Dem Senate candidate quit county job because they wouldn’t pay her for time off campaigning

A Democratic candidate for State Senate abruptly left her $95,000-a-year full-time county job after just four months because she was frustrated over not getting paid for the time she was out of the office campaigning, the New Jersey Globe has learned.

Jennifer Ehrentraut, a Hawthorne school board member challenging incumbent Kristin Corrado (R-Totowa) in the 40th district, was hired as Passaic County’s deputy director of Human Resources on March 15, around the same time she agreed to become her party’s Senate candidate.

Despite being unemployed since July 21, Ehrentraut continues to list her county job on campaign literature and questionnaires.

Previously, she had spent two years as a part-time aide to County Commissioner Sandi Lazzara at a $20,00 annual salary.

A powerful insider familiar with Ehrentraut’s circumstances, who asked not to be identified, said her campaign to unseat Corrado caused her to miss time at work.  She had not yet accrued vacation days, so her time off was deducted from her paycheck.

Already angry that Democrats weren’t coming through with funding for her uphill campaign in a Republican-leaning district and frustrated by the New Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council’s decision to endorse Corrado and the two Democratic Assembly candidates in the 40th, Ehrentraut decided to quit her job.

Early on the morning of Monday, July 10, she sent a brusque email to Passaic County Administrator Matthew Jordan, Deputy County Administrator Marc Seemon, and Human Resources Director Cristi Mahabir advising them that July 21 would be her last day.

The following week, the building trades council voted to revoke their endorsements of Ehrentraut’s running mates, Giovanna Irizzary and Jennifer Marrinan, and instead support Republicans Christopher DePhillips (R-Wyckoff) and Al Barlas.

Ehrentraut initially did not return a phone call or text message seeking comment.  Reached later on her cell phone, the Senate candidate instead pretended to be someone else.

“Can she call you back later,” Ehrentraut said, before a follow-up question caused her to just hang up.

Corrado declined to comment in a call with the New Jersey Globe.