There is hereby established in the Division of Public Employment Relations a commission to be known as the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission. This commission, in addition to the powers and duties granted by this act, shall have in the public employment area the same powers and duties granted to the labor mediation board in sections 7 and 10 of P.L. 1941, c. 100, and in sections 2 and 3 of P.L. 1945, c. 32. This commission shall make policy and establish rules and regulations concerning employer-employee relations in public employment relating to dispute settlement, grievance procedures and administration including enforcement of statutory provisions concerning representative elections and related matters and to implement fully all the provisions of this act. The commission shall consist of seven members to be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Of such members, two shall be representative of public employers, two shall be representative of public employee organizations and three shall be representative of the public including the appointee who is designated as chairman. Of the first appointees, two shall be appointed for two years, two for a term of three years and three, including the chairman, for a term of four years. Their successors shall be appointed for terms of three years each, and until their successors are appointed and qualified, except that any person chosen to fill a vacancy shall be appointed only for the unexpired term of the member whose office has become vacant.

The members of the commission, other than the chairman, shall be compensated at the rate of $250.00 for each six hour day spent in attendance at meetings and consultations and shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses in connection with the discharge of their duties except that no commission member who receives a salary or other form of compensation as a representative of any employer or employee group, organization or association, shall be compensated by the commission for any deliberations directly involving members of said employer or employee group, organization or association. Compensation for more, or less than, six hours per day, shall be prorated in proportion to the time involved.

The chairman of the commission shall be its chief executive officer and administrator, shall devote his full time to the performance of his duties as chairman of the Public Employment Relations Commission and shall receive such compensation as shall be provided by law.

L. 1968, c. 303, s. 6; amended 1974,c.123,s.3; 1987,c.456.