In a recent decision, the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court interpreted several public employment statutes that impose hiring and promotional restrictions upon police departments in smaller New Jersey cities that are not of the “first class” or “second class” in population and which are not civil service
As the year winds down, we will be taking a look back at the public law issues that impacted New Jersey municipalities. With regard to the state’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA), there were a number of legal developments, several of which involved the increased use of technology. In case
Jersey City recently expanded its Paid Sick Time Ordinance. The most significant change — the law now applies to businesses with less than ten employees. In 2013, Jersey City became the first city in New Jersey to require private employers to provide paid sick leave to workers. Since then, nine
The New Jersey Government Records Council (GRC) recently considered the electronic transmission of public records request under the state’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA). While the GRC concluded that records custodians are not required to accept requests via email, it did find that excluding all forms of electronic transmission would
The Supreme Court of New Jersey has agreed to consider how to apply the state’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA) to security camera footage. The case, Patricia Gilleran v. Township of Bloomfield, specifically involves whether a municipality must publicly disclose security video footage captured by a stationary camera in a
In 2008, New Jersey first passed the Permit Extension Act, which suspends the running of the period of any covered permit or approval in existence during the “extension period.” Given that the New Jersey legislature has taken no further action, the statute will likely sunset at the end of the
A proposed bill would allow New Jersey municipalities to adopt ordinances requiring police officers and firefighters to satisfy a minimum residency requirement. The legislation is currently awaiting Gov. Chris Christie’s signature. In 2012, the State of New Jersey passed a residency requirement for all public employees. The proposed measure would give
A recent Appellate Division decision highlights the factors that New Jersey zoning boards must consider when determining whether to grant a height variance under the Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL). In Jacoby v. Zoning Bd. of Adjustment of Borough of Englewood Cliffs, the appeals court found the zoning board erred
