2025 Annual New Jersey Public Employment Conference
Date: Apr 3, 2025 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Hilton East Brunswick Hotel & Executive Meeting Center, 3 Tower Center Blvd, East Brunswick
Member Price: $199.00
Non-Member Price: $244.00
Section Price: $199.00
Areas of Law: Labor & Employment
Earn up to 7.7 credits, including 1.5 in Diversity! (More Information)
Keynote
- Hon. Matthew J. Platkin, Esq.
- Office of Attorney General
Moderator
Presenters
- William J. Campbell, IV
- Deputy General Counsel, Public Employment Relations Commission, Trenton
- Frank Crivelli, Esq.
- Crivelli & Barbati, LLC
- Derek J. Demeri, Esq.
- Weissman & Mintz LLC, Somerset
- Kate Diedrick
- Senior Strategic Researcher, Communications Workers of America
- Matthew J. Giacobbe, Esq.
- Partner, Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs LLC, Oakland
- Seth Hahn
- Executive Director, New Jersey Assembly Majority Office
- Joseph M. Hannon, Esq.
- Genova Burns, Newark
- Mary Beth Hennessy-Shotter, Esq.
- Chair, Public Employment Relations Commission, Trenton
- Frank C. Kanther, Esq.
- Deputy General Counsel, Public Employment Relations Commission, Trenton
- Gina Mendola Longarzo, Esq.
- Law Offices of Gina Mendola Longarzo, LLC, Chatham
- Colin M. Lynch, Esq.
- Zazzali, P.C.
- Kevin Lyons
- Executive Director, New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association, Woodbridge
- Arlene Perez, Esq.
- DeCotiis FitzPatrick & Cole LLP, Paramus
- Marc H. Pfeiffer
- Professor, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers
- Elizabeth Pudel, Esq.
- Selikoff & Cohen PA, Mount Laurel
- John Pulomena
- County Administrator, Middlesex County - Office of the County Administration, New Brunswick
- Michael Salerno
- Associate Director, Pensions and Benefits, NJEA, Trenton
- Mark Gerald Toscano, Esq.
- Comegno Law Group P.C., Moorestown
- Matthew Watkins
- Labor Consultant, New Jersey State League of Municipalities, Trenton
- Joel Weisblatt, Esq.
- Arbitrator
- Steven P. Weissman, Esq.
- Weissman & Mintz LLC, Somerset
- Beth P. Zoller, Esq.
- KSBranigan Law P.C., Montclair
A diverse group of union and management representatives and neutrals will come together for the Annual Public Employment Conference – a daylong series of panels to discuss the critical issues confronting New Jersey’s public sector.
Cutting-Edge Insights: The conference promises thought-provoking and insightful presentations. Experts will delve into today’s most pressing issues.
Record Attendance: Last year, nearly 400 attendees participated in this must-attend event. We’re on track to surpass that number in 2025.
Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow professionals, exchange ideas and build valuable relationships. The conference provides a platform for meaningful interactions and collaboration.
Earn up to 7.3 credits, including 1.2 in diversity.
Register today to stay informed about the latest developments, gain valuable knowledge and contribute to the advancement of public employment practices.
Program Agenda:
- 8:30 | Welcome and Keynote Remarks
- Welcome Remarks: Mary Beth Hennessy-Shotter, Esq.
- Keynote Speaker: Hon. Matthew J. Platkin, Esq. - 9:00 | Legal Developments Panel: Discussion of recent and cutting-edge case law, statutory and regulatory developments
- 10:00 | State and Local Budget Issues and the Impact of Possible Reductions in Federal Aid: With threatened deep reductions in federal programs such as Medicaid, hear from budget experts and labor and management representatives about the potential impact on the delivery of public services and collective bargaining. Are massive layoffs in the offing and, if so, are there ways to mitigate them?
- 11:30 | Healthcare: The Affordability Crisis: As healthcare costs continue to soar, what can we learn from the approach legislated for school board employees that provided high quality affordable healthcare plans? Are there innovative ways of controlling and reducing costs that could be implemented, but that have been overlooked?
- 12:45 | Lunch
- 1:45 | EEO Workplace Investigations and Evolving Standards for Workplace Behavior: What are the rights of union-represented employees and their unions during workplace investigations? What rules apply as to confidentiality? How, if at all, will federal edicts regarding DEI-type initiatives impact the NJ public sector and bargaining?
- 3:00 | Collective Bargaining Panel: Bargaining Power, How to Use it, Is it Imaginary, and Practice Tips: A discussion among experienced negotiators about power relationships in public sector bargaining and a discussion of best practices for resolving challenging bargaining disputes.
- 4:00 | Adjourn
Important Information About Our Events, Meetings, and More:
To secure your spot and receive important updates about our events, meetings, and other gatherings, such as schedule changes, remember to register in advance.
Digital Materials & Environmental Commitment: As part of our commitment to environmental sustainability, unless otherwise noted, all seminar materials are provided as digital downloads. You can access these materials through:
- The “My Links” section at the top of our website for in-person or online events
- Or, for online programs, the event access link included in your joining instructions
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
If you need to cancel your registration and are not transferring to another program or date, please submit a written request to us at least three business days before the event, meeting, or gathering. You will receive a refund minus a $20.00 cancellation fee. No refunds or registration changes will be issued within three business days of the event, meeting, or gathering.
Stay Informed:
Registered participants will be notified of any schedule changes. For updates regarding inclement weather, please check your email or visit NJSBA.com.
Media Consent:
By participating in our events, meetings, or other gatherings, you agree to be photographed and/or recorded. Additionally, all media content captured during these gatherings will become the property of NJSBA. This content, including your image and name, may be used in our future promotional materials without additional consent or compensation.
Scholarship & Financial Assistance Policy:
Read our Scholarship & Financial Assistance Policy and submit an Application here: https://njsba.com/njicle/cle-programs/scholarship/