5:12-54 Organization and employees.

54. Organization and Employees. a. The commission may establish, and from time to time alter, such plan of organization as it may deem expedient, and may incur expenses within the limits of funds available to it.

b. The commission shall elect annually by a majority of the full commission one of its members, other than the chairman, to serve as vice-chairman for the ensuing year. The vice-chairman shall be empowered to carry out all of the responsibilities of the chairman as prescribed in this act during his absence, disqualification, or inability to serve.

c. The commission shall appoint an executive secretary who shall serve at its pleasure and shall be responsible for the conduct of its administrative affairs. No person shall be eligible for such appointment unless he shall have at least 5 years of responsible experience in public or business administration or possesses broad management skills. The position of executive secretary shall be in the unclassified service of the civil service.

d. The commission may employ such other personnel as it deems necessary. All employees of the commission, except for secretarial and clerical personnel, shall be in the unclassified service of the Civil Service. All employees of the commission shall be deemed confidential employees for the purposes of the "New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act" (P.L.1941, c.100; C.34:13A-1 et seq.), as amended. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, the commission may employ legal counsel who shall represent the commission in any proceeding to which it is a party, and who shall render legal advice to the commission upon its request. The commission may contract for the services of other professional, technical and operational personnel and consultants as may be necessary to the performance of its responsibilities under this act.

e. Members and employees of the commission shall be enrolled in the Public Employees' Retirement System of New Jersey (P.L.1954, c.84; C.43:15A-1 et seq.).

L.1977, c.110, s.54; amended 1979, c.282, s.10; 1980, c.28, ss.3,10 (s.10 amended 1980, c.159, s.2; 1981, c.142, s.5); 1981, c.238, s.1; 1987, c.354, s.1; 2011, c.19, s.28.