Official Suggests "Grandfathering" Employee Benefits Under Consolidation

Princeton’s municipal employees face an uncertain future as officials look to eliminate 18 positions within their ranks by the consolidation deadline of Jan. 1, 2013.

But another question looms: what about the different benefits employees currently enjoy?

For example, Borough employees may currently accumulate sick leave year after year up to a maximum of $11,000, according to Sandra Webb, the Borough’s chief financial officer. Township employees must “use it or lose it” when it comes to sick pay.

Township employees receive periodic pay increases based on incremental longevity, Township Administrator Jim Pascale said. Borough employees do not.

Members of the Transition Task Force should consider this issue early- and maybe grandfather the existing benefits- for the sake of alleviating employee anxiety, Pascale suggested Monday, during the first meeting of the Transition Task Force’s personnel subcommittee.

“For me, for simplicity’s sake, it might make sense to grandfather those benefits in early and then create a blended structure for new employees,” Pascale said.

Several municipal employees sat in the audience and listened.

Creating a unified Princeton with a single workforce will not be an easy task, as Pascale and Borough Administrator Bob Bruschi explained there are several different union contracts currently in place- plus non union staff- a slightly different salary structure between the two municipalities and two different personnel manuals.

One way to alleviate some employee concerns early may be to discuss “grandfathering” benefits sooner rather than later, Pascale said.

“The sooner employees know the benefits they will have, the less angst they will have,” Pascale said.