Retiring Gloucester City Employees share in benefit payouts ranging from from $500 to $100,000…Firemen and Police receive the most
By Bill Cleary
A 100 plus page report titled The Beat Goes On looks at the abuse in public employees benefit programs in 75 municipalities across the State of New Jersey.The report was released earlier this month by the State Commission of Investigation. Members include: W. Gary Edwards, Joseph R Mariniello Jr., Patrick E. Hobbs and Robert J. Martins.
Although Gloucester City was not cited in the report 19 retiring employees in that community received payouts for sick leave and vacation time that totaled nearly $500,000 in the past five years. Retiring police and firemen received the highest payouts. A complete list of the payouts appear below.
From the report summary, \”Municipal employees collecting bonuses for working on their birthdays or when they leave their jobs. Still others receive multiple paid days off for not being sick or for donating; extra cash on top of regular pay for perfect attendance at work; and paid holidays for moving personal belongings, or to go Christmas shopping..
\”At a time of economic distress unprecedented since the Great Depression – with government budgets depleted and austerity the theme of the day even in the private sector – the gravy train continues to roll without impediment for select groups of employees on the public payroll. The Commission examined a statewide cross-section of local government employment policies, contracts and agreements involving a comprehensive mix of police, fire and civilian personnel and, in addition to extraordinary specialty perks like those described, found a lucrative array of questionable benefit practices that collectively cost New Jersey taxpayers millions of dollars every year, including:
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