State of New Jersey
Executive Order #33

Governor Christine Todd Whitman

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 21 was enacted to promote harmonious relations between the State and its employees while ensuring the efficient and continuous delivery of public services; and

WHEREAS, the goal of this Administration under Executive Order No. 21 is to encourage cooperation between the State and its employees by facilitating the exchange of information and ideas between the responsible parties; and

WHEREAS, collective negotiations between the State and its employees concerning the terms and conditions of employment are about to commence; and

WHEREAS, it is the further goal of this Administration that an orderly, efficient and good faith process for conducting negotiations be established which preserves the rights of the State and its employees;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes of the State of New Jersey, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

1. Executive Order No. 21 shall remain in full force and effect except as modified herein.

2. Paragraph 2(c) of Executive Order No. 21 is hereby rescinded and replaced by the following: The Council shall advise the Governor on employee relations policy, and related matters involving State employees.

3. Paragraph 3 of Executive Order No. 21 is hereby rescinded and replaced by the following: The Council is authorized to hire such outside consultants and counsel as deemed necessary to fulfill its mandate pursuant to this Order.

4. Paragraph 7 of Executive Order No. 21 is hereby rescinded and replaced by the following: The Office of Employee Relations is hereby transferred from the Department of Personnel to the Office of the Governor and shall report to the Governor's Chief of Staff (the "Chief of Staff"). Compensation for employees of the Office of Employee Relations shall be consistent with guidelines or regulations established by the Department of Personnel.

5. Paragraph 8(c) and (d) of Executive Order No. 21 is hereby rescinded and replaced by the following: (c) providing support staff to the Chief of Staff or labor counsel and rendering such reports to labor counsel as the labor counsel may direct or the Chief of Staff determines; and (d) offering recommendations to the Governor's Employee Relations Policy Council concerning employee relations and related matters involving State employees.

6. Paragraph 9 of Executive Order No. 21 is deleted and replaced by the following: The Chief of Staff shall serve, through labor counsel, as the Governor's agent in conducting collective negotiations with employee organizations.

7. Paragraph 10(a) of Executive Order No. 21 is hereby rescinded and replaced by the following: All appropriations, personnel, records and property associated with the Office of Employee Relations shall be reallocated within the Office of the Governor in such a manner as the Chief of Staff deems appropriate in order to maximize efficiency, service and cost-effectiveness.

8. Paragraph 10(c) of Executive Order No. 21 is hereby rescinded and replaced by the following: Except as herein otherwise provided and in accordance with Title 11A, Civil Service of the New Jersey Statutes, allocation of the Office of Employee Relations to the Office of the Governor shall not alter or change the term, tenure of office, rights, obligations, duties or responsibilities otherwise pertaining to the Office of Employee Relations.

9. This Order shall take effect immediately.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal
this day of in the Year of Our Lord,
One Thousand Nine Hundred and
Ninety Five, and of the Independence
of the United States, the Two Hundred
and Nineteenth.

/s/ Christine Todd Whitman
GOVERNOR

Attest:

/s/ Margaret M. Foti
Chief Counsel to the Governor