Opinion ID: 2299760
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Heading: A. The TCA

Text: UMDNJ is a public entity entitled to immunity under the Tort Claims Act. See Fuchilla v. Layman, 109 N.J. 319, 330-31, 537 A. 2d 652, cert. denied sub. nom., University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey v. Fuchilla, 488 U.S. 826, 109 S.Ct. 75, 102 L.Ed. 2d 51 (1988). As initially enacted in 1972, the TCA did not extend immunity to public employees, nor were they protected by the notice requirements contained in the Act. However, in 1994 in response to this Court's ruling in Chatman v. Hall, 128 N.J. 394, 608 A. 2d 263 (1992), that held that the notice requirements of the TCA are not applicable to actions brought against public employees, the Legislature amended the Act to extend to public employees the same degree of immunity the Act grants to public entities. N.J.S.A. 59:3-1c, now provides c. A public employee is not liable for an injury where a public entity is immune from liability for that injury. The amendment also made the notice requirements under N.J.S.A. 59:8-3 applicable to both public entities and public employees. Under the TCA, a public employee is entitled to notice of a claim within 90 days of the accrual of a cause of action. N.J.S.A. 59:8-3, 8-8. A plaintiff must wait six months after the notice of claim is received before filing suit. N.J.S.A. 59:8-8. Those notice provisions, however, apply only if the worker is a public employee. The Tort Claims Act defines employee as follows: `Employee' includes an officer, employee or servant, whether or not compensated or part-time, who is authorized to perform any act or service; provided, however, that the term does not include an independent contractor.