NJ Senate Approves Back Pay For State Workers Furloughed During Budget Battle
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) -- The New Jersey State Senate returned to Trenton on what was supposed to be an off day to make sure state workers were not penalized for the three-day shutdown of government prompted by this month's budget impasse.
Most missed one day's pay, some as many as three, as legislators wrangled over a plan tied to the budget to require more transparency from Horizon Blue Cross. Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto and Governor Chris Christie each blamed the other for the shutdown.
New Jersey Government Reaches Deal Ending Shutdown
Cranbury Democrat Senator Linda Greenstein co-sponsored the back pay bill that passed unanimously.
"It was disruptive for the public to be denied these services over the Independence Day weekend," Greenstein said, "but it was through no fault of the workers that this happened."
Christie has indicated he will sign the back pay bill, but Prieto has yet to schedule a vote on the plan, suggesting in a press release he does not necessarily trust the Governor to live up to that.
A spokesman for the Speaker indicated that a vote would be held in the Assembly before the end of the month.
