By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
An answer could come this month on whether Princeton becomes the next New Jersey community requiring that private-sector employees get paid sick time, in a policy move that advocates have pressed for since last year.
A three-member council committee formed in March has been studying the issue by meeting with local merchants, nonprofit organizations and others and speaking with officials in two other New Jersey towns that have different versions of a sick-pay ordinance on their books. Council President and committee member Lance Liverman said Tuesday that the group is still in “fact-finding mode” and has work to do before issuing a recommendation to the full council this month.
He said that recommendation either would be to have a sick-pay ordinance or not. Councilwoman Heather H. Howard and Councilman Patrick Simon, the other two committee members, could not be reached for comment
Mr. Liverman said the committee would meet with Princeton University, the largest employer in the community, but he would not disclose what university officials the committee planned to speak with. He said he did not think Ms. Howard, a university employee, would have to recuse herself from that meeting.
The university did not immediately provide a statement on its view of any such measure, as a mandate could have broad implications if it were to apply to students in work-study programs.
In having met with the business community, Mr. Liverman said most merchants support paid sick leave.
Princeton Merchants Association President John Marshall, a local restaurateur, said Tuesday that his group had met with the council committee. “We’re working diligently to ensure that whatever is enacted can be reasonably administered without undue burden to merchants and (the) municipality,” he said.
Mr. Liverman said the committee had spoken with representatives of Jersey City and New Brunswick, two cities that have different sick-pay measures. New Brunswick, for instance, does not require sick pay for anyone who works less than 20 hours per week or whose employer is not located within the city.
Mr. Liverman said that if Princeton adopts an ordinance, it “most likely” would fall to the municipal health department to enforce the measure. He said that’s because officials see paid sick leave as a public health issue. Asked if that meant hiring more staff, he replied, “I hope not.”
Any such ordinance likely would not be introduced until September, after the summer break when the town clears out. Officials typically avoid doing anything controversial then.
This story will be updated.
