ASSEMBLY, No. 1210

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblyman AUGUSTINE

An Act establishing the New Jersey Employee Assistance Advisory Committee and supplementing P.L.1989, c.51 (C.26:2BB-1 et seq.).

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "New Jersey Employee Assistance Advisory Committee Act."

    2. There is established in but not of the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1989, c.51 (C.26:2BB-2), the New Jersey Employee Assistance Advisory Committee.

    a. The committee shall consist of 17 members who shall be representatives of the following, selected for their knowledge and experience with employee assistance plans: five from the business community; two from organized labor; three from State, county and municipal governments; three from the alcoholism and drug abuse treatment community; and, four from organizations of certified employee assistance professionals.

    b. The members of the advisory committee shall be selected as follows: the Governor shall select five members, three from State, county and municipal governments and two from the alcoholism and drug abuse treatment community; the President of the Senate shall select six members, two from the business community, two from organizations of certified employee assistance professionals, one from the alcoholism and drug abuse community, and one from organized labor; and the Speaker of the Assembly shall select six members, three from the business community, two from organizations of certified employee assistance professionals and one from organized labor. Vacancies in the membership of the committee shall be filled in the same manner as the original selections.

    c. The committee shall organize by electing a chairman and vice-chairman from among its members, and a secretary who need not be a member.

    d. The members of the committee shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for their expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties.

    e. The committee shall meet at least four times during each year, and at such other times as shall be deemed appropriate at the call of the chairman or at the request of three other members.

    f. The committee shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and the Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse in the Department of Health, both of which shall also provide administrative, secretarial and consultant services to the committee.

    3. The Employee Assistance Advisory Committee shall promote the awareness, development, implementation and utilization of employee assistance plans throughout the State, and shall be charged with, but not limited to, the following duties:

    a. Develop an action plan to stimulate and initiate employee assistance programs throughout the State;

    b. Review, assess and coordinate the provision of employee assistance at the State and local level; and

    c. Work with the Department of Personnel to develop training programs and referral networks, and to ensure that relevant department policies are implemented.

    4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill creates the New Jersey Employee Assistance Advisory Committee in but not of the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. The committee shall promote the awareness, development, implementation and utilization of employee assistance plans throughout the State. The committee shall be charged with, but not limited to, the following duties:

    1. Develop an action plan to stimulate and initiate employee assistance programs throughout the State;

    2. Review, assess and coordinate the provision of employee assistance at the State and local level; and

    3. Work with the Department of Personnel to develop training programs and referral networks, and to ensure that relevant department policies are implemented.

    The bill provides that the Employee Assistance Advisory Committee shall consist of 17 members who shall be representatives of the following, selected for their knowledge and experience with employee assistance plans: five from the business community; two from organized labor; three from State, county and municipal governments; three from the acoholism and drug abuse treatment community; and four from organizations of certified employee assistance professionals. Five of these members shall be selected by the Governor, six by the President of the Senate and six by the Speaker of the Assembly.

"New Jersey Employee Assistance Advisory Committee Act."