40A:10-23.2. Liability of certain townships for health benefits for certain retirees

1. Notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.40A:10-23 or any other law to the contrary, a township having a population of at least 90,000 according to the latest federal decennial census and located in a county of the second class having a population of at least 525,000 according to that census which shall have established a health insurance plan covering employees in and retirants from the service of that township, and their dependents, may by ordinance of the governing body assume the liability for the entire cost of continuing to provide that coverage to, and thereupon shall pay all of the premiums for, former employees of the township who, having rendered at least 15 years of service to the township, retired from such employment on or before October 15, 1992 and prior to the attainment of age 62, and including the premiums for coverage of the dependents of those former employees, except that each of those former employees shall be liable for the payment each month of such charges as shall be applicable to that former employee under the schedule of retiree contributions for such coverage in effect on June 30, 1993. In the event that, on or after July 1, 1993 and prior to the effective date of such an ordinance, a former employee entitled to coverage under this section shall have paid any charge with respect to such coverage which is in excess of the amount applicable under that schedule, the township shall, within 30 days of the effective date of the ordinance, reimburse the amount of that excess charge to the former employee.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to a former employee who retired on a disability pension or after 25 years' or more service with the employer, or who retired and reached the age of 62 or older with at least 15 years of service with the employer.

L.1994,c.30.