34:13A-16.1. Annual continuing education program for arbitrators
4. The commission shall establish an annual continuing education program for the arbitrators appointed to its special panel of arbitrators. The program shall include sessions or seminars on topics and issues of relevance and importance to arbitrators serving on the commission's special panel of arbitrators, such as public employer budgeting and finance, public management and administration, employment trends and labor costs in the public sector, pertinent court decisions, employment issues relating to law enforcement officers and firefighters, and such other topics as the commission shall deem appropriate and necessary. In preparing the curriculum for the annual education program required under this section, the commission shall solicit suggestions from employees' representatives and public employers concerning the topics and issues each of those parties deem relevant and important.
Every arbitrator shall be required to participate in the commission's continuing education program. If a mediator or an arbitrator in any year fails to participate, the commission may remove that person from its special panel of arbitrators. If an arbitrator fails to participate in the continuing education program for two consecutive years, the commission shall immediately remove that individual from the special panel.
L.1995,c.425,s.4.