WHEREAS, this Administration is committed to improving the efficiency of its operations, eliminating duplication of functions and achieving cost savings wherever feasible; and

WHEREAS, the Commissioner of Personnel has the responsibility and authority, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 11A:3-1, to establish and administer a State classification plan; and

WHEREAS, the Commissioner of Personnel has the authority, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 11A:3-7, to establish and administer an equitable State employee compensation plan; and

WHEREAS, the Commissioner of Personnel, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 11A:2-11, is vested with the authority to plan, evaluate, administer and implement personnel policies and programs in State government; to develop programs to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the public service; to set standards and procedures for review and to render final administrative decisions on classification and salary appeals; to maintain a management information system; and to assist the Governor in general workforce planning and personnel matters; and

WHEREAS, these statutory provisions in the Civil Service Reform Act establish the Department of Personnel as the human resource agency which administers in a uniform fashion classification, compensation, workforce planning and related functions in the Executive Branch of State government; and

WHEREAS, there is a need to consolidate personnel functions where appropriate in a human resource agency reporting to the Governor, in order to ensure the effective and efficient management of personnel policies and programs, and this is especially critical since the Fiscal Year 93 Appropriations Act reduced the availability of funds for human resource administration; and

WHEREAS, such efforts shall promote savings for State government as well as greater efficiencies and coordination of personnel policies and procedures; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 11A:11-2, the Commissioner of Personnel has the discretionary authority to direct the consolidation of personnel functions in the Executive Branch within the Department of Personnel; and

WHEREAS, the goals of Civil Service reform which began in 1986 need to be reaffirmed, especially in this economic climate, to continue to promote the goals of efficiency and economy; and

WHEREAS, although the Department of Personnel has been empowered to act as the State department with principal oversight responsibility for classification and compensation matters, the heads of the principal Departments are appointing authorities within the law and require sufficient authority over personnel matters to effectively manage their ongoing responsibilities to the public; and

WHEREAS, it is the public policy of this State, pursuant to N.J.S.A.[11A:1-2, to provide public officials with appropriate appointment, supervisory and other personnel authority to execute properly their constitutional and statutory responsibilities; and

WHEREAS, the Commissioner of the Department of Personnel has a role to assist the various departments to help them meet their business needs;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JAMES J. FLORIO, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

1. The Commissioner shall develop a plan for the consolidation and coordination of personnel functions that balances the needs and benefits of central personnel administration and the management needs of the department and agency heads. The plan should address, but not be limited to, classification, compensation and workforce planning in the Executive Branch of State government, and provide for the transfer, if appropriate, to the Department of Personnel such employees, positions, funding, facilities, equipment, powers, duties and functions from throughout the Executive Branch as necessary to effectuate such consolidation and coordination.

2. The Commissioner shall submit no later than 60 days from the date of this Executive Order the consolidation plan to the Governor for review and approval. Upon the approval of the Governor, the Commissioner may, pursuant to the approved plan, direct the consolidation and coordination of personnel functions, including, but not limited to, classification, compensation and workforce planning, in the Executive Branch and the transfer to the Department of Personnel, if appropriate, of such employees, positions, funding, facilities, equipment, powers, duties and functions to effectuate such consolidation and coordination. The Commissioner shall organize these functions in such units as the Commissioner determines are necessary for the efficient operation of the Department and to properly support the appointing authorities and all State employees in personnel matters.

3. The plan shall include a statement of the problems being addressed by the proposed consolidations and detail the proposed changes, the staffing needs, the division of duties between the operating departments and agencies and the Department of Personnel, and shall address the transfer of staff and resources to implement the plan.

4. The plan shall be developed in consultation with the affected department and agency heads.

5. Each department, division, or agency in the Executive Branch of State government shall cooperate fully with the Commissioner and make available to the Commissioner such information, personnel and assistance necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Order.

6. Within six months, the Commissioner shall submit to the Governor a report on the implementation of this Order after consultation with the Cabinet.

7. This Order shall take effect immediately.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal this
17th day of November in the Year of Our
Lord, One Thousand Nine Hundred and
Ninety Two, and of the Independence
of the United States, the Two Hundred
and Seventeenth.

/s/ Jim Florio
Governor

Attest:

/s/ M. Robert DeCotiis
Chief Counsel to the Governor