By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
It will be a few more weeks before Princeton decides if it will become the next New Jersey municipality to require employers to provide paid sick leave to their employees.
A three-member subcommittee of the Princeton Council that has been studying the issue does not “yet” have a recommendation ready for the governing body to consider, officials said. Originally, when it was formed earlier this year, the working group was asked to try and have something done by May. Tonight is the last council meeting of the month.
“The task force is still working on our recommendations to mayor and council. We’re not done yet,” Councilman and subcommittee member Patrick Simon said Monday by email.
“We’re going to wait until we have (a) full council,” said Council President and fellow committee member Lance Liverman on Monday in noting that Councilwoman Jo S. Butler will miss Monday night’s meeting. “Whatever we have to say, everyone can hear it at the same time.”
Mr. Liverman said he is aiming to have something for the June 13 council meeting.
The town is mulling joining around half a dozen New Jersey municipalities that have some version of a paid sick leave on the books. Princeton officials have said they view it as a public health issue, one that has been championed by President Barack Obama and pro labor groups, like the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, which has lobbied the Princeton Council aggressively to implement.
The subcommittee has met with merchants, advocates for paid sick leave and others on the issue, including representatives of Princeton University. Mr. Liverman said Nassau Hall was “very supportive.”
Paid sick leave has gained traction and been approved in Democrat, liberal leaning municipalities, including New York and Los Angeles. In New Jersey, the roughly 11 other towns with the requirement include Trenton and New Brunswick. New Jersey does not require paid sick leave as a law, although lawmakers have sponsored legislation mandating it.
Councilwoman Heather H. Howard, the other member of the subcommittee, did not respond to a phone message or email seeking comment Monday.
