27. a. Once a consolidation has been approved by the affected municipal governing bodies or voters, the division shall create a task force of State departments, offices and agencies, as it deems appropriate, and representatives of affected negotiations units, to facilitate the consolidation and provide technical assistance.

b. When a consolidation plan provides that the consolidated municipality will be subject to the provisions of Title 11A, Civil Service, of the New Jersey Statutes the Civil Service Commission is specifically authorized to create a consolidation implementation plan to vest non-civil service employees, based on the education and experience of the individuals, in appropriate titles and tenure.

c. Whenever a referendum question to decide if a consolidated municipality shall be subject to the provisions of Title 11A, Civil Service, of the New Jersey Statutes fails, the employees of a municipality already subject to that Title shall be given non-civil service titles in the new entity and previously held tenure shall be vacated.

d. The Public Employment Relations Commission is authorized to provide technical advice, pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1968, c.303 (C. 34:13A-8.3), to assist a new municipality and existing labor unions to integrate separate labor agreements into consolidated agreements and to adjust the structure of collective negotiations units, as the commission determines appropriate for the consolidated municipality.

L.2007, c.63, s.27; amended 2008, c.29, s.103.