Out Tomorrow: Teachers Must Contribute to Health Care Benefits

The Star-Ledger is reporting that tomorrow Gov. Christie will announce major pension and benefit reforms that will affect all public employees, including school teachers. The proposals include requiring all local school district employees to contribute at least 1.5% of their annual salaries to health care costs. Pensions would be calculated based on factoring in the highest five years of salary instead of the current three years to determine pension pay-outs, sick leave would be capped at $15,000, and part-time school employees would be enrolled in defined-contribution plans. In addition, the government would put up for voter approval a constitutional amendment requiring the State to fully fund its pension obligations in each year’s budget.

The NJEA had no immediate comment.