NJ Cops | Page 15

NEW JERSEY COPS ■ JULY 2014 or may, at its discretion, remand the award to the same arbitrator or to another arbitrator, selected by lot, for reconsideration. The commission's decision shall be rendered no later than [30] 60 calendar days after the filing of the appeal with the commission. (6) The parties shall share equally the costs of arbitration subject to a fee schedule approved by the commission. The fee schedule shall provide that the cost of services provided by the arbitrator shall not exceed $1,000 per day. The total cost of services of an arbitrator shall not exceed [$7,500] $10,000. If the parties cancel an arbitration proceeding without good cause, the arbitrator may impose a fee of not more than $500. The parties shall share equally in paying that fee if the request to cancel or adjourn is a joint request. Otherwise, the party causing such cancellation shall be responsible for payment of the entire fee. g. The arbitrator shall decide the dispute based on a reasonable determination of the issues, giving due weight to those factors listed below that are judged relevant for the resolution of the specific dispute. In the award, the arbitrator, or panel of arbitrators, shall indicate which of the factors are deemed relevant, satisfactorily explain why the others are not relevant, and provide an analysis of the evidence on each relevant factor; provided, however, that in every interest arbitration proceeding, the parties shall introduce evidence regarding the factor set forth in paragraph (6) of this subsection and the arbitrator shall analyze and consider the [factors] factor set forth in paragraph (6) of this subsection in any award: (1) The interests and welfare of the public: Among the items the arbitrator or panel of arbitrators shall assess when considering this factor are the limitations imposed upon the employer by P .L.1976, c.68 (C.40A:4-45.1 et seq.). 2. Section 2 of P 2010,c.105 (C.4:13A-16.7) is amend.L. ed to read as follows: b. An arbitrator shall not render any award pursuant to section 3 of P .L.1977, c.85 (C.34:13A-16) which, [on an annual basis] in the first year of the collective negotiation agreement awarded by the arbitrator, increases base salary items by more than 2.0 percent of the aggregate amount expended by the public employer on base salary items for the members of the affected employee organization in the twelve months immediately preceding the expiration of the collective negotiation agreement subject to arbitration [provided, however, the]. In each subsequent year of the agreement awarded by the arbitrator, base salary items shall not be increased by more than 2.0 percent of the aggregate amount expended by the public employer on base salary items for the members of the affected employee organization in the immediately preceding year of the agreement awarded by the arbitrator. The parties may agree, or the arbitrator may decide, to distribute the aggregate monetary value of the award over the term of the collective negotiation agreement in unequal annual [percentages] percentage increases, which shall not be greater than the compounded value CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 15