt matching their work boots. Proof of ownership may require a portion of the box or other confirmation that the boots meet OSHA standards. Reimbursement shall be in accordance with Township purchasing guidelines and approved on a bills list.
3. Employees may continue to receive their boots as supplied by the Township under previous agreements, and consistent with other departments.

For promotions, the minimum Grade level for the new title shall be applied when determining salary, provided that the new grade provides for a minimum 4.0% increase in salary for the promotion, should the minimum Grade not meet the 4.0% criteria, the employee will be assigned the grade that exceeds the 4.0% increase and shall advance from there in succeeding years.

For lateral moves to a new title, the minimum Grade level for the new title shall be applied when determining salary, provided that the new grade provides for a minimum 2.5% increase in salary for the promotion, should the minimum Grade not meet the 2.5% criteria, the employee will be assigned the grade that exceeds the 2.5% increase and shall advance from there in succeeding years.

An employee, who does not hold a Civil Service recycling title, that is assigned to the Recycling Center to work the Tuesday through Saturday shift for more than four weeks shall be entitled to an annual stipend of $2,500, paid in pay-period installments. The stipend payments shall cease one-month after the employee is assigned out of the Center.

Licenses shall correspond to the following schedules:

CDLA $1,250.00
CDLB $750.00

50% of the stipend shall be paid on November 15 to all eligible employees.
50% of the stipend shall be paid on March 15 to all eligible employees who have responded to no less than 75% of the qualifying active call outs for emergency response, whether or not the absences were excused or unexcused, to be calculated by dividing the number of attended calls divided by the number of total qualifying calls.
Employees hired between November 15 and March 15 in any calendar year, and who have made 75% of the calls for the time that they have been employed, will receive the March 15^th payment of 50% of the annual stipend.

A. The following list of circumstances for personnel, during an emergency, shall not count toward the calculation of either total number of calls or calls to which the employee responded.
1. Scheduled vacations, approved by the Township in advance of the season;
2. Employees currently out of work for a workman’s compensation claim, provided that they are not available for a modified duty that can be utilized in the emergency.
3. Extenuating circumstances, that in the opinion of the Township, clearly distinguishes the absence as unavoidable. Use of these circumstances are at the sole discretion of the Township and cannot be subject to grievance by the individual or the union.
B. For winter periods from November through March that have less than four (4) call outs, the Township in its sole discretion, may waive or change the attendance requirements of this section with respect to the March portion of the stipend for any individuals or for the entire bargaining unit.

Longevity Elimination Stipend
Hire Date
From	To
Prior to	12/31/1997	$3,150
1/1/1998	12/31/1999	$2,950
1/1/2000	12/31/2001	$2,850
1/1/2002	12/31/2004	$2,650
1/1/2005	12/31/2005	$2,450
1/1/2006	12/31/2006	$2,350
1/1/2007	12/31/2007	$2,250
1/1/2008	12/31/2008	$2,150
1/1/2009	12/31/2011	$2,000
After 1/1/2012		$0

APPENDIX B
SALARY TIER CHART

APPENDIX B (CONT.)

TIER CHART ASSIGNMENTS PER CIVIL SERVICE TITLE


STEP NOTES
1. Steps shall progress to the above steps on January 1, 2022
2. Automatic Step advancement on January 1 for years 2024 and 2026
3. No automatic step advancement for years 2023 and 2025
4. Employees in the Equipment Maintenance and Repair Department receive step increases every year of contract due to the lack of civil service titles for Mechanic Titles.
APPENDIX B (CONT.)

EFFECTIVE TITLES AND STARTING TIER LEVEL