Labor & Employment (Retirement Benefits)

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 12, 2026

A 4054: Requires transfer of certain participants of DCRP to PERS.

This bill (A4054) transfers specific school district employees from the Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) to the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS). It applies to school employees hired between November 2, 2008, and May 21, 2010, who work over 20 hours weekly but were previously ineligible for PERS due to work-hour rules. The bill requires their enrollment in PERS within 180 days of enactment, granting service credit for benefits eligibility (like health coverage) but not for calculating pension amounts. The state will cover the one-time cost of transferring funds via IRS-compliant trustee-to-trustee transfers, with unfunded liability amortized over 20 years.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentTransfers eligible school employees to PERS, granting service credit for retirement benefits and health coverage eligibility, expanding worker benefits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

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died · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2542: Allows State, municipality, and county to implement automatic enrollment of their employees in deferred compensation plans.

This bill allows New Jersey state, municipal, and county employers to automatically enroll employees in retirement savings plans (deferred compensation plans) unless they opt out. It establishes a default contribution rate, permits periodic increases in contributions, and requires employers to provide employees with clear notice and the option to adjust or stop contributions. Employers must also negotiate automatic enrollment terms with union representatives for covered employees, and designate a default investment option if employees don’t choose one. The bill was withdrawn after being enacted as part of P.L.2025, c.358, making these provisions effective law.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAutomatically enrolls employees in retirement plans with opt-out option and union negotiation strengthens worker benefits and protections per Labor & Employment indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Retirement Benefits

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2099: Establishes EMS part of PERS; provides enhanced benefits for emergency medical services employees.

This bill creates a new retirement plan within New Jersey's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) specifically for emergency medical services (EMS) workers, including paramedics, EMTs, emergency medical supervisors, and other certified personnel who provide life support services. It requires these employees to join the "EMS Part" of PERS, pay a 10% salary contribution, and receive enhanced retirement benefits: 50% of their final salary for 20+ years of service, or a special option of 65% of final salary plus additional payments for 25+ years of service. Existing retirement credits will transfer to the new plan without extra cost to employees, and the bill also provides death benefits to beneficiaries equal to half the employee's final salary. The bill directly affects all eligible EMS employees in New Jersey state, county, and municipal roles.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates enhanced retirement benefits for EMS workers (paramedics, EMTs), directly supporting healthcare workforce retention and stability within public health services.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates enhanced retirement benefits (50-65% final salary) for EMS workers, expanding employment benefits under Labor & Employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits Tags Public Safety

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2529: Permits certain substitute teachers to enroll in TPAF.

This bill (A2529) amends New Jersey law to allow certain substitute teachers to enroll in the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF). Currently, TPAF eligibility typically applies to regular classroom teachers, but this bill expands it to include specific substitute educators who meet defined criteria. The key provision modifies eligibility rules under N.J.S.18A:66-2 to permit these substitute teachers to contribute to and eventually receive retirement benefits from the fund. It directly affects substitute teachers who qualify under the new enrollment rules, providing them access to a retirement savings system previously unavailable to them. The change focuses on concrete eligibility expansion without altering existing benefit calculations or funding mechanisms.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands retirement benefits for substitute teachers, strengthening educator support and access to pension benefits under TPAF eligibility rules.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands retirement benefits (TPAF enrollment) for substitute teachers, directly advancing worker benefits under employment standards.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1610: Changes eligibility of Administrative Law Judges from DCRP to PERS.

This bill changes the retirement eligibility for Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) in New Jersey. Currently excluded from the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), ALJs will now qualify for PERS membership under this amendment. Specifically, it removes the exclusion of "Administrative Law Judges of the Office of Administrative Law" from the Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP), placing them directly into PERS instead. This means ALJs will participate in the state's main retirement system for public employees rather than remaining outside it, affecting their future retirement benefits and contributions. The change applies to current and future ALJs upon the bill's effective date.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands retirement benefits for ALJs by including them in PERS, directly advancing worker benefits under employment standards.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1216: Expands scope of review of Pension and Health Benefits Review Commission.

This bill expands the Pension and Health Benefits Review Commission's authority to review all legislation affecting public employees' pensions and health benefits. It requires the Commission to analyze every bill or resolution modifying pension plans (including defined benefit, defined contribution, or deferred compensation plans), health care benefits, or related financing procedures. The Commission must provide written comments within 45 days of a bill's introduction, and legislative committees cannot vote on such bills until this review is complete (unless deemed urgent). This directly affects state and local government employees whose retirement and health benefits are covered by these bills. The change ensures all relevant legislation - previously excluded from review - receives formal analysis before committee action.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates Commission review of all legislation modifying public employee pensions/health benefits, ensuring changes are analyzed to protect existing benefits and prevent unintended reductions.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1727: Provides TPAF members and certain retirees same benefits provided to members enrolled in retirement system before July 1, 2007.

This bill standardizes pension benefits for New Jersey teachers by moving all current non-retired members of the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) into a single benefit tier (previously called "Tier 1"), granting them the same retirement benefits as members who joined before July 1, 2007. It requires public employers to enroll teachers earning above minimum salary but not meeting work-hour requirements into TAPF within 60 days of enactment. Teachers in the separate Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) can automatically transfer their service credit to TAPF for retirement eligibility (but not pension amount calculations), with contributions staying in DCRP; they may opt out within six months of notification. The bill also allows TAPF members with long-term disability insurance to apply for disability retirement within two years of enactment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentStandardizes pension benefits for teachers, granting equal retirement benefits to all members, expanding worker benefits under employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2875: Permits surviving spouse of retired member of PFRS to be enrolled in SHBP and to continue to receive pension benefit after remarriage in certain circumstances.

New Jersey's bill A 2875 allows surviving spouses of retired police and fire department members (PFRS) to keep state-paid health coverage through the State Health Benefits Program and continue receiving pension benefits after remarriage, if the retiree's death was linked to a work-related disability. The law requires surviving spouses to provide documentation proving the disability, its complications, or a worsened preexisting condition directly contributed to the retiree's death. Surviving spouses who lost pension benefits due to remarriage before this law can apply for reinstatement. This applies only to those who were receiving disability retirement benefits at the time of the retiree's death.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill ensures continued health/pension benefits for spouses of PFRS whose death linked to work-related disability, protecting dependents of public safety workers.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3378: Eliminates salary reference for retired members of PERS returning to employment in teaching staff positions.

This bill removes a $10,000 salary threshold for retired Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) members returning to teaching positions at public institutions of higher education in New Jersey. Currently, the exemption from having retirement benefits canceled applied only if such employment exceeded $10,000 annually; the bill eliminates this requirement entirely. As a result, retired PERS members returning to teaching roles at public colleges or universities will automatically retain their retirement benefits, regardless of their salary amount. The change aligns with legislative intent to fully exempt these retirees from standard retirement benefit cancellation rules.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves salary threshold for retired teachers, ensuring automatic retention of retirement benefits without income limits, protecting worker benefits.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3491: Permits companion to receive PFRS accidental death pension when there is no surviving spouse; requires adjustment of final compensation for calculation of accidental death benefit for surviving spouse, companion, and children of PFRS members.

This bill expands accidental death benefits for survivors of New Jersey Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS) members. It allows a "companion" (defined as an unmarried, cohabiting partner meeting specific criteria) to receive the 70% pension benefit - previously reserved for surviving spouses - when no spouse exists. The bill also requires adjusting the deceased member’s final retirement pay to calculate benefits for all survivors, including spouses, companions, and children. It applies to deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2023, with retroactive payments for eligible companions if approved within six months of the bill’s effective date. The bill is pending before the Assembly State and Local Government Committee.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands survivor benefits to companions for PFRS members, strengthening financial protections for workers' families through broader eligibility for accidental death pensions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

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