34:15-37.3 Certain injured officers to receive full compensation.

3. Any State Human Services police officer, State conservation police officer, State park police officer, Palisades Interstate Park officer appointed pursuant to R.S.32:14-21, or full-time campus police officer appointed by a county college or four-year public institution of higher education pursuant to P.L.1970, c.211 (C.18A:6-4.2 et seq.) who, while in the course of performing the officer's official duties, suffers serious bodily injury as the direct result of an assault during the arrest or transportation of a suspect or other person in the officer's custody shall continue to receive full wages for up to six months or until the officer begins receiving compensation for that injury under R.S.34:15-1 et seq., whichever comes first.

Any senior, recruit, or assistant supervising medical security officer working under the authority of the Department of Human Services who, in the course of performing the officer's official duties, suffers serious bodily injury as the direct result of an assault by a patient or resident who requires medical security shall continue to receive full wages for up to six months or until the officer begins receiving compensation for that injury under R.S.34:15-1 et seq., whichever comes first.

In addition to the compensation received under R.S.34:15-1 et seq., the injured officer shall receive regular supplemental payments from the officer's employer in an amount that is sufficient, when added to the compensation received under R.S.34:15-1 et seq., to equal the net wage of the injured officer at the time of the injury. The supplemental payments authorized under this section shall continue for up to six months so long as the injured officer remains a State Human Services police officer, State conservation police officer, State park police officer, Palisades Interstate Park officer, campus police officer, or medical security officer and continues to be compensated under R.S.34:15-1 et seq.

The fringe benefits afforded an injured officer under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement, contract, or statute shall not be negated or impaired in any way and shall remain in full force and effect during the time that officer is receiving supplemental payments pursuant to this section.

L.2017, c.93, s.3; amended 2019, c.407, s.17.