52:27BBB-15 Abolishment of certain municipal positions.

15. a. Notwithstanding any other provision of law or contract, the chief operating officer may abolish positions in the municipality not under the direct supervision of the municipal governing body at any time. All of the functions, powers and duties of such abolished positions shall be exercised by the chief operating officer or those persons whom the chief operating officer designates to exercise them during the rehabilitation term. The affected individuals shall be given 60 days' notice of termination or pay for the same period. The notice or payment shall be in lieu of any other claim or recourse against the municipality based on law or contract or term of office.

b. Notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, no individual whose position is abolished by operation of this section shall be entitled to assert a claim to any position or to placement upon a preferred eligibility list for any position to which the individual may be entitled by virtue of tenure or seniority within the municipality. Nothing herein shall preclude an individual from asserting upon separation from service any legal contractual right to health care coverage, annuities, accrued vacation days, accrued sick leave, insurance and approved tuition costs. No individual whose position is abolished by operation of this subsection shall retain any right to tenure or seniority in the positions abolished herein.

c. Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-1 et seq.) to the contrary, the Department of Labor shall, if requested by an employee, provide a training grant under the "Job Training Partnership Act," Pub. L. 97-300 (29 U.S.C. s.1501 et seq.), to each person who applies pursuant to this section for a training grant to pay for employment and training services as provided pursuant to section 6 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-6).

L.2002,c.43,s.15.