SENATE MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 4086

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 15, 2026

      The Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 4086.

      This bill authorizes an employee of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) to take a leave of absence from PANYNJ employment during ordered military duty or in certain circumstances as a member of, or volunteer member of, any force of the organized militia or of any reserve force or reserve component of the United States Armed Forces.

      A PANYNJ employee’s leave of absence authorized by the bill is not to constitute an interruption of continuous employment and the employee is not to be subjected to loss of time service, increment, vacation or holiday privileges, or any other right or privilege or to be prejudiced regarding employment, reappointment, re-employment, reinstatement, transfer, or promotion, due to the employee’s absence.

      The bill requires that PANYNJ employees be paid their salary or other compensation during periods of absence related to ordered military duty, not exceeding 30 days or 22 working days, whichever is greater, in a calendar year and not exceeding 30 or 22 working days, whichever is greater, in a continuous period of absence.

      A PANYNJ employee who served in a combat theater or combat zone of operations is to be paid the employee’s salary, or other compensation, for all periods of absence while utilizing health care-related services related to such duty, not exceeding five working days in a calendar year.

      The employee’s required contributions to a pension or retirement system are to be deducted from the employee’s salary or other compensation during the employee’s leave of absence.  If the required contributions exceed the amount of the employee’s salary or other compensation during the employee’s military duty, such salary or other compensation is to be applied to the required contributions and the employee may pay any remaining amount.

      The bill authorizes a PANYNJ employee to pay the amount that the employee would have contributed to the employee’s pension or retirement system if the employee had been present and performing the employee’s duties.  Such payments, other than those deducted from the employee’s salary or other compensation, may be paid during, or within five years after the termination of, the employee’s ordered military duty.  If the employee dies during ordered military duty, such payments may be made by the named beneficiary or the legal representative of the employee’s estate within one year following proof of death.  If such contributions are paid, the employee’s absence during military duty is to be counted toward the length of total service under such pension or retirement system.  Finally, an employee, while engaged in the performance of ordered military duty, or the employee’s beneficiary, is entitled to all the benefits of the employee’s pension or retirement system, except accidental disability retirement and accidental death benefits.

      The State of New York is required to enact substantially similar legislation before this bill becomes operative.