teachers

New Jersey public school teachers who accept revised contracts by May 22 [|don't have to contribute 1.5 percent of their pay for health benefits for the 2010-11 school year], giving school staff an incentive to take a wage freeze or smaller raises, a report in the Press of Atlantic City said.

The state Department of Education sent school districts a memo outlining the rule in hopes of getting teachers to freeze wages, especially since about 70 districts are currently working under expired contracts, which is higher than usual, according to the report. On March 23, Gov. Chris Christie signed into law broad changes to pensions and benefits offered to public workers that required all school district employees to pay 1.5 percent of their base salaries toward the cost of health benefits.