12. a. Nothing in this act shall be construed to deprive any officers or employees of the School of Osteopathic Medicine of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey of their rights, privileges, obligations or status with respect to any pension, retirement, or health benefits system. The employees shall, upon transfer to Rowan University, retain all of their rights and benefits under existing collective negotiations agreements or contracts until such time as new or revised agreements or contracts are agreed to. Notwithstanding the limitations on the number of Statewide negotiations units set forth in section 1 of P.L.2005, c.142 (C. 34:13A-5.10), employees shall continue to be represented by the majority representative that represented them as employees of the School of Osteopathic Medicine of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, unless the employees choose to change their majority representative pursuant to law. Rowan University shall assume all obligations under existing or expired collective negotiations agreements that covered employees of the School of Osteopathic Medicine of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey on the effective date of this act.

Employees in an existing University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey negotiations unit employed at the School of Osteopathic Medicine on the effective date of this act, who are transferred to or become employees of Rowan University shall be deemed to constitute an appropriate collective negotiations unit under the “New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act,” P.L.1941, c.100 (C. 34:13A-1 et seq.).

Nothing in this act shall affect the civil service status, if any, of those officers or employees. Nothing in this act shall affect the tenure, rank, or academic track of any of those employees holding a faculty position.

b. The employees shall, upon transfer to Rowan University, not be considered new employees for any purpose and shall retain any accrued seniority, rank, and tenure, which shall be applied when determining eligibility for all benefits, including all paid leave time, longevity increases, and promotions.

L.2012, c.45, s.12.