In an opinion ripped from the headlines, the New Jersey Appellate Division dealt a decisive blow to anti-vaxxers. The Mayor of Newark issued an executive order mandating that all city employees receive Covid-19 vaccines. Any employee who failed to comply could be fired. The Newark Police Superior Officers’ Association and eight other unions filed unfair labor practice charges against the City with the Public Employment Relations Commission. The Commission ordered the City to negotiate with the unions over specific terms and conditions in the order, such as costs, timelines, and discipline. The Appellate Division upheld the mayor’s order in its entirety. The Court held that the mayor had the managerial prerogative to issue the order. And the Court ruled that the order did not violate the New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act, N.J.S.A. 34:13A-1 to -55.
