Wednesday, November 12, 2014

NJ Watchdog: New Jersey double-dippers scoop New Yorkers at the public trough




Start spreading the news: New Jersey is a paradise for double-dippers compared to neighboring New York.

New York law requires its state and local government agencies to formally certify an “urgent need” for rehiring the retired workers. officials must declare there are “no available, qualified non-retirees” who can fill the open positions, which must be publicly advertised.

New Jersey governmental units can generally hire back retirees without any justification or legal restrictions. Special paperwork and approvals are not needed – and in some instances, workers can return to the public payrolls the day after they retire.

In New York, 665 retirees are currently working at public jobs with waivers, according to the Empire Center report.

Meanwhile, New Jersey officials do not track the hundreds – and likely thousands – of working retirees who receive both governmental pensions and salaries.

New York State’s efforts to control double-dipping – by “retired” public officials who collect pensions while continuing to work in government jobs – are highlighted in a study released this week by the Empire Center, a non-profit think tank based in Albany.

While the Garden State is not mentioned in the report, an analysis by New Jersey Watchdog reveals significant differences in how the two states approach the double-dipping dilemma.

The story is now online at http://watchdog.org/182661/nj-ny-double-dippers/.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

yDid Jim McGreevey double dip by being a mayor and state senator at the same time?